Fishing Memes

All too often, humor is overlooked as a way to see truth and meaning in things. Many times, we laugh at something specifically because we can relate to it. On the Internet, memes have become a widespread means of expressing popular shared opinion regarding particular subject matter. The reason they are so catchy is that people can relate to them on such a broad scale. Throughout this blog, I've highlighted many positive effects of fishing and the value it holds for different people. Here, I've compiled a small collection of memes that (I feel) capture some key aspects of the fishing lifestyle.

As you can see, there are many ways to poke fun at people who love fishing. Additionally, the amount of truth and reality embodied in these memes are what makes them so funny. Humor is a universal tool for communicating; seen in this post as an example of certain cultural norms shared and revered by fishermen. 

A Family (fishing) Affair

Once a year, typically around mid-June, my family takes a day-long trip on a chartered fishing boat. We usually reserve The Snow Goose, out of Port Chester, NY or The Helen III, out of Groton, CT. Over some time, we've had our good, great, and so-so days, but our 2013 trip aboard The Helen III was truly one for the family photo album AND the record book. Throughout that clear summer day, the fishing was consistently productive, as the phrase, "Fish on!" was shouted repeatedly; sometimes even simultaneously, by many of us. At some points, a few of us had to stow our poles and alternate as the "hold my beer guy" for whomever was hooked into a fish. Fortunately, during that time, the Striped Bass were abundant and HUNGRY.

Later that afternoon, just prior to the bellowing foghorn which signals the return trip to port, a small group began to gather around my cousin, Teddy, who was in a trolling chair at the stern (rear) of the 45 foot vessel, with his fishing rod bent like a question mark. As the sounds of laughter and expletives grew, so did the number of onlookers; Teddy had hooked into something big. For the next fifteen minutes, we watched as he leveraged the rod and cranked steadily at the reel, shortening the distance between himself and whatever was on the other end, by inches at a time. Our glances alternated back and fourth, like tennis spectators, between Teddy and the decreasingly distant point where the line met the water, waiting for our first glimpse of the fish. Finally, as our anticipation peaked, a glimmering silver behemoth broke the choppy surface; then immediately dove back beneath it. We roared at the spectacle and cheered Teddy on, with a newfound sense of immediacy amongst us. He grimaced as he reeled, crank by crank, while adjusting his grip on the rod. Time and time again, the gaping jaws of the fish would surface, then disappear. Teddy is a strong guy, but this battle was weighing heavier on his endurance, with each passing moment. Still, he knew this was potentially the catch of a lifetime, and would do whatever it took to land the fish. He fought with might, eventually pulling the fish close enough for the first-mate to yell, "Net!!"

We cleared a path, stood back and cringed as the fish jerked back and fourth, narrowly dodging the ovular opening of the outstretched net, time and time again. Leaning over the boat's metal safety rail, reading the pattern of the waves, the first-mate maneuvered the net's opening directly below the jowls of the fish and secured it in place; the deal was closed. As he brought the beast onboard, everybody was in awe. It was a massive Striped Bass, weighing in excess of sixty-pounds, which is substantial for the species.

As fatigued as Teddy was from the (24 minute) ordeal, he immediately raised his catch in a celebration of victory, as the rest of us cheered and snapped photos; one which made the cover of The Fisherman magazine, New England Edition, shown below. Some people (obviously out of envy) actually commented online, claiming the image was Photoshopped. They Wish!

It was a fantastic fish finale of what will go down in family history as a memorable event that punctuated an iconic excursion. It's also another example of how fishing lifts spirits and brings people together. Of course, all credit goes to Teddy for his accomplishment, but the beauty of the catch is how connected and united we all were while he was achieving it. 

Still, he'd better enjoy the feeling while it lasts—because next year I'm going to best him, for sure. Watch out, Teddy!

Fishing Therapy Programs for U.S. Military Veterans

As an angler, I'm aware of the therapeutic properties of fishing. As a U.S. Military Veteran, I'm aware of the rigors of service and the stresses of deployment. The Take a Vet Fishing programs are part of a wonderful movement that combines these two factors in order to provide positive and enriching experiences for disabled prior service members. There are numerous programs in various states, consisting of many active volunteers. Some are aboard boats; some are along the shore. All services are free of charge and many include picnics, barbecues, and cookouts as well. These programs have been very successful as they continue to grow and move forward with their mission. Some organizations are:

- Take a Vet Fishing NFP (takeavetfishing.org)

From the takeavetfishing.org website:

Our slogan is "A Day of Giving Back" and is the core of our mission. When our brave service men and women return from overseas, as a nation, we have been failing to show these heroes our appreciation. A shockingly high number of service members are returning with injuries and even the soldiers without physical wounds are having a hard time adjusting back into the "real world". These "Heroes" have given so much of themselves for our freedom. Reaching out and offering a "Thank You" with a hand shake, is the very least we can do. At Take a Vet Fishing, we take it a step further. Not only do we show these heroes our gratitude and shake their hand, we hand them a fishing rod and ease their minds back into civilization.

