The English summer feels as if it’s hitting its peak, right? Eternal blue skies, endless rays, tan lines and of course, crystal clear waters. We know this scene well.

At times like these, the city (though at times epic) can be utterly depressing - even in this weather - and our minds naturally start wandering towards coastal thoughts. We don’t care so much for deadlines, tall concrete buildings or the fellow city dwellers, instead, we want for a quiet river encompassed in trees and nature. It is our calling.

We don’t forget the clean air, the gentle breeze and open green spaces. We don’t forget the primitive connection between humans and nature. We don’t forget that not so far beyond those skyscrapers are scenes of blissful fulfilment.

And what is at the centre of all this beauty? Fishing.

Ernest Hemingway Said

Hemingway once said, “somebody behind you, while you are fishing, is as bad as someone looking over your shoulder while you write a letter to your girl.” We raise a glass to such a wise insight. Little else matters but those precious moments between finding your spot, casting your line and bringing that baby home. Who’s got time for texts, tweets and needless photos of caramel lattes when you’ve got a feisty trout to reel in? These moments are our moments to switch off and get in some quality ‘me’ time.

But there’s also little better than a fishing trip with good mates - people with a similar mindset and a similar desire to escape the city and the bores of daily life. We’ve all got our own crap going on and it’s of great importance to bring each other back from the depths in times of need.

Whether it’s just down the road, a short car journey, a long hike or a red-eye flight away, it is these moments that we seek and will go to great lengths to get to. Nothing gets in the way and nothing can take them away.

The Act Of Fishing

The city will always be there waiting for us, for it can’t go anywhere, and if / when we’ve had our fix, we’ll return to it better off. It’s crucial to get out and into the open spaces as often as we can, to get our juices flowing again, to inspire us, stop us from going utterly insane. In the words of the author Fennel Hudson “The act of fishing - for fish, dreams or whatever magic is available - is enough. It transports us to a special world, and a state of mind, where we are free.”