KUALA LUMPUR: While angling is a popular leisurely pursuit for many, its detractors tend to dismiss it as a pure waste of time and energy.
Enthusiasts, on the other hand, view the activity as an excellent way to beat stress and unwind during the weekend after a hard week at work. They say there is nothing quite like connecting with nature and tuning in to its serenity whilst waiting for a fish to catch the bait.
Fishing is also a good way to cultivate patience, an important virtue for any true-blue angler who has to master the art of remaining still for hours before getting a nibble. In fact, hard-core anglers have this piece of advice for newcomers: “If you’re hoping to catch many fish or a big fish, then throw away your rod and reel and go to the market!”
Angling is not an expensive hobby. For as low as RM150, one can buy a rod and reel, line, hook, sinker or float to get started.
Malaysian Angling Association (PeMM) President Ridzuan Ghazali said besides helping to cultivate positive personal traits like patience, angling also provided an excellent opportunity for friends to bond with one another and to enhance unity.
He said it also enabled fishing hobbyists to familiarise themselves with underwater creatures and aquaculture, as well as help to widen their circle of friends.
“To say that angling is a wasteful activity is certainly off the mark. In the past, angling was regarded purely as a hobby but these days it has become a sport and a source of income for some people as well,” he told Bernama, adding that some anglers have gone on to become skippers and fish traders.
While he himself has benefited a great deal from the activity, Ridzuan said it was a good way to get fishing enthusiasts from the various ethnic groups to get together to share their experiences and knowledge, thus fostering unity among them.
“The activity itself helps members of the angling community to develop better understanding and tolerance. Just being together and doing what they love to do creates a sense of comradeship regardless of their race, religion or even gender,” he said, adding that his association has 20,000 members from various racial backgrounds.
Refuting allegations that angling caused the disintegration of the family institution, Ridzuan said on the contrary, the activity boosted family bonding as women, and not just men, also loved fishing.
“It’s silly to describe the activity as a home wrecker because the whole family can go fishing together.
“But, of course, fewer women go on fishing expeditions in the sea as facilities like toilets and places to sleep are limited on board the boats,” he said.
To encourage more women to take up angling, PeMM has set up a club for them, which now has a membership of 100.
A good example of a couple who go angling together with their children are Mohd Aliff Ezwan Abdul Razak, 35, and Hermawati Saffarudin, 30.
“It’s a good opportunity for me to relax with my children. Angling is also a great stress reliever for me,” said Mohd Aliff Ezwan, a civil servant and PeMM member. — Bernama