I've always felt that fishing is THE metaphor for life.

My old man would often say "There is a difference between fishing and catching fish. Both are pleasurable if you have the right attitude."

He was a genius at times :)

We went steelhead fishing one time in late fall. We were sitting in a small boat with parkas and ponchos in a drizzling (some time freezing) rain. After a couple hours he said "Would you remind me? Are we fishing or hunting ducks?"

It was a good time to quit.