Emmanuele Zuccarelli Reels It In

Emmanuele Zuccarelli

Emmanuele Zuccarelli is an Oregon native who graduated from a high school near his home in Douglas. He studied music at Oregon State University, where he graduated with honors. He plays drums, guitar, and piano professionally and several other instruments for fun.

After graduation, Zuccarelli quickly became an established professional session musician with two Grammy Participation Certificates. Grammy Participation Certificates are given to musicians, composers, and studios who contributed to Grammy-nominated songs. Zuccarelli has a wide range of musical skills, including arranging, creative improvisation, music theory, and music transcription.

Emmaneule Zuccarelli also studied mixed media arts at Oregon State and has built a reputation for graffiti-inspired illustrations and acrylic portraits. He has many corporate clients, including a luxury fashion brand, a national fast-food chain, and an international airline. He is also a gifted sculptor. Oregon State University and other local venues display some of his works.

For the past 20 years, Zuccarelli has been involved in many international, national, and local charities, giving both time and money. Among the charities he supports are Habitat for Humanity, the Oregon Environmental Council, Compassion International, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary, and United Oregon.

Emmanuele Zuccarelli lives with his wife and three young daughters in a Portland, Ore., suburb.

What is your favorite hobby?

I have several hobbies, so choosing one takes a lot of work. Although I am a musician and media artist in my professional life, I also do these activities for fun and as a volunteer for several charities. I am passionate about both of these activities.

However, I also have non-work-related hobbies. I like movies, cooking, hiking, and running. I also enjoy watching the Portland Blazers basketball team. I suppose my favorite non-work-related hobby is fishing.

How did you get started with it?

I grew up in Roseburg in Douglas County. Roseburg is on the Umpqua River in Southern Oregon and is known for its 50 great fishing sites. I started fishing on that river with my father when I was young. I find that fishing is also an excellent activity to do with my children. I have caught bass, trout, salmon, bluegill, and steelhead.

Tell us what you love about it.

I like many aspects of fishing. It is a way to get out of the studio (both music studio and art studio) and into nature. Fishing presents an excellent opportunity to learn about the species’ feeding behaviors or the river’s environmental challenges. The time outdoors helps balance my time indoors and in front of instruments or devices.

Fishing is also a great way to eat well. Fish are rich in protein and low in cholesterol, as well as extremely tasty.

Fishing also allows me to form special bonds with family and friends. I enjoy sharing the thrill of a great catch with my daughters, and it has helped us connect differently. That catch helps them feel empowered, and I enjoy seeing how that confidence develops in them, just as it grew in me when I was younger.

I also find that the peacefulness of the boat brings opportunities to talk and listen to each other. Background noises and mobile phones don’t spoil the conversation like they often do at home.

Finally, fishing is a great way to relax and unwind. It relieves any stress of the day. It allows me to be in an environment that differs from my day-to-day world. It also helps me build patience because sometimes I have to wait a while for a strike.

What types of things or equipment have you spent money on for your hobby?

A boat, for one thing. Of course, boats require money to buy and maintain, so they are a big commitment. I also spend money on fishing gear, including rods, reels, a monofilament fishing line, fishing weights, and hooks. Of course, I have lures and buy live fishing bait for each trip. I also buy a fishing license annually.

What are some of your favorite places to shop for your hobby?

Honestly, I’m not all that fond of shopping. I prefer to run in quickly, grab what I need, and keep it for a while. I buy live bait at a small store near my house because it’s quick, and the fish seem to like it. If I need gear that I can’t find quickly nearby, I go to Amazon. Some of my fellow fishermen also go to Bass Pro Shops or Tackle Warehouse. The best time to buy equipment is in the spring because most stores offer sales then.

How much money have you invested into it, and how much should a beginner invest to get started?

If you count my boat (which I use for other hobbies, too), then several thousand. And the investment in a boat is ongoing.

However, depending on where you want to fish, you can spend much less. You don’t necessarily have to fish from a boat, although that gives you access to a wider variety of fish. You can do dry water fishing, which you do standing on land. I wouldn’t recommend that a beginner buy a boat right away. If you want to fish on a boat, you can also go with friends who have a boat, charter a boat, or go in with friends to buy a boat to share. You also can try fishing from a kayak, which is inexpensive. Kayaking is also good exercise because you must row rather than have a motor power you.

Aside from the boat, fishing can be pretty inexpensive. Beginners can buy rod and reel combos for less than $50 or $20 for kids. You can also try fishing on free fishing days (each state has them) before you commit to buying a license. You can usually purchase hooks and lures on sale for very little. Fresh bait is also inexpensive.

