10 Reasons Why Fishing Is Better Than Hunting

Fishing is an activity during which you try to catch fish, whether in the wild or in a large body of water where you may find fish. There are a lot of different techniques for catching fish, as well as a diverse assortment of fish. That is why this activity is widely accessible for all ages.

Fishing dates back to the early Paleolithic period, which occurred about 40,000 years ago. Cave paintings also show that fish and other seafood were important for survival and consumed in significant quantities. Neanderthals were already fishing around 200,000 BC. During this period, people were constantly on the move to hunt and gather. However, there were also early examples of settlements where fishing was the primary food source.

Hunting, on the other hand, is a practice that consists of seeking and capturing wildlife or animals to use as food, fur, for taxidermy, or to remove dangerous predators that harm domestic animals, livestock, crops, and also humans. Recreationally, mammals and birds, or what is called “game,” are usually the sought and captured species.

Hunting has a very long history that predates back to the Homo sapiens, and maybe even to the genus Homo. There is no concrete evidence of the existence of hunting during the period of the Homo erectus, Homo habilis, or Australopithecus. However, the oldest found evidence of hunting dates back to the early Pleistocene.

Both hunting and fishing are among the most popular hobbies in the modern world and both contribute heavily to the economy.

However, fishing is better than hunting (in my opinion) because it ranks high in popularity as an outdoor activity among Americans and is also a more relaxing activity that is not as physically demanding. Read along to learn more about these two activities.

A lot of fishing rods and reels can last a lifetime, handle a wider variety of fish, and can take a beating. Whether you are looking for your very first fishing rod or want to buy a new one, we’re sure that our list holds a lot of options. Read our article to discover our best fishing rods recommendations.

Fishing

Fishing is an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Because of this, the purposes of fishing are varied.

Purpose

Traditional

It is done using traditional tools and techniques and aims more for commercial gain or daily food consumption.

Recreational

This type of fishing was created for the purpose of enjoying the sport and pursuing it as a hobby.

Sports

This one refers to when one enjoys participating in a fishing competition.

Commercial

It is generally practiced in the oceans or large bodies of water wherein modern fishing techniques are applied to catch larger quantities of fish and bring them ashore to sell them.

Big-game fishing

This is done by using a boat to catch large species of fish in the open water.

Types of Fishing

1. Freshwater fishing

This is the most common type of fishing, especially for those who don’t live near the coast. It is also the easiest one to learn. Plus, despite their smaller size, ponds, rivers, and lakes can hold a wide variety of fish species.

The tips you need to consider for a successful freshwater fishing session are:

Fish at the right time of the day and year. In the summer, you should fish during low-light times, early in the morning or late in the evening. In the spring and fall, dusk is the best time. Finally, winter is still a good time to fish if you live in warmer regions. Otherwise, you can always try ice fishing.
Research the species of fish available in a specific area as you will need to use different bait and lure combinations.
Fish love to stay around vegetation in a body of freshwater, so search for weeds, logs, or any vegetation to have higher chances of catching fish.

These are the two basic types of bodies of water when it comes to freshwater fishing:

Stillwater fishing
This is done in calmer bodies of water, such as small lakes and ponds. Stillwater fishing is a more peaceful type of fishing, wherein you just need to find the right spot and figure out the best bait, lure, and fishing line combinations, and you are good to go. Lighting and temperatures are also important for stillwater fishing.
Running water
This is done in a body of water that is continuously moving or flowing, such as rivers. It is a more challenging and dynamic type of fishing, but you can still find some good catches. The use of live bait will help you catch hungry fish. However, feeling a bite in the currents of running waters is a bit harder.

2. Saltwater fishing

It is the most common type of commercial fishing because 97.5 % of water in the world is saltwater. Needless to say, the majority of fishing is done in the sea, even on the coastlines where there is a lot of recreational fishing activity.

For deep-sea fishing, you’ll need a vessel to catch the largest fish, which is why we do not recommend it for beginners. However, pier-fishing or surf-fishing are beginner-friendly and only require a minimal amount of gear and experience.

Fishing Techniques

Fly fishing

It is the prime technique for catching trout wherein artificial fly or lightweight, hand-tied baits are used. These are made using animal fur and feathers or anything specific to attract fish.
Spin fishing

It is the best and most straightforward method for beginners. It will allow you to catch a wide variety of fish while putting in minimal effort, which means it is less challenging than fly fishing.
Bait fishing

For this fishing method, you use real, live food to attract fish. These are found around lakes and rivers, which means it is a less expensive way to catch fish. You can use worms, small fish, or insects, all of which make great live baits.

