There's a little lake (really a big pond to this old Minnesotan) near us with a public pier. According to a guy we met there last year, the action at dusk on worms is pretty good, so I took the boys fishing after dinner one night this week.
Sure enough, the stranger was right. As soon as the bait hit the water, we were getting taps and nibbles. The fish were pretty small relative to our hooks, so we mostly were feeding worms to the fish, but Michael (6) managed to catch his first fish (and our only landed fish of the evening).
It was a juvenile large mouth bass -- very pretty really, but tiny. Michael, of course, was delighted. However, he didn't want to throw it back, wanting to take it home and eat it instead (he loves fish). He didn't get the whole catch-and-release thing. The whole time he was whispering, "Eat the hook and die, fishies."
He scares me a little bit.
Sandi Reply
How cute. Congratulations to Michael. My son, Theo, loves eating fresh fish (baked in foil, stuffed with tomatoes). My daughter, on the other hand, won't touch fish. Once she's seen something when it is alive, she won't touch it :)
If you ever make it to my end of town I'll take you to my holiday unit up north (in a cray fishing village with a very small population) to take you swimming with a wild seal colony and introduce you to some very nice fishing.
Tim Reply
Hi Tony,
I was looking for you at the 20 year class reunion. I hope I have the right Tony anyway.
I suppose I should stick with the subject, I have a 4 year old son I hope to take fishing soon. I can't wait to see his expression when the line goes tight.
I'll have to read more of your Blog to catch up on what you are all doing now days.
Tim
Paul Ooi Reply
I like fishing too, just my hobby. But I don't eat fishes I got it, usually I just let them swim back to their home :)
Uche Reply
LOL.I almost cried with laughter reading this. First adults tell kids they have to learn to fend for themselves, then they catch their first meal and we want them to let it go.I am sure you had to explain why he had to let it go.I know when my dad tried to explain the concept of fishing,it didn't make any sense to me.