A Different Perspective

Perspective: A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

I've come to view fishing as being a burdensome activity. Yup, I admitted it, going fishing is no longer fun. That's a pretty extreme thing for a fly fishing blogger to confess, but I do, wholeheartedly.

I've kept my fishing stuff neatly stored away in the corner of my office, and it taunts me every time I see it out of the corner of my eye. I feel guilty about it. I feel like a fraud every time I open my computer or post a photo of a decorated trout.

I've started asking myself where do I put my focus? How am I spending my time? Am I passionate about it? And, does it even matter?

If you read this blog, you know that I'm genuinely passionate about conservation, the environment, and Public Lands, and sometimes those things get me down.

Last week I read an article put out by our local paper, the Asheville Citizen-Times, about the economic benefits of trout fishing in Western North Carlina. It spoke about how the industry has grown, significantly, in just the past few years. Logically speaking, this is a good thing. After all, I have a home; I get to eat, I get to take month long fishing trips to Durango because of this fishing industry. But, I'm not.

You see, I've witnessed the impact that all additional fishing and all those extra people have had on the ecosystem of the rivers. I've noticed how many more dead trout I find floating downstream. I pick up all those empty beer cans, water bottles, granola bar wrappers, etc.. I know how the Davidson used to fish five years ago because I fished it. I've caught those 10-inch wild brook trout in the Smokies that are now hard to find.

And that, folks, is my problem, that's why fishing became a chore.

So, how do you change it? How do you shift your perspective away from the problem?

Here's my solution. Stop focusing on the size of the mountain you have to climb and switch your perspective to all the beauty you see on the way up.