Even if you live to be 150 and spend 8 hours a day on the water, you’ll still won’t feel like you fished enough during your time on the planet. And while your soon-to-be-spouse is hopefully supportive of your fishing addiction hobby, you will undoubtedly find yourself in need of a few good excuses that will get you out of brunch with the in laws, so you can go chase the bass at the local pond.

And we’re here to help – we’ve got the best possible excuse for fishing possible: Fishing is good for your health. And these benefits are as real as they are wide-ranging.

For example, fishing helps to lower your blood pressure, boost your immune system and it even gets you a bit of exercise. But it also provides benefits for your mental health, which will not only help you feel better, they’ll make you easier to live with too. Because fishing gives you a chance to spend some time bonding with your buddies or enjoy some peace and quiet, it will greatly improve your mood and leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed when you return home. And incidentally, you may want to consider bringing a few fish with you when you do come back, as they represent a remarkably healthy protein source.

If you want to learn some of the other ways fishing helps to keep you healthy and feeling your best, cruise on over to Outdoor Empire and check out their comprehensive review of the subject. There, you’ll not only learn more benefits fishing provides, but you’ll also learn strategies for maximizing the benefits provided.