what does "gone fishing" mean

wh

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May 18, 2004, 11:16:01 AM5/18/04

to

Have been curious and could not find the answer anywhere. Please would
anyone explain?

rewboss

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May 18, 2004, 12:23:20 PM5/18/04

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"wh" <who...@wherever.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:c8d9mc$c3m...@imsp212.netvigator.com...

> Have been curious and could not find the answer anywhere. Please would
> anyone explain?

Well, it means the subject of the sentence has left in order to practice the
art of angling.

If that response doesn't help you, perhaps you could provide us with some
context.

Robert Lieblich

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May 18, 2004, 12:41:25 PM5/18/04

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rewboss wrote:
>
> "wh" <who...@wherever.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:c8d9mc$c3m...@imsp212.netvigator.com...
> > Have been curious and could not find the answer anywhere. Please would
> > anyone explain?
>
> Well, it means the subject of the sentence has left in order to practice the
> art of angling.

More generally, it is an informal way of stating that someone has
taken time off from work to enjoy recreation of some sort (not
necessarily fishing).

> If that response doesn't help you, perhaps you could provide us with some
> context.

Yes, context would help.

--
Bob Lieblich
Context-lover

raymond o'hara

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May 18, 2004, 12:52:27 PM5/18/04

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"wh" <who...@wherever.net> wrote in message
news:c8d9mc$c3m...@imsp212.netvigator.com...

> Have been curious and could not find the answer anywhere. Please would
> anyone explain?
>
>

it can be a euphemism for playng hookey .

Elle

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May 18, 2004, 10:56:59 PM5/18/04

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"raymond o'hara" <re...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:fbrqc.1158$zw.604@attbi_s01...

Aside from being a euphemism for adultering, I heard it used in connection
with a young woman who went partying with an old rich man and also for a
young man with an old lady, not necessarily a married man or woman. I heard
a speaker said "gone fishing" dripping with malice.

----------------------
Elle

sockpuppet

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May 23, 2004, 4:20:22 PM5/23/04

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Mbele Wed, 19 May 2004 10:56:59 +0800, haraza "Elle"
<dul...@mydestiny.net> n'gomi yi

>Aside from being a euphemism for adultering, I heard it used in connection
>with a young woman who went partying with an old rich man and also for a
>young man with an old lady, not necessarily a married man or woman. I heard
>a speaker said "gone fishing" dripping with malice.
>
>----------------------
>Elle

"Gone fishing" can mean daydreaming. I suppose professional
fishermen must use a different expression to describe the same
phenomenon. ("He's 'attending a business meeting' ya see...")

sock

-:(o)(o):-
sockpuppet
at kc.rr.com
°ºº°°ºº°

mcaleav...@gmail.com

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Mar 14, 2018, 3:25:41 PM3/14/18

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I sent a message to someone and their response was gone fishing

CRNG

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Mar 14, 2018, 3:54:03 PM3/14/18

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On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 12:25:39 -0700 (PDT), mcaleav...@gmail.com
wrote in <377a3b0d-fda0-4869...@googlegroups.com>

>I sent a message to someone and their response was gone fishing

In Amr English is a colloquial expression meaning that a person is not
available because they are out-and-about doing something recreational
that they enjoy. Like fishing.
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

Peter Duncanson [BrE]

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Mar 14, 2018, 4:08:10 PM3/14/18

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On Wed, 14 Mar 2018 12:25:39 -0700 (PDT), mcaleav...@gmail.com

wrote:

>I sent a message to someone and their response was gone fishing

If someone says that the have "Gone fishing" it means that they are not
available.

Some systems for sending messages allow someone to set up an automatic
reply to an incoming message. For example in a business context an
automatic reply could be "XYZ is out of the office".

"Gone fishing" is an older version of that. A shopkeeper might hang a
sign on their door with those words on. It just means that they are not
there for a time. The may have actually gone fishing or not.

If you do a Google Images search for the words:
gone fishing sign
you can see lots of signs of that type.

This is one with the words
http://i.b5z.net/i/u/453686/i/Gone_Fishing_Sign_ezr2.jpg

Sorry CLOSED
GONE

FISHING

with three fish swimming across it.

A different meaning of "gone fishing" which doesn't seem likely in the
case you mentioned is
https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/gone+fishing.html

If someone has gone fishing, they are not very aware of what is
happening around them.

Another phrase with that meaning is "out to lunch". The idea is that the
person is there but their mind isn't.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)