I used to hunt when I was a kid. Went out with a friend one day, he shot at "a bird". It was an egret and was endangered in VA. We went to get it (to ID properly), while he was standing over it freaking out the game warden walked up. The GW knew our dads so he took us home. I got my ass beat within an inch of my life for just being with the kid when it happened. That was the end of my hunting career.
Fishing though, oh man. I love it. I prefer surf fishing to anything else. Doesn't matter what time of the year, it's fun. I go fresh water fishing several times per month just to catch dinner, it's not as fun. I'd rather catch a blue or a striper than a bream/sunfish.
My brother and I went out the days before Christmas to fish on his boat. 17" boat with an 80hp motor. Overkill but it moves. Went out in the Elizabeth River one day for speckled trout. Got a few hits but didn't catch anything. It freaking poured the entire day. We had fun though. The next day we went out into the ocean trolling for stripers. Got a few big hits but didn't catch anything. It was cold as @$@#$ and I wasn't moving too well. Pretty day, blue skies.
The most fun I've had fishing was last summer. We went to Corolla to surf fish for blues. Got there and it was perfect. Sunny but maybe 80F. No clouds. A light offshore breeze. But there was surf, it was waist high and glassy. We walked out into the surf and started casting #4 Hopkins. I ended up in chest deep water casting over and over, trying not to get owned by the waves. I had such a good time. Caught a few blues, my bro did the same, my daughter caught a menhaden (bunker to you yanks). I missed out on some good surf but I had so much fun casting. My daughter spent the day playing in the tide pool, collecting hermit crabs.
A bad day fishing beats a good day at work.
Oh, if you frustrated because you don't catch anything remember this: it's called FISHING and not CATCHING for a reason!