- Take a Vet Fishing (First Congregational Church)

From their Facebook page:

Take-A-Vet-Fishing's mission is simply to provide friendship and fellowship to disabled and recovering veterans by getting the vets and their staff out of the clinical environment for a relaxing day of fishing. It is truly the best medicine.

Take-A-Vet-Fishing (TAVF) is the cornerstone program of the veterans outreach mission of the First Congregational Church of Branford, CT. Based on the shore of Long Island Sound in the New Haven area, about 10 miles from the VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus. Serving the Eastern Blind Rehabilitation Center, the Next Step program, the Errera Community Care Center, the Brownell House, the Harkness House, CT D.A.V., VA Newington, CT Veterans Home Rocky Hill, South Park Inn Homeless Shelter and others. 

Take-A-Vet-Fishing was started in 2007, seeking ways to engage and provide fellowship to disabled and recovering veterans in the New Haven area. The program has grown each year by filling an important need and by embracing the goodwill and caring spirit of Connecticut residents. 

Each event is a complete package free of charge. Veterans are provided transportation, equipment, food and beverages, easily accessible waterfront fishing and whatever level of assistance they might require.  

- Project Healing Waters

From the mission statement on their website:

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Maryland. PHWFF receives no government funding and is dependent on tax-deductible, charitable donations and the help of numerous volunteers to meet the educational, equipment, transportation, and related needs of its participants. 

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. strives to effectively serve the deserving past and present members of our armed forces who have made great sacrifices in the service of our nation. 

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing's Equal Opportunity Policy: No person shall be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of PHWFF on the grounds of race, color, religion, age, sexual preference, sex, national origin, marital status, physical or mental handicap or any other legally protected characteristic. The organization shall take meaningful steps to promote inclusiveness and diversity in its hiring, retention, promotion, board recruitment and selection of PHWFF representatives and participants.

- Take a Soldier Fishing (Veterans and Active Duty)

From their website: 

We assist communities at large, by offering them the ability to show their support for the troops by sponsoring our Take A Soldier Fishing program. This allows service members to see just how much they are appreciated. For those that serve to support our fishing program, it gives the individual the ability to see how their support makes a profound difference in a service member or veterans life by providing a safe and positive outdoor experience.

We strive to show that there are people out there that care, and want to help. By providing these events, we have found they give the soldiers something to look forward to. We have also found that soldiers have also changed their outlook on life - the way they feel about wearing their uniform and a new sense of hope.

- The Wounded Veterans Fishing Program

From their website: 

Our goal is to provide an alternate means of therapy for our wounded returning from combat with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Physical Disabilities. Give them a stress free, non medical environment to interact with others returning from combat and those with previous combat experiences to increase their moral. Finally to provide them with a tool to reutilize in the future should relapse occur. 

The Wounded Veterans Fishing Program was created in the beginning of 2009 by VFW Post 318 of Olympia, Washington. Originally the concept was done by Danny Gabriel with a few of his fishing friends who felt the need to help American Wounded.  

Fishing is the most relaxing sport and is a very good way to build a person’s confidence and morale.

No matter which branch you were in, the rank you achieved (officer or enlisted), which country or war you fought in, we all share the knowledge of one central thing: sacrifice. The above programs are run by proud veterans and dedicated volunteers who contribute their valuable time and effort in hopes that we may relax and decompress, and it's not a matter of coincidence that they've chosen fishing as the primary means to do so. 

Fishing Movies That DON'T Suck

I've seen more fishing on "film" than I can recall. From youtube clips, to certain 80's TV networks, home-video tapes or documentaries on Netflix, there's a substantial amount of footage out there. Seen far less often is scripted-media about fishing; an actual feature film with fishing as part of the plot. Occasionally, it's nice to watch a fictional movie about something you are passionate about in reality, even if you become critical of its portrayal. 

Boxers watch the Rocky movies, soldiers and veterans watch anything from Saving Private Ryan, to Blackhawk Down, or Lone Survivor, archaeologists have likely seen Jurassic Park, and if you're Italian and you haven't seen The Godfather—don't tell your grandparents! Listed below are some movies which depict fishing as an integral part of each story:

• A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It is the true story about two boys, Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt), growing up in 1920s Missoula, Montana with their father, a Presbyterian minister. Much of the film is about the two boys returning home after becoming troubled adults. A common theme in the film is the men's love of fly fishing for trout in the Blackfoot River and how it impacted their lives. The film is told from Norman's point of view.

