Top 10 Lessons Learned from Fishing

The recent continual blasts of snow and cold weather in New Jersey have generated some articles in our daily newspapers, including the Morris County Daily Record, about ice fishing. Brrr! I don’t know much about fishing and even less about ice fishing, but yet I am called to be a fisher of people. Maybe I should give it a try, or at least hang out with some fishers of fish to see what I can learn. Would it make me a better fisher of people?


My brother and my father both like to fish. Here are some things I have learned from them which seem to be easily applied to our quest as Christians to be fishers of people:

10. Sometimes it’s all about going to the fish, sometimes it’s about luring the fish to you.

9. You have to be patient. Don’t plan on fishing if you’ve got to be somewhere else soon.

8. Fishing gives you time for introspection and conversation with God and/or your own thoughts.

7. While you may head out with friends, fishing ultimately comes down to you and the fish.

6.  You’ve got to use the right kind of bait for the kind of fish you want.

5. You need the right equipment for the kind of fish you want. i.e. You might be able to catch a sunny with a stick, string and hook, but you won’t reel in a tuna that way.

4. Other fishermen may have great ideas for improving your catch quota, but only a few will share their best fishing hole.

3. Most fish will fight you once caught.

2. Every fisherman has stories about the one that got away.

And the #1 lesson learned from fishing…

1. It’s always a good day if you’ve had the opportunity to fish, just don’t forget the sunscreen.

What fishing lessons do you have? Do they apply to being disciples for Christ?
And if you're an ice fisherman I'd love to hear from you too!