Page 19 - Mid America Boating - September/October 2024 issue

Take a kid fishing from page 15

Sound simple enough? It is – and if time teaching them how to bait their hooks,
carefully selected, the equipment could last or maybe they just didn’t want to learn. On a
for years to come. If in the past you have not good day they always out fished me because
been interested or experienced in fishing, I was too busy rigging and baiting hooks to
why not give it a try? Perhaps you and your have a chance.
kids will discover it to be both rewarding and My girls are all grown now and have moved
relaxing. It may take your mind away from all in four different directions. Each has blessed
the cares with which you and your youngsters me with a grandchild or two. I don’t get to see
have been burdened. the youngsters as often as I would like but each
If you take your kids fishing, don’t begin time a trip to Grandpas is planned, the first
with an all-day trip. thing they want to know is, “Can we go fishing?”
If the fish don’t bite and the youngsters I’ve fished with my grandkids – boys
want to quit after awhile, don’t force them to and girls, on little docks where we caught 19 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING ] SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
keep trying. Suggest to them the fish may bite grasshoppers for bait and threw the line out
better the next trip. Try not to begin the fishing on a lake no bigger than a large puddle. I’ve
experience on a long charter way offshore. Give fished with all of them on my charter boat
the kids a chance to get the feel of things first on the Great Lakes and some have joined
before expecting too much of them. me for fishing on ocean waters. Each trip has
A trip to a dock or breakwall, along a river provided great memories.
or even just on a small pond, is a good place When my grandson Kyle was a hyper
to start. A creek bank can provide a good 8-year old, seldom seen without his Game
opportunity to catch dinner or just catch Boy, he would settle right down and fish
and release fish. The fun and enjoyment seriously. He would also often out-fish me.
is still there and the squeals, laughter and One of my best memories is when Kyle The charter I operated on Lake Huron was a and then I saw them “again” with their kids.
excitement of watching a kid catch a fish can caught a nice grouper while ocean fishing. It family activity, one that went out for half-day One thing I never heard on my charterboat
even make you feel younger. There is one was unfortunate the fish measured one inch excursions for perch. Although I discouraged was the beeping of a game boy or a plea to go
common drawback to fishing with kids; the short of legal size. Kyle was only six at the bringing kids under 6 because the trip lasted home to the TV or computer.
adult often has to have a slice of humble time and he cried when we gently removed almost five hours, the many youngsters that If you take a kid fishing, you may discover
pie. My experience has been youngsters his hook and released the fish. A year or come often remarked when leaving the boat, fishing and chatting with your children could
frequently catch the most and biggest fish. so later, I landed a nice 35 pound grouper “When can we go again?” form a whole new bond and memories that
As the father of four girls that all loved and emailed a picture of it to Kyle. The first Another observation I passed along from are everlasting. MAB
fishing, I have many fond recollections. I thing Kyle said when I called him later was, my 24 years of charter experience was the fact
recall when daughter number one caught a “I think that is the one you made me throw fishing is not just a father and son activity. Perils of the Freshwater Seas, an anthology of
large pike fishing in Bird Creek in Port Austin, back, Grandpa.” This year Kyle landed a small I took fathers and daughters, mothers and stories and experiences written by Captain Fred
Michigan and wanted to “save” it in the shovelhead shark (pictured above right) – sons, uncles with nephews and nieces and Davis is available for $22.30 (includes shipping)
laundry tub. Another time I took two of the quite a thrill and with the photo we took, whole families. Once the kids got “hooked,” E-Mail: padavis2006@comcast.net
girls fishing in our small boat. I had a tough quite a “show and tell.” I saw them again and again as they grew up

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