It's all relative.
My boat is up for sale in part due to the high cost of offshore fishing. I was working towards honing my skills until I felt that I could be competitive in billfish tournaments. While some luck is involved in landing the heaviest blue marlin for our largest local annual event, I was gearing more towards the catch-and-release division. Prize money would be less (~$75k vs ~$1 mil), but entry fees were also less (~$3k vs ~$15k+). The odds would've been against me (huge understatement) if I ever reached my goal, but I didn't care.
Like shooting, fishing is a sport where the best in the business often openly share their techniques. With the internet, I was conversing with the top people in various parts of the world. I have lures made from around the globe. At the time, I felt that I was ahead of the curve, using and learning to understand various designs of artificial billfish lures during a period when tournament rules were evolving to make natural bait less effective (requiring circle hooks), which had always been the mainstay of the local fleet (using J-hooks).
As I said, boat is now for sale, then the gear will go, and finally the slip will be sold. I could make it happen from a financial standpoint a few years ago, but not anymore.
So I'm back to shooting, and more than I ever have. Enjoying it too. And much less costly compared to the aforementioned hobby.
Again, it's all relative.
While I recognize the importance of money for survival, the older I get, the more that I realize that time is so much more precious than money.
Enjoy whatever it is you like to do. Pursue it with passion. If you don't get enjoyment from the time and effort required to reach your goals, and the associated costs loom too large, find another hobby that stirs your soul.
My boat is up for sale in part due to the high cost of offshore fishing. I was working towards honing my skills until I felt that I could be competitive in billfish tournaments. While some luck is involved in landing the heaviest blue marlin for our largest local annual event, I was gearing more towards the catch-and-release division. Prize money would be less (~$75k vs ~$1 mil), but entry fees were also less (~$3k vs ~$15k+). The odds would've been against me (huge understatement) if I ever reached my goal, but I didn't care.
Like shooting, fishing is a sport where the best in the business often openly share their techniques. With the internet, I was conversing with the top people in various parts of the world. I have lures made from around the globe. At the time, I felt that I was ahead of the curve, using and learning to understand various designs of artificial billfish lures during a period when tournament rules were evolving to make natural bait less effective (requiring circle hooks), which had always been the mainstay of the local fleet (using J-hooks).
As I said, boat is now for sale, then the gear will go, and finally the slip will be sold. I could make it happen from a financial standpoint a few years ago, but not anymore.
So I'm back to shooting, and more than I ever have. Enjoying it too. And much less costly compared to the aforementioned hobby.
Again, it's all relative.
While I recognize the importance of money for survival, the older I get, the more that I realize that time is so much more precious than money.
Enjoy whatever it is you like to do. Pursue it with passion. If you don't get enjoyment from the time and effort required to reach your goals, and the associated costs loom too large, find another hobby that stirs your soul.
Drifter