Why do you fish?

Why?

That's a question I am asked regularly, typically by those that have never held and released a wild fish. These same people can not understand what happens to an angler when he or she is bit by our passion so they ask these questions. Questions that get marginal attention by us that answer with shoulder shrugs.

Questions like;

Why would you drive sixteen hours for the same amount of fishing time when there are trout just as plentiful here?

Why do you fish if you catch and release?

Why is everything such a secret?

Why is every dollar squirrelled away just to be spent on fuel, when all of your buddies are pubbing?

Why would you travel all that way without knowing anything about the watershed when you can catch trout right here?

Why during the longest days of the year do you speed home at midnight after fishing until sundown just to tie a few dozen flies, before laying down for 5 hours of sleep before racing back out to the river?

Why would you subject yourself to the harm that a bear, cougar,  sasquatch or falling down can bring, when it's safe here at home?

Why do you drive to the river just to hike 18KMs before fishing?

Why do you hike so much when you despise hiking?

Why do need so many rods when only one can be cast at a time, and why are some of those rods the price of a compact import?