SOLITUDE: In this week's Newsweek, Columnist Anna Quindlen has a great essay on the virtues of solitude. It resonates with me because I truly love fishing alone. My wife always asks me, "don't you get bored?" Others have commented that I don't have witnesses to back up any catches, pretty much diminishing any bragging rights. But I love being alone on the water with my thoughts. And when fish are actually biting and I get lost in the concentration and focus of trying to catch them, six hours goes by like ten minutes. I'll forget to check my watch, forget to eat, and forget pretty much anything except the water and the fish right in front of me.
I'm no hermit, spending the day with fishing buddies is equally enjoyable, but for different reasons. For all the different types of fishing--fly fishing, spin fishing, inshore, offshore--you can really break it down to two types of experiences: fishing with your friends and fishing alone.