Indeed, this is only one of the many benefits of fishing enjoyed by fishermen worldwide.
Fish are dumb.
The feeling of superiority you get from outsmarting these critters is extraordinary. An added bonus for the hitchhiker is that if you have a fishing pole with you, people will assume that you are only dressed grubbily like that because you are going fishing, not because you are a penniless hitchhiker, and therefore they will be far more inclined to give you a lift. As an added bonus, once in a while they even throw in added stuff like sunglasses, a camera, or assorted gadgets, which we will get to later. In actuality, their only real purpose is to keep you entertained while you are waiting for fish to bite. OK, I suppose this isn't necessary, but it gives you someone to blame your bad luck on.