I have been a local fisherman for over 30 years and write frequently for the local newspapers on the fishing grounds in the Ayrshire area.What is it that lures otherwise sane individuals to get out of bed at 3 a.m. travel miles, cast a line into the water and stay, enduring the fickleness of the weather and the absence of creature comforts?.

In the past the answer to this question was simple. People fished to satisfy their hunger. But how do we explain the rise in popularity today and the rising number of anglers who release their fish back into the water. The answer is a simple one. Most modern day anglers fish to satisfy a different kind of hunger. Its nothing to do with empty stomachs.

Angling satisfies a hunger that mankind may never had to worry about. Its a spiritual and emotional hunger that can only be satisfied when we re-connect with the natural world. Like our ancestors, we anglers today enjoy the thrill of the fight and the chance to outwit one of nature?s creatures. We also enjoy a sense of achievement as we re-enter our natural habitat leaving the disharmony of the material world behind.

Our minds and bodies become freshly adjusted and once again reverberate in accord with nature. In this world of simple rules, we fisherman shed the layers of falseness and regain our true identity as we synchronise with nature. Even though sometimes this process will require getting up at the crack of dawn.