Fishing with the Future in Mind

On one of my fishing forums I was asked what advice I would have for a budding fisherman. I answered that question with the following statement which I mean with all my heart: I hope you will have a full and rewarding life of fishing. In years to come there will be memories you could not buy. Also you will judge yourself, not by the fish you caught, those tend to be fleeting memories. You will judge yourself by the fish you released and the effort you made to conserve and protect the ocean resources. If you adopt an attitude that you will only take the fish you want to eat, and you are not in the business of selling fish, then your effort will go a long way toward making these resources available to future generations. I know many professional fishermen who have been doing it for a long time. Their greatest regret is that they killed fish that did not have to be killed and they wish they could do it over. They cannot, but you have an opportunity to start out with the right attitude and outlook. This will give you a lifetime of fishing enjoyment. Tight lines!