There was a time when I did not know how to relax and just let go of my tensions. My mind was wired and tightly knotted with anxiety and stress. I had to find a way to get this negative, twisted ball of energy out of me, or face the threat of passing on from this life as my avenue of escape. Luckily, I found a hobby which turned out to be a blessing as it was a healthy outdoor activity and sport which changed my life for good. It's ironic that I hadn't done this until living in Japan. I'm originally from the State of Hawaii, but I never did experience fishing, although all the islands are surrounded by the big blue Pacific Ocean. I have an uncle and two cousins who have their own boats for tuna fishing. They even passed by my house when they headed out to the ocean, but I never had the urge to join them.
One fine day my wife suggested that we try fishing. As a little girl she went along with her father on river fishing excursions. He was an avid fisherman who taught her well and even made fishing poles that were just the right size and weight for her. The prospect of spending hours trying to catch some fish did not immediately excite me, But spending time together seemed like a good idea, so I decided to give it a try..
We lived quite a distance away from the ocean in Tokyo, so we did not start with salt water fishing. A couple of days after talking about fishing, my wife surprised me with fishing gear, complete with rod, reel, line, and accessories to include a fishing cap, which I did not use at the onset. I had no real idea what they were, but she told me that we were going to catch some Black Bass using rubber worms, jigs, and lures. The good thing about this was that there was a popular bass fishing area which was only a 30 minute drive from our home.
As it turned out, the bass were not so difficult to catch. There were even days when too many bass ended up on our hooks. I quickly noticed that I forgot all about my worries and frustrations while fishing. The only things on my mind were getting a bite and hooking up after a hit. I also realized that I was enjoying my work a lot more because of my new interest, as I used fishing as a reward for being diligent on the job.
We eventually moved out of Tokyo to an area called Shizuoka Prefecture. This brought us very near the ocean. Although that meant no more Black Bass fishing, this was not a problem at all. Our true fishing adventures were really about to begin!
I have immensely enjoyed this activity from the beginning. I truly believe that with fishing, I have found a healthy, outdoor sport which I can enjoy for a lifetime.
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