Thread: The mental health benefits of fishing

New research out from Otago university/Fish and Game.

A new exploratory study has found that the act of standing in a river, trout or salmon fishing, has mental health benefits.

Should do follow-up study for waterfowlers and upland game hunters too.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018964296/the-mental-health-benefits-of-fishing

No kidding? I didn't need a university study to tell me that.

I said to wife(of 27 years today) just last week "we need to go fishing to reduce our stress" .yesterday we sat in wagon in the rain while some brave worms went for swimming lessons with a safety line attached. Yip we got a trout,I shot a hate that walked past too. The dogs got to romp around in lake and we all went home mentally refreshed. Tony Orman said it well....sometimes we need to catch fish,other times we just need to 'go fishing'.

Originally Posted by Shearer

No kidding? I didn't need a university study to tell me that.

No one did , but they wanted funding and someone clearly wanted to give them money......

I find great pleasure sitting in a boat with a line over the side....Sometimes however the day is ruined when I catch fish and have to clean them...problem is reduced by not putting bait on the hook, but somehow I still catch the odd one.....Dam rocking making the hook go up and down....

As a reformed surfcaster ( I now have a boat) I have spent countless hours standing in the rain looking at the rod tip waiting for something to happen. I view fishing as a kind of meditation whereby hours of not much action is interspersed with cups of coffee and the occasional bait change. I regard catching a fish as a bonus.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I said to wife(of 27 years today) just last week "we need to go fishing to reduce our stress" .yesterday we sat in wagon in the rain while some brave worms went for swimming lessons with a safety line attached. Yip we got a trout,I shot a hate that walked past too. The dogs got to romp around in lake and we all went home mentally refreshed. Tony Orman said it well....sometimes we need to catch fish,other times we just need to 'go fishing'.

Odd coincidence 27th anniversary yesterday for my wife and I too ��

My wife doesn’t like fishing but is more than happy that i do and loves eating the catch

Congratulations to you both, yes fishing can be a great time to recharge the batteries and can be done alot easier than going for a hunt

I think the same mental health conclusions could be arrived at for most outdoor pursuits. Fresh air and movement are a wonder drug. Although yesterday’s activity was probably the very worst result this old man has netted at a club pistol competition (2nd last) it was still fun and good companionship. My daughter told me which pistol I should take and it turned out that I shot absolutely crap with it.

Soooo.... going to the hunting and fishing store is like going to the chemist for a prescription.

I will be explaining this to the wife next time were in town and "i will need repeats in the future". So there!!

Hypothesis: a bad day fishing beats a good day at work...
Yep, we've known that since we first picked up a rod and reel.

As long as you don't have any allergies

Fishing is good for the Breweries ,and a plethora of other entities…..I know it has been a blinder of good/great times for myself and whanau…..Ive met some of the funniest and hilarious people on fishing trips…it’s not for everyone…..but in kiwi,how could you not!!

Originally Posted by trapperjohn

Soooo.... going to the hunting and fishing store is like going to the chemist for a prescription.

I will be explaining this to the wife next time were in town and "i will need repeats in the future". So there!!

Not sure if you have been to a Cabelas or Bass Pro shop, but it's highly likely you will overdose on their "prescriptions".
I've come close to overdoing it a few times in their shops. Luckily my wife has been there to guide me through the tough bits.

Originally Posted by trapperjohn

Soooo.... going to the hunting and fishing store is like going to the chemist for a prescription.

I see it more like a visit to your local meth dealer.

Not only fishing, anything can let people get out of their usual life and routines, and focusing something else, even only for few minutes surely can help a lot. A glass of whiskey, a cigarette and simple chat with total strangers. However fishing is good way because it last for longer period from the day before fishing till maybe few days later after. But the fishing is not fit for everyone, for some people if they can `t make things right or in the way they want they will get more depresses.
Talking about fishing, last year when I do market research I found out a surprising figure about recreational fishing market size in land China which is equal to 9bn dollars in 2018.