I Have Gone Fishing

Well, I went fishing. Of course I was the only one who caught a fish though. Honestly, why did it have to be me?

When the fish took the bait, I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to hurt it so I didn't reel it in fast at all. Then the other boys and my boy scout leaders kept telling me to go faster, and I was scared but I tried to. The more it struggled the worse I felt until I finally got it to the dock. One leader told me to hold it up on the line so he could take a picture, but it just kept squirming in the air. It was so heavy and I felt so so bad.

Another leader took it and was about to kill it so we could cook it later, but I blurted out not to because I didn't want to hurt it anymore than I already have. Seeing him about to do it just scared me so much, and I told him to release it. He did, disappointedly, but it had a hard time swimming. It didn't move at first, but eventually swam away.

I know it's just a fish and I'm stupid to be feeling so bad for it, but I just can't help but to think that maybe I made the wrong choice to let it go. Articles online said that catch-and-release fishing is cruelty disguised as "sport", and that it only left them kept vulnerable to predators. I wish I killed it so it wouldn't suffer, but it might have also just been okay and healed eventually. Either way, I caused it so much pain and I felt like a monster after that. I couldn't bear to fish anymore, and just waited until everyone else called it quits.

I don't know how to feel now. I guess it would make sense to move on and do better next time (just kidding, never going fishing again), but I just feel so guilty. And over something so small too. I should be worrying about homework and AP tests and my health. Not this

Serenitree · F

I only tried fishing once in my life. I say tried because I didn't even get the worm on the hook. I was crying. Begging the silly thing to stop squirming and just get on the hook, please. Suddely, behind me I heard laughter. Two small boys, 8 or 9 years old, I guess, offered to do it for me. I remembered something I had read somewhere, about if you can't bait your own hook, go home, because you will never be a fisherman.

Well, I never wanted to go fishing anyhow. I did it to please my husband. That was the only time he took me on one of his fishing trips. Thank goodness. I can read and write and nsp just as easy at home as I can in a cottaged by a lake.

puppylove · M

I was touched by your response to catching that fish :-)

As long as the fish is released within a short period of time, he is not harmed. Fish have no nerves in their mouth areas, so they can't feel pain. The worst of it for them is the fear of being captured. However, by "catch and release" they have learned a valuable lesson. That fish will become less likely to be caught again.
So in effect, you did him a life-saving favor