I’ve recently fallen in love with fishing—perhaps even become a bit obsessed. I love everything about it: learning how to catch fish, understanding the different species and their features, the thrill of the fight, the quiet of being outdoors, and even the meditative rhythm of casting and waiting. I also enjoy learning about rivers, lakes, and the seashore, and the opportunity fishing provides to travel to new places. Although I enjoyed fishing as a child, I set it aside for most of my adult life while focusing on a busy career and raising a family.

My fascination with fishing began around age twelve. My Dad introduced me to it and would occasionally take us out. My mom nurtured the interest further by giving me a couple of Golden Guide books on fish and fishing, along with a subscription to a fishing magazine. I devoured them.

My parents also had a friend, Harold Kraus, who owned a large farm about 20 miles southwest of my hometown of Hays, Kansas. On his property was a roughly 20‑acre pond stocked primarily with Bluegill and Largemouth Bass. By the time I was 13, my mom would drop me off there on Saturday afternoons, trusting Harold to keep an eye on me while I fished for hours.

One day Harold suggested I cast a lure beneath a large fallen tree along the shoreline. “You might find a big Largemouth Bass there,” he said. Sure enough, after a few casts, I landed a 3‑ to 4‑pound bass—an unforgettable moment.

By about age 16, tennis and other interests began to take over. Soon after, I left for college, then graduate school, medical school, and a demanding career, along with the responsibilities of raising children. Fishing became an occasional pastime at best.

Now, at 67 and nearing full retirement, I find myself returning to it with real enthusiasm. In some ways, I’m almost relieved I didn’t rediscover fishing earlier—I suspect I might have found it hard to get anything else done. It’s a wonderfully time‑consuming pursuit, in the best possible sense.