I have to admit that Goose’s favorite word is “dammit.”
She doesn’t use it for shock value. It’s always uttered at appropriate times, like when she lost a decent-sized fish at Molas Lake a few weeks ago.
“Reel, reel, reel,” I am yelling at her, as she ferociously horses the trout towards the shore, allowing us to get a glimpse of the beast just before he performs a calculated acrobatic leap and breaks free. “Dammit,” she said instinctively, taking the words right out of my mouth. “He got away.”
Goose is 3 and a half. She comes by her fishing obsession and her voracious vocabulary naturally. While the apple may not fall far from the tree, it could be said here in our little house that the salmon egg doesn’t fall far from the hook.
Like some Texas football parent, when Goose was born, I envisioned fish stories the way Longhorn parents dream of touchdowns – they’re pretty much going to happen, dammit!
Being on the water with Goose, whether we are fishing or catching, is just as rewarding to her as it is to me. Every fish I catch gives me the same thrill as my first and leaves me hoping for the next.
There is something about the unknown and the anticipation that comes with every turn of your wrist or strip of your line, that something exciting is about to happen, that makes standing on the bank of the water all day worth it.
Fishing is good for kids. In today’s technology-driven world of instant gratification, fishing reminds us to appreciate effort and teaches us cause and effect and that good things come to those who wait. Fishing allows our little ones to experience and respect Mother Nature.
Where you find trout, you’re likely to find a beautiful backdrop of sparkly iron pyrite rocks, trees in more shades of green than a jumbo crayon box, the smell of wildflowers, the sounds of animals and bugs and the opportunity to be a part of this vast natural playground.
Fishing allows kids to feel part of something bigger than themselves. It teaches problem-solving. No matter how some fishermen may brag, in most circumstances you aren’t going to show up, cast any old thing and catch a fish.
Fishing requires an analysis of the environment. What bugs are hatching? What is the weather doing? To find a fish on the end of your line, your first must consider what is going on around you and be present in the moment.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of fishing, and the one I hope to bestow upon Goose, is that it allows for quiet time spent alone or creating memories with someone you love.
Fishing is simple and magical. You don’t have to be an expert to get your kids out there. Whether you are fish-crazed like me or have never touched a trout unless it was on a dinner plate, it’s easier than you think to get your kids hooked on fishing.
Equipment is key. The tiny, character-branded gimmick pole is cute, but that’s about it. It’s a hassle for you and your little one to cast.
I’ve made this mistake, standing on the bank trying to cast the tiny, hot-pink fishing pole she “reeeeeeeallly needed.” After about three casts, I wanted to throw the whole rod in the lake and teach her a word far worse than “dammit.”
Just pick up a smaller spinning rod. It will last longer, cast more easily and make the fishing experience less stressful for everyone involved.
Some people think that the smaller the child, the bigger the bobber, hook and bait need to be. Here’s the thing – fish don’t know how big the angler on the other end of the rod is, and they don’t care. They want an easy meal that looks delicious.
Bobbers may make it easy for kids to see a fish strike, but they can be difficult for a fish to pull under. Smaller, stick-on floats that you can pick up at your local fly shop tend to work best.
There is no need for huge hooks. In fact, a trout will be more likely to eat and allow you to set the hook on a smaller-sized 12 or 14 if you are fishing with bait.
If you are throwing a lure, most come with a treble (three-pronged) hook. When kids are involved, “treble” can equate with “trouble.” Three-barbed hooks are not better than one, for obvious reasons. The child (or more likely, the parent) is more likely to end up with a hook embedded in their hand than in the fish.
I’ve heard over and over that you can’t hook a fish without a barbed hook. Tell me this while you are trying to remove a barbless hook embedded in you knuckle with a freaked out 3-year-old assisting as your scrub nurse, much less one with a barb.
Until I had my own little fisherman, B-A-I-T was like a four letter word, as was W-O-R-M. Even in the fly-fishing world, the San Juan worm seems a bit like cheating fish with junk-food flies.
Now, I find myself out in the garden with Goose and a flashlight in one hand and a coffee can in the other, looking for worms.
For a fly fisherman like me, better to do this type of covert operation under the cover of darkness. I’ve been known to think I am better than heavy-metal chuckers or – gasp! – bait fishermen, but here’s the deal: Goose can’t master casting a fly rod yet, but she can throw a mean cast with her spinning rod.
The goal is to get kids hooked on fishing and for it to be fun. If the thought of touching a wiggling worm makes you squeamish, pick up some salmon eggs or Powerbait. It’s like fast food for fish and less alive for you to touch.
Don’t forget sunscreen, bug spray, a lucky fishing hat, snacks and your manners. Set a good example by demonstrating proper etiquette. Handle the fish with wet hands and as little as possible. Practice catch-and-release, and if you do end up with a floater, take it home and eat it. Freezer-burned fins are no way to end a fine life.
Make Emily Post proud by creating tiny stewards of the land, and if you really want to make your small fry feel special, go online to www.takemefishing.org and print out a “Big Catch” kids fishing award certificate to hang on the refrigerator.
Jenny Johnston can be reached at jennyandgooseoutdoors@outlook.com.
