GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL
David John Lovell
copyright ©DAVID JOHN LOVELL
Ask any angler what they like about fishing and they will give many reasons, but invariably all will at some stage mention 'getting away from it all'. The wife and kids, the boring work place etc.
For me it is different because I develop items with which to tackle my chosen target and this adds interest to my enjoyment. I also keep abreast of world news and current affairs, and observe society and the subtle changes, things like the fact that England has masses of face recognition security cameras, speed cameras, and realising that I am watched where ever I go makes me realise that leaving the city to go fishing affords me privacy when waterside. Not being a member of the criminal fraternity but being treated like one does not sit well with me on a personal level, but at least the crims (I was going to call em scum) are watched and that aint a bad thing. I myself am as straight as a ruler, so believe me when I tell you that you don't have 'all the gear'. I digress a little but that's the beauty of being able to write, using the keyboard to relay thoughts is a truly wonderful gift. There is just so much ignorance these days, ask somebody if they use a computer and they very often say "yeah, I got a ps2". The news is full of war and politicians lowering standards and behaving dishonourably, no change there, and the grammar and spelling errors in the press creep ever higher. In case you're wondering I have no academic qualifications, I went to a state school more akin to Bristol zoo, but, I did learn to read and write. I can think for myself and the basics allow me to do the rest. Mind you, I have always pushed myself to learn other things, take the website for example, not bad for ten basic computer lessons using windows 3.1.
Fishing allows me to write, do a little photography, I have done video and composed and performed the music for the films, as well as putting it all together using editing equipment, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Fishing allows me to meet others that are not dissimilar to myself, thinkers and doers. I think no person should be allowed to hold a position of power unless they are an angler, and a thinker, and possibly hold a full motorcycle licence.
Getting away from it all is fishing, you can take a holiday but not get away from it all if you're on a crowded beach. No, far from the madding crowd is the essence of angling. Putting up with questions by the ignorant, and we do, questions like do you use maggots? (Not when carping on a water where there are many other species). Or do you eat the carp you catch? (Yeah, and I always take a bag of fries to go with a nice 20lb plus carp). Let's face it, we know these people are pussy whipped blokes who will be painting the fence while we anglers are awaiting the scream of an alarm. Nothing is more important to us than fishing, we would kill ourselves without fishing to get us through the dross of a dogs life in a factory, or enslaved to service the unthinking in some other way. Fish are our gods, we worship them 24 seven. And if anyone doubts this analysis they are always welcome to test it. I only truly exist when fishing, you will only find me should you come across me waterside, getting away from it all.