Lure fishing

This fishing method uses artificial baits in the form of colorful plastic fish, worms, and insects. These are best used in warmer temperatures, where fish are more active and the water is clear and bright.

Fishing may be a bit difficult to learn as a true beginner, but once you have everything you need, learned the do’s and don’ts, and mastered all the skills, you may finally reap the results of your hard work. We have written a beginner’s guide to fishing that you can check out before you start.

Hunting

Unlike fishing, hunting cannot be easily done by anybody. It requires certain skills and abilities for it to be done safely and correctly.

Purpose

Therapeutic hunting

During this type of hunting, hunters kill wild animals intentionally to conserve another group of animals or an entire ecosystem. Thus, this type of hunting helps maintain balance in nature. In some cases, people need to hire these types of hunters for a project to hunt, for example, overpopulated feral goats.
Sport hunting

Hunting is now considered a fun and entertaining sport. It allows athletes to honor their ancestors and relive the traditions of hunting. Plus, it also tests their skills and abilities. Sport hunting helps you get physically fit, sharpen your senses, learn survival skills, and enhance your mental state.
Subsistence hunting

It refers to when people hunt animals to supply food and material resources for humans. These types of hunters hunt to survive. They hunt fish or boars to provide food for their families, but not to the point where they create an imbalance in nature. They research and only look for animals that are not endangered, which can supply material resources and food to humans.
Recreational hunting

Recreational hunting is done by tracking and pursuing wild animals or chasing them to exhaustion to secure a trophy or for social activity or tourism. Similar to therapeutic hunting, it is also done to control the animal population and prevent them from becoming pests or nuisances to a community.

Types of Hunting

Camouflage hunting

This type of hunting involves hunters who use materials or techniques to try and remain invisible to a specific animal that they intend to capture. For this technique, a hunter stays out of sight and blends with the background. Animals have a different sight from humans, hence why this technique has been the major step that has governed camouflage hunting.
Wild boar hunting

This type of hunting is done throughout the year and usually comes with multiple challenges. A wild boar has a well-developed sense of hearing and smell, and most of the time, is aggressive. That is why it is important to use the right type of tool to capture one. Often, wild boars get frightened and tend to move very quickly, and become more violent when wounded. That is why you also have to wear the right hunting clothing in case you miss a shot.
Dog handling

This hunting technique is most effective when carried out by a team rather than individually. Handlers properly train dogs so that they can cooperate with a team and make the hunting sessions successful. If you prefer this type of hunting, you need to use the right equipment to keep perfect control and never miss a prey. A well-trained dog that is loved and well-nourished is an asset for a hunter.
Big-game hunting

Bears, deer, wild boars, and other large animals are the ones usually captured during this type of hunting. These animals are captured and killed for meat, and commercially valuable by-products, such as trophies, taxidermy, or recreation.
Small-game hunting

This type of hunting is also done all year round and is very common. Properly trained dogs can also be used for this category because small games are not aggressive compared to a big game. Although, it can be challenging to capture small animals with a heightened sense of smell and hearing.
Bait hunting or baiting

This type of hunting consists of luring target animals by placing smaller-sized animals or baits where a target can easily see them. The hunter then watches the bait from within firing range to capture the target when it comes for it.

Is hunting losing popularity?

Hunting is slowly losing its popularity because it has led to many issues that result in animals suffering. Although many people hunt for food and pest control or conservation, many groups still oppose hunting, and their main concern is that there are no requirements needed for a licensed hunter to demonstrate competency in shooting accurately and using the proper firearm and ammunition to kill the target animal instantly. This means a lot of hunters are incapable of killing an animal instantly, which leads to many animals suffering.

In 2018, hunting declined in popularity among young people, where the overall trend went down from 15 to 11 million or so. However, hunting numbers surged during the 2020 pandemic because our view of the outdoors has been heavily sentimentalized or “Disneyfied.”

Is hunting good or bad?

Hunting can both be good and bad depending on what your goal is. Hunting can be a good wildlife management tool to keep nature in a healthy and balanced state and can also help a lot of people survive through subsistence hunting. However, it can turn into a bad activity if your goal is to capture endangered species, which is illegal and harms the environment.

If you want to pursue this activity, you have to make sure that you are competent enough and are mentally and physically healthy to do so. Furthermore, you need to know all the rules and regulations to know what you can and cannot catch and what locations are private and public hunting areas.

There is nothing better than a day spent fishing. It is a relatively safe activity, but sometimes accidents can happen. One of the concerns of beginner anglers is with their fishing lines. Can a fishing line cut you? Read our article to find out.