ON THE NORTH SHORE – A fishing trip, whether for a day, a week or a month, includes everything that occurs on that trip, not just the parts involving casting, jigging and catching.

Anglers who develop an appreciation of this subtle but important part of fishing have a lot more fun on the water than those who don't.

They relax and go with the flow.

Importantly, relaxed anglers also often catch more fish than those who feel the pressure of the neighbor, friend or relative back home who inevitably will ask, "Catch anything?"

Anglers who characterize the worth and enjoyment of a trip solely based on how they answer that question can, over time, lose interest in the sport. Failing to appreciate that many variables can affect fishing "success" — weather being primary— they doom trips before they begin.

I was reminded of this Monday when a friend and I were driving up the North Shore, intent — in a hurry, actually — to be on the Gunflint Trail in time to fish that late afternoon and evening.

Kris Gorny of Rochester lowered himself over a Lake Superior cliff.

With little time to spare, we nonetheless took a quick detour at Palisade Head, the huge rock outcropping and sheer cliff that provides an unparalleled view of Lake Superior.

As it happened, the sightseeing side trip proved time well spent, and ultimately contributed greatly to the overall enjoyment of our "fishing" trip.

Not only was the view of Lake Superior peerless on a blue-sky day, we had the good fortune of meeting Kris Gorny of Rochester, a rock-climbing physicist who works at Mayo Clinic.

Originally from Poland, Gorny as a young man rappelled skyscrapers as a window washer. Now for fun he lowers himself off steep cliffs, as he did Monday at Palisade, disappearing while we watched to the rocky shoreline about 150 feet below.

Gorny couldn't have known it, but he was one reason our fishing trip was successful.