Jen has an irrational fear of fish. So I decided it was time for some exposure therapy by fishing with the Lafayette Outdoors Society, also known as “LOSt.”
I have never been fishing before, due to my aforementioned fear, but I enjoy the outdoors, so there was some upside to this side quest. Conrad Hahn ‘27, fishing chair of the society, was my guide. He grew up on the Passaic River in New Jersey and has been fishing for as long as he can remember.
“Patience is definitely a key thing,” he said. “Catching a fish, depending on where you are, is pretty rare.”
Conrad brought fishing back to Lafayette College when he found out the fishing club had gone under. He proposed the idea of a fishing group within LOSt and has now served as fishing chair for two years. Members of LOSt — who are swim certified with Recreation Services — are invited to fish with Conrad on Wednesday afternoons at 5:30 p.m.
I had conflicting feelings about catching a fish. On the one hand, if I caught one, I could add a photo of myself holding it to my dating profile. On the other hand, a primal part of my brain did not want to have any contact with any fish whatsoever.
We ventured to Frost Hollow Overlook, a small beach on the Delaware River just a six-minute drive from campus. Conrad adjusted my fishing rod and attached the hook to the line with a tight knot. There was no bait involved other than a small, metal fish that would catch the sunlight to lure in larger fish.
The other fishermen at the overlook informed us that the fish were mostly at the eddy line, the break between the fast, downstream current and calm waters.
I attempted to cast my line out towards the eddy line, but I couldn’t get it out far enough. On one occasion, I got the hook caught on my sweatshirt. On another, I thought I had caught a fish when, in reality, the hook was stuck on a rock. Conrad had to cut the line.
He said that this kind of disappointment was “just a part of fishing.” I was embarrassed, but now determined to catch a fish.
Now, you might be wondering, what kind of fish are even in the Delaware River? Well, there are crappie, smallmouth bass and trout. Conrad found the trout controversial because the river was artificially stocked with trout for recreational purposes.
Once I felt that I had a good cast, I waited patiently for something to bite. But my night class was looming over me, and time was running out. I caught nothing, not even a trout.
“That doesn’t mean you did bad,” Conrad assured me. “I think you did pretty good… I mean, you were able to cast it out there.”
I don’t know if I agree with him, but I do know that I will be back next week to try again. I loved sitting by the water and letting my mind go quiet. That’s the best part of fishing, in my opinion, sitting outside and enjoying nature.
If you want to fish with Conrad, and sometimes Jen, you can find more information @lafoutdoors on Instagram.