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards in 1993, including Best Cinematography (Philippe Rousselot); Best Music, Original Score (Mark Isham); and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Richard Friedenberg). Rousselot won for Best Cinematography. At the Golden Globes, Robert Redford was nominated for Best Director - Motion Picture, but did not win.

• On Golden Pond

Henry Fonda’s Norman Thayer kicks the disrespectful punk out of his new step-grandson Billy by teaching him all there is to know about fishing. We need more Norman Thayer’s in the world. God knows we don’t need any more disrespectful punk kids running around. There’s enough of them already. You know what? Quit reading this and go take some kid fishing. I think the world will be the better for it.

The screenplay by Ernest Thompson was adapted from his 1979 play of the same title.Henry Fonda won the Academy Award for Best Actor in what was his final film role. Co-star Katharine Hepburn also received an Oscar, as did Thompson for his script, and there were a further seven Oscar nominations for the film, including Jane Fonda, who played the daughter. The film co-starred Dabney Coleman and Doug.

• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 

Stuffy government fisheries scientist Fred is asked by a fishing-obsessed Arab Sheik to do the seemingly impossible—introduce British salmon to the Wadis of the Yemen. Despite considerable trepidation, Fred is finally won over by the charismatic Arab, who reveals that fishing brings him closer to God, and he hopes it will have the same effect on his countrymen. Fred also begins to fall for the Sheik's beautiful legal representative Harriet; and so he rises to the Sheik's eccentric challenge, casting off his English reserve on a transformative journey of self-discovery and late blooming love.

In 2012, the film was nominated for the European Film Awards People's Choice Award. 

The film was also nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical, Best Actor - Comedy or Musical for McGregor, and Best Actress - Comedy or Musical for Blunt.

• The Old Man and the Sea

The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal—a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Not to be mistaken for the 1958 Warnercolor movie of the same name, this version won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film. Using a paint-on-glass technique that recollects Theodore Wendel-styled brushstrokes, this adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel has a running time of only 20 minutes. Every second of Santiago’s battle with the great marlin, however, is masterfully captured in over 29,000 stunning pastel oil frames hand-painted by director Aleksandr Petrov and his son, Dmitri.

• The Perfect Storm 

Based on a true story, the film tells of the courageous men and women who risk their lives every working day, pitting their fishing boats and rescue vessels against the capricious forces of nature. Their worst fears are realized at sea on Halloween of 1991, when they are confronted by three raging weather fronts which unexpectedly collide to produce the greatest, fiercest storm in modern history—"The Perfect Storm."

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Visual Effects (Walt Conti, Stefen Fangmeier, John Frazier and Habib Zargarpour) and Best Sound (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, David E. Campbell andKeith A. Wester), but lost both to Gladiator.

• Gone Fishin'

Gus and Joe love to fish. Since their boyhoods, they have spent day after day on the dock praying to catch "The Big One"—but with no success. After winning Bait & Tackle's grand prize vacation package, the bosom buddies set out for the adventure they have always dreamed of in the plentiful Florida Everglades - but chaos and havoc turn Joe and Gus' much-anticipated fishing retreat into a comedic run for their lives.

• Low & Clear (Feature documentary/drama)

During a winter flyfishing trip to Canada, two old friends, J.T. Van Zandt and Alex "Xenie" Hall, learn they've have grown apart in more ways than one. J.T., the thoughtful even-keeled son of a songwriting legend believes there's more to fishing than catching fish. Short-tempered Xenie, a "firewood salesman," sees it differently and fishes like it's a race against the clock. Their different approaches to fishing and life emerge and clash on the snowy river banks and damp hotel rooms of British Columbia in this true story of a friendship stretched to the breaking point. An exploration of life in the disappearing wilderness of the West, Low & Clear unfolds with moments of humor and pathos, success and failure, as J.T. and Xenie find themselves on a fishing trip that could be their last.

Winner: Audience Award. SXSW Film FestivalWinner: Best Outdoor Film. Hot Springs Film FestivalWinner: Best Film. Drake Video Awards

Whether you're in the mood for a good laugh, need inspiration, crave suspense, or just want to learn something; any of the films listed above may be fitting. It's interesting to see how fishing is represented in each movie, how it's written into each storyline, and how the characters relate to it differently. The diversity in these award winning films is an example of how universal the appreciation of fishing really is.