Once you think you've had enough of online dating trends, another one rears its sleazy, oily head and exposes itself to the world. We've had all sorts of dating trends in recent times, from Breadcrumbing to Sea-lioning via Gatsbying. Now, however, we've got another.
'Fishing' is something that we've all been guilty of doing without realising. If you've used a dating app in the years since Tinder appeared and changed our lives forever, you have likely fished or been fished. But, what exactly is fishing and how does one go about doing it?
It's simple, you buy some cargo trousers that can transform into shorts, a bucket hat and a multi-purpose gilet. Then, you and a few of your friends head down to a gnat-infested lake, put some maggots on hooks and sit for an obscene amount of time until something bites. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Wait... What? Oh, THAT'S what fishing means?
Scrap the above. Fishing, in the virtual, horny world of online dating, refers to sending a message out to all of your matches and seeing who bites the best. So, if like the majority of people, you use the 'Running Man' technique when perusing potential suitors, 'Fishing' is basically the next step in this dating evolution.
A classic fishing message would be somethround the deep sea of Tinder until they are consumed by a whale.
While fishing may seem like a bit of harmless fun and a way to filter out the week from the poor, it does tie into the new dating trend of keepinging along the lines of, "What are you up to tonight?" and the fisher will tend to engage in conversation with the person who gives the best answer. The rest, however, are confined to the life of being a plankton, aimlessly floating a your options open in case something better comes along. The operation also isn't done on a 'first come first serve' basis, so think about your answers before you reply.
However, the main detriment to fishing is how it can make someone feel. For those who realised they're being fished, it can be a demoralising thing to experience. No, you're not that person's priority, you are just an option. And, despite the fact that you may think that your latest match is actually interested in you, they've sent that message out to plenty of other people.
That said, there are ways to catch these predators. They usually set sail on their excursions late on a Friday or Saturday night and take a while to respond. Also, if they show little-to-no interest in your life, they've likely chucked their rod into other ponds.
But, the best way to avoid a fisher? Don't take the bait. Look for someone who is actually engaging and interested in you. At the end of the day, there's plenty more fish in the sea.
