To alter the old maxim slightly, there are in fact three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and fishing at the weekend! It is remarkable that fishing, being one of the oldest professions on this earth, is still regarded by many as the ultimate leisure pastime.
What’s more, it seems that the number of diehard anglers is growing by the year and whether they are big game fishermen, shore anglers, bass anglers or fly fishermen, everyone has one thing in common – they live to fish and their day jobs are merely the means to a fishy end!
If the weather permits, we’ll be out on the boat or next to the lake, rod in hand and happy as clams at high tide. Take a look at our list of symptoms to see if you qualify as a true fishing fanatic:
1. By your reasoning, a 90% chance of severe thunderstorms actually means that there is a 10% chance of having really excellent fishing weather.
2. Your post box is a giant fibreglass tuna.
3. Your wife has to drag you out of bed at 08h00 to go to work, but you can wake up at 04h30 on weekends without so much as a groan.
4. When someone says they have had a real tragedy in the family, your immediate thought is that they had broken their Shimano Tiagra.
5. Your boat costs more than your house.
6. You have more nicks and cuts on your hands – from fishhooks, fish spines and filleting – than a labourer in a razor factory.
7. You have more than 20 of any one lure in the same colour.
8. You still have ‘hat hair’ even after your third shampoo and blow dry.
9. Your cat likes hanging out with you because of the smell.
10. You tell your fishing buddy, “Hold on, I’ve almost got him” when he is suffering from a heart attack.
11. You look back over the last month and realise that you have kissed more fish (in celebration) than you have your wife.
12. You have named more than one fish swimming free in the ocean, certain that you will meet again someday.
13. You have any pets or kids named Daiwa, Rapala or Shakespeare.
**Take the full 26-point test in the November 2013 edition of Leisure Boating magazine!**
