Long have I pondered over writing my own fishing journal, and long have I mulled over how I would start. The culmination of that preparation is simple, for lack of better words - I. Love. Fishing.
Fishing is a highly stereotyped activity - ask people on the street and 9 out of 10 would respond that fishing "is boring", "takes too long" and "is not worth the effort". The accompanying imagery in those persons' minds would often be of a solitary man, laid back in a chair along the banks of a tranquil river and waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Fishing has not only been shunned by many as a pointless hobby, but even looked down upon, due to the unfortunately irresponsible behaviours of certain anglers. In Singapore for instance, anglers are often perceived as unfriendly litterers, law violators and disruptors of the ecosystem due to a select few who taint the fishing community's name.
I have sought - and continue to seek - to change that. Fishing has given me so, so much; something to focus my energy on, something to delve into, and something through which I can meet new people and enjoy new experiences. Some anglers may enjoy the tranquility and solitude that comes with fishing as I mentioned earlier, but what I appreciate most about it is quite the opposite. While fishing is an opportunity to commune with nature, it is also a great platform for human interaction. Being a novel activity in today's fast-paced day and age, my passion has piqued the interest of many friends. That interest has more often than not blossomed into a fishing trip. Or fishing trips. In fact, I would not be surprised if someone told me that since my first cast at the age of 6, I have been in the company of over a thousand angling partners. It doesn't matter if I brought them to fishing or if fishing brought me to them - I am thankful to each and every one of them for sharing the hobby I so love. If you are one of those people - thank you, and I hope you enjoyed the experience! If you are not one of those people - I hope we can fish together one day!
Throughout my fishing sessions, I have sought to reverse the public stigma shrouding the activity. I try my best to keep my surroundings clean on behalf of others, ensure the well being and safe release of my catches and enthusiastically relate my hobby to the intrigued passerby. When fishing with my peers, I strive to select the best conditions for their comfort and catch-rate, such that they may not see fishing as a boring activity when meticulous research has been done. When I untangle a friend's line or re-tie a rig, I don't see it as a waste of time, but rather an investment - an investment that will change the general view of fishing, even if it's just within my social circle. I envision that friend in a few years' time, as passionate about fishing as I am, and documenting weird and wonderful species of fish.
Hold on, 500 words into my fishing website and I have not once talked about a fish?! Ah yes, the fish. The diverse, majestic, ugly, prized, shunned, powerful, sluggish, massive, minute and all so uniquely wonderful fish.
Many anglers tend to lock in on a specific species, often the largest, the most revered or the most impressive gamefish. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but when one becomes so fixated on a single target, everything else seems to fade away. This has resulted in a number of unlucky species falling under the radar, just because they are too small, too weak, or simply too mediocre. Not only do most anglers neglect these fish, they perceive such fish as nuisances and would be less likely to treat by-catches with as much respect as, say, a prized trophy.
I say it again, I have nothing against that sort of fishing, but that mindset vastly differs from my goals whenever I dip a line in the water. Just like tagline of some Japanese game, I just want to catch them all. In Singapore, we are blessed with incredible marine diversity along our shores, as well as well-kept freshwater bodies full of exotic species. Considering our small size, it is rather astounding that over 700 types of fish have been documented throughout the island nation that I call home. This never really sank in when I was younger, but seeing buckets of differently shaped and coloured fish lining the jetty just spoke to me. Maybe it's just the novelty and excitement of catching something different, or the anticipation of not knowing what you're gonna get. Whatever it is, it has inculcated in me a deep appreciation for the biodiversity teeming in our waters. That's why I choose to keep a lifelist, to remind myself that every catch is to be treasured. I try to reflect this through fishing in practice too - I try to give every fish the best release I can if I don't intend to keep it and I try not to have favourites. Yes, it's difficult. It's what I imagine having a favourite student or child must be like - at the back of your mind you always have one, but you never come to terms with it, let alone make it known to anyone!
Jokes aside, to be able to experience all this in such close proximity to the city, while also having opportunities to fish abroad, I feel so, so thankful. Just take a look at the picture below, as I pose with a White-Shouldered Whiptail (Pentapodus setosus) barely a kilometre from the towering skyline of Singapore's Central Business District!
Well, that's it for my opening post! If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading!
Stay tuned, for many more fishy stories await!
Tight lines,
~ Ryan, the Fishing Chinchilla