It sounds kinda stupied,but as I get older it isn’t about how big or how many you can catch,it is about going,and that is what I love about it. I can go on the water and catch 1 or 50 and I am happy. Remember life is short open your eyes,look around and enjoy yourself. Jerry 
Depends on the day. However I’d say 90% of the time, I enjoy “guiding” and seeing others in my boat catching. Over the last few years it seems I get more enjoyment seeing others getting all worked up bringing in the fish compared to how I feel bringing in the fish. Especially when that someone else is NOT an avid fisherman and doesn’t get a chance to get out often.
So I guess I enjoy fishing.
Unless I’m out trophy hunting or something.
A tough day fishing is always better than any day at work.
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It sounds kinda stupied,but as I get older it isn’t about how big or how many you can catch,it is about going,and that is what I love about it. I can go on the water and catch 1 or 50 and I am happy. Remember life is short open your eyes,look around and enjoy yourself.
Jerry
Well said, and yes we are doing just that 
At 62 I’ve finally got to the point where a day on the water is a day well spent, I’m going 75/25 on the fishing vs catching though as nothing tops a day on the water as the screaming of a drag, the bobber going down or the tap, tap of that elusive fish, add the excitement of catching fish and a nice day on the water becomes a perfect day.
Al
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Depends on the day. However I’d say 90% of the time, I enjoy “guiding” and seeing others in my boat catching. Over the last few years it seems I get more enjoyment seeing others getting all worked up bringing in the fish compared to how I feel bringing in the fish. Especially when that someone else is NOT an avid fisherman and doesn’t get a chance to get out often.
So I guess I enjoy fishing.
Unless I’m out trophy hunting or something.
You read my mind Ruger! I love the feeling I get from putting “new” fisherman on fish and seeing how fired up they get
I agree with everything Ruger said. I know the proper answer is that it is just great to be out there and it doesn’t matter if I catch a fish or not—-BULL!!!!! I don’t mind a day when the fish aren’t biting and you have to struggle for a few but my best days on the water are when I figure out a pattern. Don’t get me wrong—I like being outdoors and the fresh air and spending time with friends (or I would if I had any 
) but I like catching too. I love those days when it is slow and I come back to the dock and everyone has struggled and I have figured a pattern out and put fish in the boat. I guess I am to the point in my life if I can’t go out and catch a fish on any given day then maybe I should have taken up a new hobby years ago. I totally understand the guys that get immense enjoyment out of just being out and that is great. I am just speaking for myself and I hope no one takes it the wrong way just answering the question 
I love just fishing, but make no mistake, it is about catching. I can fish on a beautiful day for hours and it is nice, but if I don’t catch anything, there is always a little disappointment at the end of the trip. Conversely, I have fished in rainy weather nearly to the point of hypothermia, but I stayed out as long as I could because I was catching fish.
As far as size goes. Yeah, I always hope for a PB every time out, however I have never been disappointed just catching small fish.
It is easy to say that just getting out is most important, but in reality, catching is where it’s at. Or at least the opportunity must exist for good catching. . If it weren’t, lakes like LOTW, URL, and Rainy would not be tourist destinations. If it were only about getting out and relaxing, people would not be driving 6+ hours from the cities for vacations, and fly-in fishing services wouldn’t exist…..
T
Of course I like to be out, on the water, but when I don’t catch anything, I am miserable. I am envious of the guys that always have a good time.
That being said, I do enjoy helping others catch. I am more excited for my wife’s first musky, than my next one.
I pity the fool (random Mr. T quote) who’s sole goal is catching, killing, or capturing something. Yes, we all aim to catch fish, shoot a big buck, etc… But at the end of the day quality time spent enjoying God’s gift of the outdoors – whether that be alone, with friends, or with family – is what it’s all about. If you can fish for a day and consider it “wasted” time if you come home empty handed, I certainly feel sorry for you… And more often than not, would NOT choose to have you as a fishing partner…
Catching is not the sole goal or reason for going for me (and I suspect for most here), but it is the main one. At least having the opportunity to score MUST be present. If merely getting out and relaxing was the only thing that mattered, I would golf. We all like getting away from the stresses of daily life, but the chance to catch something needs to be there.
Same thing as hunting, if shooting something wasn’t the focus, it would just be called a nature hike.
T
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If merely getting out and relaxing was the only thing that mattered, I would golf.
That’s a good one!!! Sorry couldn’t help myself… “Golf” and “Relax” shouldn’t even be in the same dictionary…
As long as you don’t take yourself seriously and can have a or two, golf is… well, OK… The minute you become frustrated with a bad putt, drive, etc, that’s when I put the clubs away and just enjoy the cart ride. 
90 percent of the time, I would say just getting out and fishing is enough.
I was out on Wed last week and spent 5 hours in the boat and did not catch one fish. Thursday was just the opposite, lost count of the number of fish that I caught. Both days, I fished alone.
It did not matter if I was catching fish, I was outdoors enjoying nature, not at work or dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life and it’s stresses.
Ron
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Of course I like to be out, on the water, but when I don’t catch anything, I am miserable. I am envious of the guys that always have a good time.
I will say it depends on if I’m ice fishing or open water fishing.
I find ice fishing extremely boring unless the fish are biting. So catching means a little more on the ice.
Open water, you can fiddle with gear (electronics, boat, motor), move location easily, try new applications, etc. If the fish aren’t cooperating with open water, you can do a lot more to try and change the bite. So lack of a bite isn’t as bad.
There are some days you just get beat.
-Wade-
To each his own.
I fish to catch…………and eat. It’s the way I was raised.
If I want to enjoy nature, I’ll pull up a chair and drink and sit next to the hummer feeder and watch the dominant male chase all the others away.
Since catching is part of fishing, catching first, fishing 2nd…. I always have live bait for a reason… not the end of the world getting skunked, but it sure doesn’t beat taking a limit to the pan 
big G
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I pity the fool (random Mr. T quote) who’s sole goal is catching, killing, or capturing something. Yes, we all aim to catch fish, shoot a big buck, etc… But at the end of the day quality time spent enjoying God’s gift of the outdoors – whether that be alone, with friends, or with family – is what it’s all about. If you can fish for a day and consider it “wasted” time if you come home empty handed, I certainly feel sorry for you… And more often than not, would NOT choose to have you as a fishing partner…
Couldn’t have said it better. Especially the last part about not allowing those people in my boat.
-Wade-
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I pity the fool (random Mr. T quote) who’s sole goal is catching, killing, or capturing something
“””””””””
Help me here will ya, I’m trying to figure out who posted that it was “Solely” to catch fish?
Al
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“””
I pity the fool (random Mr. T quote) who’s sole goal is catching, killing, or capturing something
“””””””””Help me here will ya, I’m trying to figure out who posted that it was “Solely” to catch fish?
Al
I did.
As part of my opinion. It was not directed at anyone, just how I feel. Let’s not knit-pick here…. 
Or over amp maybe?
Al
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I pity the fool (random Mr. T quote) who’s sole goal is catching, killing, or capturing something
Luckily, there aren’t many of these people around, at least in my circles……..
Thanks for all of the posts,it is good to see what other people think about fishing or catching. We all go for a special reason. I think that when we get older our minds change a lot on how we look at what we do. The last time I took my Dad fishing before he died He had caught the bigest walleye that he had ever caught. He let him go. Funny how I never forgot that day,every time I drive past that part of the river I still think of it. Jerry
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