Salem Fowler with an Atlantic spadefish.
Posted on 06/20/2009 7:49:44 AM PDT by JoeProBono
Fishing, as a rule, has never floated my boat.
I don't own a boat, actually, even though I live just a mile from Lake Norman. I don't even own a rod and reel. Or a cane pole.
Until recently, the only time I ever bought anything from a bait shop was when two of my four children went through a worm-loving phase and asked for some worms so they could play with them.
But then I had an experience last week that changed my mind about this pastime so many people swear by.
My 8-year-old son Salem wanted to go fishing. He had fished at a farm pond with his grandmother a couple of times and liked it. So for our annual family trip to the beach, he said he wanted to fish off an ocean pier.
Now this will sound ridiculous to you if you're a regular fisherman, but the idea made me nervous. I like teaching my kids how to shoot a free throw or dribble a soccer ball, but fishing? That's like a beagle teaching someone how to cook.
I started thinking back on my life. I had been fishing probably a dozen times, and every single time I went with somebody who knew much more about it than I did.
It was rarely the same person, but the duties never changed. The other guy was always the one who showed me how to cast, how to bait a hook and how to untangle a line.
I never had a knack for it. I once managed to hook the back of my own head while casting.
“C'mon, Dad,” Salem said, looking at me with hypnotic eyes. “This is the one thing I really want to do.”
“OK,” I said. “But just realize we probably won't catch anything.”
We found a wonderful pier at Hunting Island (S.C.) State Park where the nature center will loan you a rod and reel for the day for free.
With that problem solved, we went to a local bait shop and bought some frozen squid. Then the three of us walked uncertainly out onto the pier – my 5-year-old son London had decided to come, too, after he saw how cool a dead squid looked.
Before we did anything, we imposed upon the first veteran fisherman we saw on the pier for instruction.
He was very nice about it. So after some advice, I clumsily baited our hooks and we got our lines in the water.
Within five minutes, we had a bite.
Salem and I took turns reeling in a small, handsome fish with six vertical black stripes. It looked like an angel fish. The veteran fisherman told us it was an Atlantic spadefish.
“We caught a Spain-fish!” the boys said.
The veteran told us that spadefish are very tasty.
“We're not set up for that,” I said, imagining the emergency-room visit sure to result if we tried to clean a fish. “We're strictly catch-and-release.”
“OK, then,” the veteran asked. “How about if you release him to me?”
So we did.
We fished for a while longer before getting driven to the car by the 90-degree heat. But we went back out to try another pier on Fripp Island that afternoon.
This time, it was just Salem and me.
I found myself lulled by the water and the soft rhythm of casting. We talked about school, the beach and Kobe Bryant.
And without even trying too hard, we caught two small black-tipped sharks.
These we both unhooked and released back into the ocean after touching the sharks' sandpaper skin and marveling at their strength. Holding even a small shark felt like trying to handle a full-grown snake.
After a while longer, my son thought it might be time to go.
“Wait,” I said. “What's the hurry?”
And then I finally understood. That's the basic lure of fishing – finding a piece of “what's-the-hurry?” in a hurry-up world.
We caught nothing else. But it was a keeper of a day.
So my advice is this: Take a kid fishing this summer. Even if you're a terrible fisherman like I am, it's hard to have a terrible time.
Salem Fowler with an Atlantic spadefish.
Thanks. I will.
Nice work Dad! Frame that pic and put it on your desk!
That picture is PRICELESS!
I still remember fishing with my dad, and the fish pulling my cane-pole in the pond and daddy borrowing a row boat to go rescue my $3 fishing pole. Y’know it wasn’t the pole - it was my daddy being the “hero”!
My husband and kids love to go fishing. My husband says fishing is a cure for depression because you have nothing to do but sit and think while ‘doing something’ and not feeling guilty by just doing... nothing. And no tv to distract you from sorting out your problems.
I enjoy fishing because I will sit with the line between my toes (I know, I know) so I can feel a bite and also get some precious book reading time in.
Inevitably, the kids will get antsy after a while, but there is nothing like tadpole catching, butterfly chasing and other fun things to do at a lake.
My husband ‘fished’ for my daughter’s pole. He gave it to her for her birthday and she was more upset at losing a gift her dad gave her. So he put a large hook on a heavy sinker and drug the lake where she was sitting and finally fished the pole out. He was a hero too. Dad’s are awesome.
And when she was 8, I got a phone call. "I did it, Grandma". She had gutted her first fish!!
You’ve got to love the Dads. It’s memories like that (fishing for fishing poles, going fishing, etc) that mean more than buying kids expensive presents. I remember the things my dad did with me, or the things my dad MADE for me (dollhouse) but don’t remember the gifts my dad bought me.
I think every dad needs to take their kid fishing this weekend, or for a round of mini golf, or bowling. Even though its “Father’s Day” do something your KID wants to do. Let them make the rules. Dad, you will be the HERO! I can assure you it will be the best Father’s Day ever, and one your kids will never forget.
Yep!
My husband made a go cart that was an old go kart frame with a riding lawnmower engine (so it wouldn’t go too fast) for the kids, painted it, made it a two seater, etc...
That is precious to them so much that I don’t think they would ever get rid of it if it never worked again. Just the effort put into it makes them feel so loved.
Great! We’ve got past the worm ... but not past the gutting. We’re only six! LOL
We’re also working on 3 Position shooting but have to be nine before we can join the team.
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