Is Fishing a Sport?

[pooch]

What do you think?

[danc]

I think it's more of an obsession. When you're hooked, you're hooked for life. If anything, it's the crack cocaine of sports.

[danbo]

It's spiritual..time with God's creation..

[danc]

It's spiritual..time with God's creation..

 

Perfect description Danbo!!!

[Fisherman]

Maybe I look at it differently, in "sports" there's usually a team involved, chasing balls, throwing balls, making hoops, etc, where as in fishing/hunting, yes there are also teams or groups, but the outcome is you may have something to eat in the end, barring a skunk. I would look at it as a passtime or hobby, obsession for some, time to wind down, etc, but not really a sport.

[ccmtcanada]

Thinking of myself here.....

 

Sport? Not for me...it's just something I love to do.

 

Athlete? Well, some days on the trib maybe..LOL. But not in the classic sense of the word.

 

This is my usual athletic stance while fishing....do I look like an athlete?? LOL.

 

 

Interesting questions though!

Edited February 13, 2008 by ccmtcanada

[lew]

Yes, I'd say fishing was a sport, but I certainly wouldn't class fishermen as athletes, pro or otherwise.

[Stoty]

I am sorry but if a 350 lb baseball player that sits on the bench except to swing a bat 4 times a night, is classified as an athlete, then a fisherman who faces all the elements for 8 straight hours, if definately an athelete.

[Terry]

I think it can be a sport , it's recreation which in most/many cases are sports....fishing a tourney is sports

 

 

 

Are Pro Fishermen Athletes ....if you mean tourney pros then yes most of them are..

 

if you mean charter captains .....not

[FISHINGNUT]

I think it's more of an obsession. When you're hooked, you're hooked for life. If anything, it's the crack cocaine of sports.

I am with you Dan I get the shakes if I dont get out

[Sinker]

I bet there are lots of atheletes who couldn't hande a full day on the water!

 

Sinker

[Fisherman]

I bet there are lots of atheletes who couldn't hande a full day on the water!

 

Sinker

And then there's probably a lot of anglers that couldn't handle being run over by a 350lb linebacker either

[tjsa]

I do not think of fishing, professionally or otherwise, as a sport. I consider it as some have said above, a passion, but for me, it is an extracurricular activity that I like to participate in with good friends and occasional aquaintances, or as an outdoors activity that interests me greatly. If I get a good experience out of it, catching wise, so be it. If I don't catch anything, it was still a day away from home/work, with a bud, and a great stress reliever for a few hours.

[TOM C]

are Pro Anglers athletes, well lets see

 

Drive a boat at 70 miles per hour= part nascar driver

Make 500 casts in a day= part pitcher

Net 20 fish in a day= part catcher

Work a trolling motor in 6ft waves= part gymnist

Do this all for 8hours straight= Ironman

 

LOOKS TO ME LIKE THEY WORK HARDER AT IT THAN MOST GUYS I WATCH ON TV MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR LESS WORK

 

(just a side note in an average NFL football game there is less than 12 minutes of accual football played) so if your 350 pounds and play a game for 6minutes on defence are you an athlete?

[irishfield]

We'll make it a sport on Friday morning Terry... we'll time you to see how fast you get them ice holes drilled thru 2 feet of ice....and then time how long it takes for Dan to bring up the first fish. Then we'll do the same to Ron and Lloyd !

 

Personally.. fishing.. just a great place to hide from reality !

Edited February 13, 2008 by irishfield

[Stoty]

Well said TOM C.

My point exactly. A DH in baseball is HARDLY an athlete. Hell, I am in way better shape than half of the baseball players.

THen again, baseball is hardly a sport anyways!

[pooch]

Interesting answers, thanks!

 

I have this discussion a couple times a year. I find it usually boils down to each person's definition of a sport. Most definitions in dictionaries online and off line classify sport as having 3 factors; it must be governed by a set of rules, it must rely on physical abilities, and it must be in engaged in competitively.

 

My thoughts:

If you are fishing in a tournament, then yes definitely a sport.

If you are out in the boat alone or with a bud, enjoying the day and competing against mother nature, then no not a sport.

 

Are pro tournament fishermen athletes? IMO absolutely Yes. I began fishing bass tournaments last year. Before that I would not have classified them as a sport, or pro tourney anglers as athletes. But now I do. It is as much a sport as golfing, bowling or racing.

[steverowbotham]

it depends on the situation. Sitting on a dock with a float and worm, is leisure.

 

Getting off work at 11pm, towing the boat to Vermont for a tournament, catching an hour of sleep in the launch parking lot, and then fishing hard for 8 hours is a sport.

 

Pro fishermen beat their bodies up out there, they are athletes in my books. i stretch before a tournament

[fishing n autograph]

I think it is a sport...anyone who hooks into a 15 foot shark or blue marlin will tell you a 2 hour fight is a pretty good work out!

[tdotfisherman]

I am sorry but if a 350 lb baseball player that sits on the bench except to swing a bat 4 times a night, is classified as an athlete, then a fisherman who faces all the elements for 8 straight hours, if definately an athelete.

 

Don't talk that way about Frank Thomas, he's our cleanup hitter..

[lazybum]

Wiki definition:

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors.

 

I would say that fishing does not fit the criteria where "the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing)". Fishing is a recreational activity.

 

Engaging in competition does not make it a sport either. Are canadian Idol participants engaging in a sport?

[gekhunter]

"the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing)".

 

I have fished some cold (and extremely hot days for that matter) that relied on physical capabilities to battle the elements...

 

have also had some severe hangovers to contend with lol

[OhioFisherman]

A mental exercise, usually a larger human trying to outsmart a much smaller fish, and if you saw Bernie`s thread some know they have no chance so cheat!

[Rich]

Yes and yes, without a doubt - with tournament fishermen in mind.

 

How do some say you don't rely on physical capabilities? Last I checked I can't cast telepathically, I have to physically move my arms to do it. Toss a musky bait for 8 hours and you'll really be putting your muscles to the test.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Rich

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

Yes and yes, without a doubt - with tournament fishermen in mind.

 

How do some say you don't rely on physical capabilities? Last I checked I can't cast telepathically, I have to physically move my arms to do it. Toss a musky bait for 8 hours and you'll really be putting your muscles to the test.

 

I agree with Rich...I know I'm pretty beat after a day on the water hunting for Muskies or any fish for that matter...lugging a kicker motor through the bush with your fishing gear strapped on you back to get into your fav little trout lake is also pretty physical...

 

Here's one of the definitions from Webster's Dict. for sport and athlete

 

SPORT: physical activity engaged in for pleasure;

ATHLETE: one who is trained or skilled in excercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.