The Sports View

By Sun Advocate

The number of sports in today’s culture is amazing. It just blows my mind to think of the many different activities that attract competitors and even more surprising, spectators.
When one thinks of sports, they typically develop an image of competition sports such as basketball, football and baseball. Many forget that outdoor and recreation activities such as hunting and fishing are also considered sporting events.
Despite the number of various sports that exist, I feel that fishing is one of the most beneficial activities around.
When one stops and thinks about what sport allows people of all ages to participate in, fishing should come to mind.
Looking back to my childhood, I can vividly remember the fishing trips I took with my parents, grandparents and my best friend, Perk the dog.
I couldn’t have been more than three years old, but I can remember sitting in my tiny lawn chair next to my grandpa with a tiny plastic pole in my hand. Grandpa would cast out what seemed like a mile away from shore and would sit there for hours waiting for a bite.
I on the other hand would dip my line in the water at the edge of the lake and would real in a nice looking fish. Oh how grandpa would cuss and grandma would just laugh.
Now that I am an adult, I see myself in my four year old daughter who loves to cast and reel. The idea of catching a fish means virtually nothing to her, but how she enjoys the sport.
And call it beginners luck or just Murphy’s law, but it seems as if she can catch fish left and right on her little plastic pole while all the adults and their fancy poles catch only moss.
These fishing excursions made me realize what a valuable sport fishing really is. After all, what sport brings together a family quite like fishing. Not only can children and their parents participate, but also the elderly members of a family.
Fishing does not require that the participants are in tip-top condition. In fact, the more out of shape the better, then you will have the patience to sit all day and wait for that big one to bite.
Children do not need to learn any fine techniques to participate in the sport. Instead, it seems the less you know, the better off you are.
The thing that I like about fishing is that even handicapped people can participate. Today, it seems as if sports are not geared toward those who face physical or mental challenges. With fishing, the thrill of participating is enough to make these residents return.
Even in Carbon County, I have seen a big difference in the way that fishing is regarded. With the construction of the Helper pond, I feel that more local citizens will become involved in the sport.
Now that the fish are biting, take the chance to take someone who has never been fishing out. It may be the best summer trip of the year and it may be a memory you will cheerish forever.