Are Sikhs Allowed To Fish?

[Jasdeep118]

So tomorrow I am going to go from Alberta to British Columbia and I just wanted to fish. My mom and dad told me stories of how they caught Mushee in their Pinds when they were young and I want to do it. I don't want to eat the fish or kill it, I just want to do it for fun. I don't want to make the fish suffer, as I don't kill animals and we Sikhs prohibit as the animal suffers. I understand the fish hooks and that, but it doesn't kill it, I also understand the fish will be in pain as a tiny bit as the hook, as I got pricked by it by accident. I seriously don't want to harm any animals on purpose just for fun with me and my little brother. I respect all animals as well.

 

[Harry Haller]

So tomorrow I am going to go from Alberta to British Columbia and I just wanted to fish. My mom and dad told me stories of how they caught Mushee in their Pinds when they were young and I want to do it. I don't want to eat the fish or kill it, I just want to do it for fun. I don't want to make the fish suffer, as I don't kill animals and we Sikhs prohibit as the animal suffers. I understand the fish hooks and that, but it doesn't kill it, I also understand the fish will be in pain as a tiny bit as the hook, as I got pricked by it by accident. I seriously don't want to harm any animals on purpose just for fun with me and my little brother. I respect all animals as well.

it probably won't make the fish's day! its up to you, how do you feel about hooking a fish for sport? it has nothing to do with religion per se, it has everything to do with you.

 

[Brother Onam]

Sat Sri Akaal,
When I was a young boy, my father took me fishing. We were also fishing just for pleasure. I finally caught one fish and found that the barbed hook had gone through the cheek and emerged from the eye socket. Yes, we did manage to unhook it and the fish did swim away, but what a painful mess for that poor creature! Truth be told, it took me some effort to even put a living worm on the hook to catch the fish! My young conscience was rebelling even at that. Nature can be a pretty ruthless zone, but Har Har blessed us with the ability to reason and make choices. We ought to act on compassionate impulses whenever we can.
I would be cautious about doing things because 'society' seems to permit them. Remember, this same 'culture' permits and delights in bull-fights (in which a grand animal is slowly tortured to death amidst cheers and roars of an approving crowd), fox-hunts (where a fox is mercilessly pursued by baying, blood-thirsty dogs until it is caught and torn apart) and big-game hunting (where beautiful creatures are stalked and killed by high-powered weapons, just for fun). Just because activities seem innocuous and popular really doesn't make them right. The Guru extends much mercy to us; I think it's always good to try to live mercifully to those around us.