Inevitably, one of the world’s most accomplished anglers had become devoted to one of its oddest hobbies: microfishing.
The objective of microfishing is laughably simple: to catch very small fish.
Good article by the excellent Ben Goldfarb.
When l was 14 I had captive brook trout. I would go downriver a mile into minnow water and fish for their food. There was a bend pool with a big spruce along the bank. Between the roots and bank I ran a plank to sit on so l could see into the water. Dace and shiners would mill around and I would use a #14 dry fly hook with a bit of worm to try to hook them. It was harder than I wanted. Everything wises up eventually. It was fun in a low key way but that all changed when a 14 inch brook trout slashed through my private aquarium. I got him too. Having lots of minnow bait helped.
A week later, l looked over the roots into the pool proper at the first brown trout I had ever seen. I have an indelible memory of him laying there with his black spots and gently waving fins. I got him too and added him to the pond. From there on, brown trout were an obsession that started my slide into a wasted youth.
I practice microfishing often, just not on purpose.