We wrote about mountain bike hunting last fall so I guess we should have seen this coming: mountain bike fishing. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted an article about the phenomenon that’s gaining traction in Western Pennsylvania. Of course the trails these mountain bike anglers ride aren’t what you’d call technical but they’re certainly wooded and remote meaning the mountain bike is the choice mode of transport.
If you think about it, a mountain bike can certainly give a fisherman a real edge in accessing remote, unfished areas that few others are able to visit. Many fishing spots are located in forest areas where motorized vehicles are prohibited and are out far enough that hiking just doesn’t make sense. Plus, once a fisherman catches his limit he can use the bike to carry much more than he could just using his free hands.
Carrying your pole through the woods might be a little tricky however and I imagine riders finding the tip of their poles getting snagged by low-hanging branches. A quick search reveals a patent (issued recently, 2001!) for a bicycle fishing pole holder but I’m not impressed. Maybe this thing would work for beach cruising and pond fishing but this would never hold up on the mountain bike trail. A chance for innovation perhaps?
