So heres the deal guys!!! Most kids have little interest spending endless hours in the boat waiting for the walleyes to move in. Most people who don’t fish often would rather mow the grass than trying to eeeeeeek out a couple fish during a 14 hour mission on the water, so here is my campaign for the future well being of our beloved sport. Take a kid catching!!!! Everyone knows that people like to do things in which they are good at right??? Take your child, neighbors child, nephew, grandaughter…. out when you are the highest likelyhood to get some action!!!! Ease them into the sport so someday they will sit along side you patroling the waters as you comb the bottom with your latest graph! Put on a float with a piece of crawler like grandpa did for you, and watch as the kids become fixated on the sinking of the bobber. All fish are trophies for kids, and girth measurements don’t even matter!
In the hustle and bustle of todays fast past world with the $1000.00 real life game stations, and internet predators invading our homes the simplicity of fishing still has its own appeal. For one I can credit the outdoors in my own life for keeping me on the straight and narrow…. It is my opinion that if you show me a group of kids with no hobbies I will show you a group of kids finding some, and they might not be the ones you’d like them to find. As a parent, guide or friend take the time out of your day to present the lifelong addiction to the outdoors. It is catchy as you know, but it still takes someone to put a little groundwork forth for the bug to really take hold.
Although as you become older and wiser??? you understand that the catching aspect is only a part of the experience as a youngster catching is the action and measurement of success. Let them keep some bluegills for supper!!! Yep we’re starting to make it taboo to keep fish, but we still eat fish up here just like when we were kids. Let them hook the fish up on there own 59 cent stringer. Before long they will be telling you how to work the crawler or pop the bobber to induce a strike!
Just remember one thing!! in the day of heat seeking, no stretch, fast tipped, wide gapped, long shanked, two toned, suspending, globally positioned fishing. Kids could really care less about the extended mayfly hatch. Kids could care less if that guy is getting a bit too close to "Our Spot" Kids are in it for the fun, and if you sit down and ponder it… So are we. I’m fortunate enough to have a FUN job. I hope that when I get the chance to take kids out or you do they are having fun!!! Looking back with fond memories at our fishing trips as a youngster, "Thanks Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandma for a life long passion for the outdoors" I wouldn’t trade it for any new computer games even if Billy has one.