Why we go fishing

[BobT]

Yesterday evening my 10-year old daughter and I decided to go out fishing. We would only have about an hour and a half but sometimes that’s all you need. I elected to visit a lake I had only been on one other time but thought it was a nice night for some exploration. The lake has a lot of structure and I personally was hoping to find some walleye.

We found this underwater point that went from 7’ and dropped rather suddenly to about 40’. The wind was such that I positioned us so the drift would take us from the deep water across the end of the point. I picked up a small northern just as we reached the base of the point. I have never had a northern grab a bait from that depth and run literally straight up and out of the water with one continuous sweep. That 24” fish cleared the lake by about 3 feet! I think it thought it was a bass or something.

I’ve been teaching my daughter how to use the landing net so when I got the northern on she took her line out of the water so we wouldn’t get tangled and she could handle the net. While I was re-baiting my jig, she was playing around with hers just over the side of the boat. Suddenly she yells out that there was a huge fish by her hook and then in almost the same breath she says, “I got it!” Turned out to be a small sunfish but I’ll tell you to her it was the fish of a lifetime!

We never did find any walleye but her excitement was well worth it. That was fun! Naturally, we had to spend the rest of our time working the top of that point for sunnys. We, and in particular she, had a blast.

Bob

[upnorth]

Sounds like a couple weeks ago my wife, my daughter and I were fishing on Vermilion and it was so calm there was no sense in fishing for Walleyes so we anchored off of a shallow reef and slip bobbered it for a while and we really got into the jumbo perch. It was one after another, if you didn't get a hit within 1 or 2 minutes you needed to check your bait because something was wrong. The best part was seeing the smiles on their faces. The worst was neither of them bait or take fish of the hook, made for a busy couple hours for me

[Bassboy1645]

BOB thats just makes me happy to hear that you and your daughter had fun.... At the ripe old age of 17 I can remember when my mom and dad would take me out in the baot as lilttle as 2 yrs old and fish for sunnies. Its great to hear of ppl such as you who are introuducing the next genration to the great outdoors. Hopefully someday she will realize that fish or no fish a sunset or waves slapping against the hull will be al thats required to have a peaceful and fun time on the water.

[BigWadeS]

Every year I take my 4 nephews fishing with me, since their parents don't fish and they love to watch and try to learn, what I can teach them. Their ages are now 7, 6, 5, 3 and this is my 4th year fishing with them. I have since learned it isn't about me fishing it is watching their faces and helping them out gives me so much pleasure and joy it is great. Even when all 4 get fish on and lines tangled and their Uncle gets a hook or dorsal fins in the hand, it is always a blast.

[delmuts]

i had a cute deal last night! i was fishing a little lake near here. as i was getting my stuff out of the truck, i heard a little girl,( maybe 8-9) ask grandpa if she could use his fishing pole.( grandpa had one and so did dad. that was it), any way he told her sure if you can figure out how to use it. a little later she came walking over by me carrying the pole.( out of site of dad and the others!!! ) she asked if i could show her how to use it. said she could use the type with a push button, but not this.( an open face spinning reel)it took a little doing with her small hands, but after 7 or 8 tries, she could cast out about 30 ft.(she said she just loved to fish!!) after a little bit she decided to head back to dad. told me a big thank you for helping her, and said to remember that one has to have patience when fishing!!!!!!!!i kept an eye on her. sure enough! she walked back in front of grandpa, and by dad ; cast out and fished!!!!!! made my night!

[harvey lee]

Thats part of what it is all about.Helping others.

[upnorth]

Now if that don't put a smile on your face there is something wrong