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Why are people so hooked on fishing? Mark Kurlansky's 'To Catch a Fish' explores sportfishing's allure

Why do people fish? Many fishermen keep and cook their catch, of course, but few people these days are fishing for sustenance. No, fishermen and women are hooked by something other than hunger.
Mark Kurlansky has been fishing for as long as he can remember, and writing about it almost as long. His new book is called “To Catch a Fish: Essays on the Joy, Frustration, Curiosity, and Allure of Fishing,” and he joined Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd to talk about it.
Book excerpt: 'To Catch a Fish'
By Mark Kurlansky
This segment aired on April 14, 2026.