晚年的乔羽喜爱垂钓，他说：“有水有鱼的地方大都是有好环境的，好环境便会给人好心情。我认为最好的钓鱼场所不是舒适的、给你准备好饿鱼的垂钓园，而是那极其有吸引力的大自然野外天成的场所。”钓鱼是一项能够陶冶性情的运动，有益于身心健康。乔羽说：“钓鱼可分三个阶段：第一阶段是吃鱼；第二阶段是吃鱼和情趣兼而有之；第三阶段主要是钓趣，面对一池碧水，将忧心烦恼全都抛在一边，使自己的身心得到充分休息。”
Qiao Yu liked fishing in his late years. He said: “Mostly speaking, a place with water and fish is necessarily blessed with a nice setting, which in return keeps people in good mood. The best places for fishing, it seems to me, are not those commercial fishing centers which provide you with all the conveniences and where fish are kept hungry for ready capture, but attractive natural water bodies in out-of-the-way places.” Fishing is an outdoor sport that can help cultivate your mind and it is good for our mental and physical health. Qiao Yu claimed: “There are three states for fishing. The first state is for fish only. The second one is both for fish and for the pleasure of fishing. The third one is just for the pleasure of fishing. When facing a pool of green water; you forget all your worries and annoyance and enjoy a good rest, both mentally and physically.”
