Fishing and Relationships by Cory Yarmuth

Fishing & Relationships - The way to make them stronger

In the past I have talked about passing along the passion of the outdoors to our children.  This has always been a goal of mine and it is a very important thing that as sportsman we should really keep in mind.  However, another topic related to this is to also keep in mind that you don’t have to be a child to start enjoying the passion of the outdoors.

Year after year we have seen the industry grow with more opportunities for women in the outdoors. 

There are many new organizations around that focus on women and the opportunities for women in both the fishing and hunting worlds. More and more clothing is being developed for women who want to hunt and fish as well as other necessary equipment that may be needed to fit the smaller stature of a woman.

I have been fortunate enough in the past to have been able to teach many youngsters the joys of fishing. These have been some of the greatest experiences and at times also the most frustrating ones.  That is not to say that it is not an enjoyable opportunity.  I have been blessed with a young son who enjoys fishing and now I have two, soon to be, stepdaughters that also enjoy fishing.

Now there has been a new passion in my life and that is to introduce an entire new world of the outdoors to my beautiful fiancé. Aimee has fished on and off before she met me, but those experiences have been limited and have only focused around your typical worm under a float for anything that might take the bait.  This new opportunity has been a blessing to both me and our relationship.

This has opened an entire new world of opportunities to teach someone the ins and outs of fishing that they have never experienced before.  It has really opened me up to allow me to share my passion with someone that I love.  This is a first for me as I have never had this opportunity.  Others in my past have never shown an interest in the things that I love. 

Since we started dating, I have been able to take her on dates to the shooting range and trips out fishing for everything from panfish to big salmon.  There has even been a fun adventure into Axe throwing.  There really isn’t anything she won’t try, and it is a way that has brought us even closer as a couple.

You may wonder why my personal life ends up in front of you as you read this? 

Well it is just an example of something that many of us outdoorsman tend to look past and not think too much about.  We tend to put ourselves in our own little bubble and not share our passion with those that are close to us.  Sure, we get to tell stories of our catches and harvests, but how many of us get to share stories of the catches made by the ones that we love?

If there is one thing that I have learned over the many years I have spent in the field it is to be patient.  This is something that has come into play in many aspects of life.  Going fishing is not only an enjoyable experience, but it should be looked at as a teaching experience.  These moments on the water or in the woods should be looked at as a way to learn to live our lives.   Things tend to slow down when you step back and pay attention to what you are doing.  The adventures we have should carry over into our personal lives and this is what can make us a better person.

With any person that loves to fish as much as I do you can probably relate to some of the downfalls that may be involved with introducing new people to a passion that you love to do.  The problem is that these negative thoughts can often get in the way of taking the time to share your experiences with others.   You may be less likely to take someone out fishing or hunting with you and that reluctance may be even stronger when it is a loved one.

Sure, there is going to be a learning curve and there will be challenges that you face, however those are what make you a better person and even a better outdoorsman.  The ability to share the sport of fishing with Aimee has made me appreciate my relationship more and allow me to enjoy my time on the water even more than before. 

Recently I took Aimee out in the boat for some fall king salmon fishing. 

Of course, I was nervous about it as this was a different type of fishing than she had ever done.  It would be constant casting of heavy lures and often it takes a good amount of skill to entice these kings into striking your bait.  Not to mention that we would be doing most of our fishing in the dark.

This was just another adventure that I needed to slow down and take my time to teach her the proper way to cast and work her bait.  It was amazing that after a few minutes of instruction I was able to just let her be and let her do her own thing.  You see just because you do something one way does not make it the way that everyone should do it. 

I stood back and just watched as she started getting the hang of casting a spoon on a longer rod than she is used to. She took her time and made accurate casts and it was very rewarding to watch as she counted down as her lure sank and then made the slow retrieve that I had showed her.  There was a huge amount of pride that built up in me to know that she was learning with every cast.

To put the absolute cherry on top, while I was working the front of the boat I heard her say “I got one” and when I turned her rod was doubled over and you could hear the drag screaming on her reel.  With very little coaching as she fought this fish she was all smiles and I was excited to watch her grow as an angler in only a matter of a few minutes.  The fish gave her the battle that these fall kings will and when that fish hit the net I probably could have been heard for miles as I let out a yell of pure excitement.

I was jumping up and down like a little boy while giving her High-Fives and then I planted a kiss on her between yells of joy.  Now you know that is exciting and a pure pleasure when this all happens.  I think her exact words were, “we are staying out here all night, I want to catch more!”.

It is moments like these that make me proud to be an experienced angler and lucky to have the patience to allow others to learn what I love.  I didn’t catch a fish that evening, however I didn’t have to as what I had just experienced made the entire night worth living.

If you have a significant other that shows any type of interest in what you do make sure you nurture that. Don’t stifle it but grow it within them.  Take them out with you and introduce them to something new.  You owe it to yourself to experience a joy like I had. 

Sharing the sport is not only for kids but remember that it is never too late to share your passion with others.

- written by Cory Yarmuth