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Is fishing the most dangerous sport in the United States?
Results so far:
| Yes | 21% | 21 votes | Total: 101 votes | |
| No | 79% | 80 votes |
Yes
by Cotton Lee
Created on: December 30, 2010
Let's not judge fishing as not deadly just yet. The facts tell a story that will have you appreciate every fishing trip that you survive, from now on. You can find this information easily anywhere on the net for further verification. Over 600 people die every year in the United States every year, on average. Some fall through ice in the higher latitudes, some get swept over waterfalls, some get eaten by various large carnivores. In Swahili-land, Africa 19 people die every year while trying to fish within the vicinity of hippopotamus's. They know the hippos are there, you can hardly miss them, and nevertheless risk and loose their lives. Lots of lives.
Twenty five people die every year from falling through ice while ice-fishing. Condider yourself in such a postion as to be trapped beneath black, choking ice. Ice fishing brings along its own culture, and part of that culture is alcohol. Another one hundred people die in snowmobile and auto accidents related to drinking on the ice occur every year worldwide, on average.
Lets not forget the handfull of sport-fisherman, and indigenous fishermen, that die every year from a needle thin relative of the catfish. Candiru, as the locals call it, swims up the victims urethra and there extends sharp spikes along its length, making it impossible to remove without surgery. Even if removed, secondary infections can swell the urine tract and cause the bladder to rupture into the gut cavity causing toxic shock and death.
Fishermen in Bengal, India frequently fall prey to the largest member of the genus Panthera, the Bengal Tiger. They attract the nose of this massive meat eater while carrying freshly caught and gutted fish on their way home. Imagine for a moment the terror of hearing a noise, turning around, and seeing a five hundred pound tiger close the distance between you. If you own a house cat, you know from the remains of luckless mice and birds the end result of such an encounter in the wild.
So now you've seen some of more of the dramatic ways that the ole' fishin trip can end it all for you, but so what? This is a debate and debates rely on hard facts. Football averages at worst, five deaths per year on average. In hockey, only one person has ever died. Ever. Don Sanderson, when he hit his head.
Do your own research. Use your reason. Don't let people, such as my debate opponents, tell you something as truth simply because they didn't want to do a minimum amount of research.
Learn more about this author, Cotton Lee.
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No
by Cody Poe
Created on: August 03, 2010
I honestly could not believe my eyes when I read the title of this debate. Is fishing the most dangerous sport in the United States? Obviously it is not, It seemed as if it were a no brainer to me. However, There are apparently some people who believe it is or it wouldn't be the topic of a debate. So here I am, To tell you why I believe it is not the most dangerous sport in the United States.
Think about this for a second, How many people do you know that have been injured while fishing? Sure there is the rare occurrence of a boat accident or someone falling in a river and drowning, but like I said, these are RARE occurrences. Compare this to how many injuries you hear about when one is playing a sport such as Football, Hockey, Basketball, Soccer, or Rugby. The injuries are far more common and most of the time far more serious. The average NFL team has plenty of players on its inactive list every week they are scheduled to play. Fishing almost never dishes out injuries which render you unable to fish anymore, While in other sports one second could ruin your entire playing career.
Secondly, Fishing is not a sport where you are expected to be hit and beaten on. Where a sport like football or hockey it is expected that you will be hit every day you play it. Fishing you sit and don't really move at all and aren't expecting any pain. In a contact sport you WILL be hit and hit often. You only get hurt from fishing if an accident were to happen.
Third, Many NFL players have physical problems after their careers are over from the beating their body takes over their career. Have you ever heard of someone who was having pain at an older age because they chose to fish when they were younger? Most people start fishing more as they get older because they see it as an easy, laid back, relaxing activity. If it were strenuous and dangerous, older people wouldn't find to much joy in doing it. Football leaves you crippled at an old age, Fishing is what you do at an old age. You tell me which sounds more dangerous?
Hopefully this article gave you a bit of insight as to what I think about this topic. To me fishing is not the most dangerous sport in the United States. I think almost any other contact sport runs a higher risk of one getting injured than if they were fishing. I believe even a lot of non contact sports are more dangerous than fishing. I'm sure some people think differently, But this is where I stand on the issue.
Learn more about this author, Cody Poe.
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