Saturday, April 28, 2012

Fishing is fun

From time to time it is good to be reminded that fishing is fun. It doesn't need to be taken seriously or fretted over and planned to death (though sometimes planning is fun, I get that). Fishing is, and always should be, fun.

The intent today was to leave the rod in the car, and turn my kids (armed with long handled nets) loose on the spawning carp that would be relatively easy picking buried in the shallow grass. We didn't plan on the river jumping up and turning the shallows into chest deep water, and dispersing the fish to the ends of the earth. No big groups were spotted, though the lack of sunlight might have had something to do with that. Still, we caught a few.

My kids are troopers...and have probably touched more carp than your average 10 fly anglers combined. The best part? All they see is joy. They love the fish...they like to see them jump and swim, and they like to hold them and look at their fins. Trashfish? Garbage fish? Bottom dweller? All they see is life and joy. It is pretty damned refreshing.

And also, I know very few activities that can elicit cooperation and friendship in two young siblings. Fishing is fun, but it is also miraculous.

 

 

10 comments:

Wendy Berrell said...

Look at those kids man. Top notch day. Thanks for putting kids in that situation; good medicine for everybody.

Unknown said...

Absolutely amazing. That was a very refreshing post. Did you hook into them and let them reel, or did they cast and retrieve? Loved the pictures.

testflycarpin said...

Nice form on the rod thats for sure. Daddy is teaching them to fight with the butt of the rod from the get-go. Eventually they will be bigger than the carp around there and then we are all in trouble.

Unknown said...

I wish my childhood looked like that!

Oh, and that underwater road looks extremely familiar. I think I may have been fishing the exact same spot you were later in the evening. Much less successfully though.

John Montana said...

With the fly rod I hook the fish and hand the rod off. My kids are pretty good with a spinning rod, but carp on the fly (hooking them) would be a rough way to start! I am thinking of getting them going this year with a couple of 6 ft 4 wts.

It was tough out there Tim...the river really blew up and over flooded everything. That is a good are though!

BrookfieldAngler said...

Their enthusiasm is reflected so well on your pictures!!

Gregg said...

That was really cool! My kids did much the same and now my grand children. Glad I'm around to help them all out. That post reinforced my desire to share more time with them all. Just good stuff you gave us!

Gregg

Mr. P. said...

I just love those pictures John!

Phil D. said...

Awesome pictures! And my girls and I couldn't agree with you more:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fv_w0jTXbqFtV5huj8doPDch2KOs4_EOTht08f9Ax0w?feat=directlink

John Montana said...

Nice Phil!