Are there any good books for beginners interested in your hobby? (Include the author’s name if you can)

You don’t need a book to become a good fisherman. Most of what I learned came through mentors. These mentors were experienced fishermen who helped me learn the best bait and when the fish were more likely to bite. I also have learned a lot through trial and error. Experience, just like in most pursuits, is an excellent teacher.

Those who want to read up on fishing can try Field & Stream’s Total Fishing Manual by Joe Cermele and the editors of Field and Stream. It’s full of good tips and some beautiful illustrations. Another possibility is Basic Fishing: A Beginner’s Guide by Wade Bourne, who is an expert angler and teacher.

Are there any videos you can recommend for beginners?

Again, watching your friends and family make great catches is great entertainment and a good learning experience, too. For me, these life experiences are better than any videos.

However, if you want to watch a tutorial, try How to Catch Fish For Beginners – Fishing 101 from Catfish and Carp. It provides a good introduction and some resources for delving more deeply into specific types of fishing. The Angler’s Escape also offers a video on the Ten Biggest Fishing Mistakes for Beginners: Tips and Tricks. If you want to watch people making exciting catches, try the Greatest Fishing Videos of All Time by BlacktipH.

How has your hobby changed your life?

Fishing hasn’t changed my life to the extent that music and mixed media arts have. But music and mixed media arts are my professions as well as my passions. However, fishing has made a significant difference for a pure hobby. It helped me strengthen my relationship with my father while fishing as a kid.

My relationship with my father had an enormous positive impact on my life. Fishing also helps me develop my relationship with my family and friends, and those relationships have sustained me through challenges.

As a young person, I also learned to love eating fish, and I still love the taste of grilled fresh fish. Fish is quite healthy, so developing a taste for it, rather than fast food, helped me avoid some of the health challenges my contemporaries face, such as obesity and high blood pressure. Fresh fish is a staple of our diet at home, too, so my daughters also have developed healthy eating habits that will serve them well all their lives.

I also gained a lot of confidence as a child while fishing. I felt a great sense of achievement reeling in a fish. That confidence carried over into other parts of my life. The confidence helped me learn to play multiple instruments. It helped me feel free to branch out into mixed media arts and become the creative person I am.

Fishing also builds patience and discipline. Being a good musician requires excellent patient discipline, too. You have to be willing to sit down and practice even if, in the beginning, it seems as if you’re progressing very slowly. You must be patient and stick with it until you become better at your music. Discipline also allows me to write, improvise, and arrange music, even on days when I don’t feel like it.

Also, fishing teaches you that each body of water is different. Just because you know how to fish well in the Umpqua River doesn’t mean you’ll automatically know how to fish in the Pacific Ocean. Likewise, fishing in freshwater is very different from fishing in saltwater. But if you do your research and experiment through trial and error, eventually, you’ll learn the quirks of each new body of water.

As a young person, fishing in different bodies of water prepared me to be a successful session musician. Although music theory is universal, every artist I work with is a little different. So, I approach each session by doing my research and realizing that we may have to try some things together before we make the best sound. Fishing in different bodies of water also helped me learn to play different instruments. The drum, guitar, and piano have some similarities and differences.

So, you could say that fishing changed my life by helping me develop the patience and discipline required to succeed at my profession and first passion, which is music.

What advice do you have for others just starting out?

On your first trip, go with experienced fishermen willing to mentor you. They may have the equipment you can borrow or help you find a serviceable but inexpensive rod and reel appropriate to the type of fishing you’ll be doing. They can give you valuable hints.

Also, be mindful of safety. Wearing sunglasses has often saved me from a stray hook in my eye. Be sure you have life jackets for every fisherman on the boat. In most states, accessible life jackets are a requirement. Use sunscreen and stay hydrated. In some states, such as Florida, you’ll need to be careful of alligators!

Also, remember that developing confidence in a lure will take time. Going fishing with only one lure will force you to use it until you build confidence in it. Also, use cheap lures that you aren’t afraid to lose. If the lure is expensive, you’ll be reluctant to put it in the right areas where you’re most likely to catch fish. Also, be aware of which bait will attract the type of fish you’re trying to catch.

Make sure you know the law in your state and the locality where you’ll be fishing, especially when you need to have a fishing license. Take along a ruler so you can measure the catch to see if it is too small to keep.

Also, respect the areas where you fish and clean up after yourself. Take everything with you when you leave, including cans, gum wrappers, and hook packages.

Are you involved with social media? If you are, please provide the links below.

I don’t really do social media because I’d rather socialize face to face, in a jam session, or while going fishing.