When I was staying up in Mullumbimby recently with Jenine, her neighbour Max was generous enough to take me fishing. Not once, but three times! I was addicted immediately. I've wanted to learn to fish for ages, but none of the offers I've received have materialised until now. Since I came back to Melbourne I've been dreaming of fishing every night (yes, really!) have have been using my spare bits of time to find out about fishing at the places I might be able to make a habit of it, such as at Anglesea, or St Kilda Pier.
This week I lashed out and bought a fishing rod that folds up so small I can slip it into my suitcase when I go on tour, and yet unfolds to be 9 feet long, which is apparently good for surf-fishing (as Max and I were doing in my above journal entry). I also got myself some hooks, swivels and sinkers, and now I'm all set to go. I'm pretty pleased that it only cost me $40 to get myself completely sorted. These things have a way of spinning out of control, financially.
Now fishing is a dodgy business for an environmentalist like me. The thing is, we're fishing ourselves into extinction, which is very very bad. Evironmentally speaking, ideally we all stop fishing until the oceans are completely regenerated. As it happens though, sea food is about the healthiest food you can possibly eat, and humans have been eating it since the beginning of time. Even warring tribes would suspend their fights so that inland tribes could do some sort of trade with ocean-based tribes to get their cut of seafood. And communities who didn't have seafood at all had much worse health than those who could. See my sidebar, Traditional Food For Good Health if you want to know more. Anyway, I'm committed to eating seafood for my health. And I reckon if I'm going to eat it, the best thing I can do for the environment is catch it myself. That way I can make sure there's no wastage, there's no unnecessary resource use, and that I only catch strictly the minimum amount of unendangered species that I need.
And - for those who have read the recent newspaper article in a previous post, it's the next step in my life as a medieval peasant woman. Well, kind of... maybe as a medieval peasant man?
Anyway, I'm really excited and I can't wait to get started. First stop is the Merri creek to practise - I'll catch some carp, which are a noxious pest in the water there, and turn it into garden fertliser.
Wow - I found your blog last night - doing some research on raw garlic of all things! Your work is beautiful, I am really impressed. Have just emailed my daughter, whose birthday it is today, your site (and the Grimstones) can't wait to show my other daughter and my son tonight. I have just discovered fishing also - I wish you well - my Hubby is trying to get into fly-fishing catch and release - I don't know if you think it may be a more sustainable way to fish? I am not sure, it is a bit traumatic for the fish but it brings people to a place where they can really connect with nature so that has to be a good thing. I admire your enthusiasm for everything - and wish you all the best for your book release - which I am about to order. Kathryn
Posted by: Kathyrn | 13 October 2011 at 11:41 AM