One of the best reasons to go fishing every week is to experience the outdoors. Some of the best areas for fishing are also some of the most naturally beautiful landscapes. Imagine fishing for your own food whilst looking over a sparkling lake with a backdrop of rolling hills, flocks of birds and other wildlife drifting in and out of your eyesight. Imagine the fresh breeze floating over the water while you smell the plant life and fresh air. For example, Lizard Island in Australia is a beautiful drop of land surrounded by crisp, blue ocean water. Imagine the salt water air filling your lungs as you real in exotic ocean fish. Worden’s Pond in Rhode Island, U.S.A is home to a 1000-acre lake weaving through tall grassland. You can lounge in a small boat all day, while waiting for a bite from a freshwater fish.
While enjoying the outdoors, it’s also important to relish in relaxing moments while fishing. Fishing requires a lot of patience and calm behavior. A fisher must keep quiet and almost entirely still to avoid scaring away their prey. A fisher must practice breathing slowly and moving softly. He or she must also be prepared to move at a moment’s notice because a fish can bite their lure at any time. In fact, the behavior of a fisherman or woman is very similar to meditation! Fishing on a weekly basis is important because it offers the opportunity to relax and think on life. Fishing is a time of peace and serenity, and it may even help you in times of stress. Soft breezes, cool temperatures and the sounds of moving water are all key components to this time of relaxation and meditation. You certainly can’t find that indoors!
Fishing, as a sport, is a great opportunity for bonding with family or friends. While it’s peaceful to fish alone, it’s always fun to bring a friend along for an activity you enjoy. Family members are great companions to share a day of fishing with. Many generations within a family tend to teach skills to the younger generations, and fishing is a great family past-time to share among each other. There are many skills involved in fishing that are important to a successful week of bringing home fresh fish. It’s important to learn how to properly prepare a fishing reel with fishing line, a hook and a bobber. It’s also important to know how to bait your hook and what types of bait to use for each type of fish you’re fishing for. Catching and releasing fish is crucial knowledge every fisherman and woman must have, and they must also know how to clean and gut different types of fish. For beginners we would recommend a good baitcasting reel or a spinning reel. Later on you could also transition into fly fishing, which requires a little more skill but is also much more rewarding. Fishing, whether for food or pure sport, is a fantastic hobby to share with others because it involves teaching each other many things. Besides learning proper skills for fishing, it’s also fun to take special interest in certain types of fishing and even particular kinds of fish. Turning fishing into a weekly activity will only strengthen your current fishing skills and grow your repertoire of fishing knowledge. Perhaps you may also introduce friends or family that have never fished before to this fun and relaxing sport!

Catching your own fish on a weekly basis ensures that you always know how fresh your fish is, where it’s from, and that it will taste amazing. As opposed to purchasing fish from a grocery store, even fresh, choosing to catch your own fish means you know exactly when that fish was butchered. Why pick from questionable fish filets in the deli aisle when you can catch and cook your own fish in that same day? It’s also relieving to know where exactly your fish came from. Fishing for your own food means you know exactly what body of water your dinner came from. This is particularly important in today’s society because locally caught fish is crucial to the farm-to-table lifestyle, which is very popular. Catching your own fish also guarantees that your food is going to taste great! While you can’t always know what food is ingested by the fish that is bred for commercial sale, you can easily find out what food is being eaten by the fresh fish you catch yourself. Learn about the local area you fish in to discover what types of smaller fish are being caught and digested by the very fish you’re hunting. Even better, you can physically see what your fish has eaten that day when you butcher it before cooking. You really can’t get a more straight-forward answer than that!
While there are many other interesting reasons to fish every week, these are some of the most persuasive reasons to grab your fishing pole and stroll down to your local fishing area. Please, remember to inform yourself of the fishing and hunting laws in the area you live in, and remember to apply for a fishing license, if it’s required.

One of the best and most effective ways to promote sustainability is to hunt for your own food. Instead of being reliant on commercial sales for fresh food, you can provide for yourself and your family, as well as boost the earth’s eco-system. By choosing to forego the grocery store, you’re one less customer that supports factories polluting the air and creating massive amounts of waste, as well as farms that breed and butcher animals at alarming rates. When you hunt, you’re only “taking” what you need from nature, as opposed to over-purchasing from a store. It’s also important to hunt locally to avoid burning fossil-fuels in long distance travel. Starting local hunting (if it’s available to you) is a great way to boost the natural eco-system. Consider what animal overpopulation may take place in your area. If your area happens to be overpopulated with deer, then deer would be an obvious answer as to what to start hunting.
If you’re hesitant or not interested in hunting with a gun, consider taking up fly-fishing as a way to catch your own food. Fly-fishing can be performed in almost any body of water, and there are many types of fish you can catch, from trout, to bass, to panfish. If you live near an ocean, you can even go fly-fishing for saltwater fish.
Part of self-sufficiency is living minimally. While all the latest-hunting gear may seem exciting, remember that the gear is only material items. Only purchase what you need to hunt, and, even better, try to purchase your gear from small businesses to support your local area.

Hunting Isn’t Really Your Thing?

Okay, maybe you’re not interested in hunting at all; or, you’d like to live a fully self-sufficient lifestyle, and you don’t want to purchase commercial hunting gear. Have you ever considered building your own farm? To live off your own land, you could have a farm with livestock and your own garden. Start small: raising chickens and other low-maintenance livestock is a good way to break into farming, especially if you don’t own enough acres to humanely raise cattle and larger livestock. You can also consider planting a self-sufficient garden. Do some research on the area you live in and what type of soil is on your property. From there, you can begin to plan a garden that will cover all of your needs for fruits, vegetables and even herbs. Consider the type of weather your garden will endure, and plant vegetables that will be in season. You’ll never go hungry when you have fresh food growing right outside your door!
While hunting and growing your own food is a major part of living self-sufficiently, “living off the grid” requires some more work than may have been required 100 years ago. We are surrounded by technology, advancements and power sources that weren’t even fathomed in the past. Being self-sufficient doesn’t mean you can never use the internet, but how will you power your home and technology? How will you use gas or electricity to cook your food? There are actually a handful of options that allow you to power your home without having to pay a single bill. If you live near running water, you can use hydro electricity to power your home. Through a system of running water flowing into a turbine, you can harness consistent power. Another source of power is a little more common: wind power. You can check the average wind speed and frequency of your location, and if they’re sufficient, you can install a wind turbine to harness energy for your home in greater quantities. However, the most appealing source of sustainable energy is solar power. Although it requires an investment, installing solar panels around your home is the most efficient and powerful way to run electricity through your home. Installing solar panels in a well-lit location, without any blockage from the sun, will eventually procure return on your investment. Don’t think you are only limited to one source of energy, though! Find a combination of these sources that would work best for you. While one person may only need to use running water to power their home, another may use a combination of wind and solar power for a busier, self-sufficient lifestyle.
Hopefully this information has provided you with enough information to take the first steps towards living self-sufficiently. Remember, a sustainable lifestyle does not mean you have to leave behind everything you own and become disconnected from the world. In fact, many people who live self-sufficiently believe this lifestyle has created a greater sense of community among themselves. What do you have to lose? Become self-sufficient, and your life may become easier than you once thought.