David Johnson
09-28-2004, 01:44 PM
This past spring and summer I have had the pleasure of seeing some great kids catch some great memories on the water.
Many of these days will be memories that last for me too.
Dave called me up and wanted to take his son and their exchange student from Tiawan on a sturgeon fishng trip so that we could get them into a lot of action. The sturgeon season had closed to retention but I told him that we could do some catch & release fishing and have a ball with lots of fish.
Dave said that would be fine, his son had never caught many fish and realy wasn't interested in fishing and he had hoped to change that.
And change that we did.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Homa_JR_.jpg
We caught fish all afternoon, sometimes up to four fish on at once.
I think one of the best compliments I have gotten was at the end of the day in the parking lot. Dave came up to me and said, "We did it Dave, he didn't want to quit, I think he's hooked."
I thought about it, that's right, he wanted to catch one more fish and then just one more.....
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Tiawan.jpg
A fishing trip can be a long day.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415sleep.jpg
But many times it's rewarded at the end.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TooBig.jpg
The best fisheries for taking kids are ones with lots of action. Sturgeon, Astoria salmon and shad are tops. Not only are the fish plentiful, but the weather is usually pretty good too.
Fishing for spring or fall chinook or steelhead can be a
real wake up call. This is reality, where a person may go hours without a bite. Some kids just aren't cut out for that. I've even had some get bored during a five or six springer day :hoboy:
Most kids in this day and age of supper media and instant gratification don't relize that good things come to those who wait and that it's OK to be bored once in a while.
Give them plenty of warning that there could be a lot of waiting. Lots of food and/or a GameBoy will do wonders. Make sure they are warm too.
Often a break in the middle of the day helps out. Hit the shore and let 'em burn off some pent up energy.
When I was young I asked my dad to take me steelhead fishing. He always said, "Wait until you are twelve."
I think he was onto something.
I have taken kids as young as seven or eight but they don't usually do too well. It realy is best to be at least 10 to 12. Some of the techniques can be mentaly or physicly challenging to young and/or small children.
That's what it's all about, the big smiles and to listening
to them call mom on the cell phone and tell the big fish story.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Andrew1.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415DGirl.jpg
Many of these days will be memories that last for me too.
Dave called me up and wanted to take his son and their exchange student from Tiawan on a sturgeon fishng trip so that we could get them into a lot of action. The sturgeon season had closed to retention but I told him that we could do some catch & release fishing and have a ball with lots of fish.
Dave said that would be fine, his son had never caught many fish and realy wasn't interested in fishing and he had hoped to change that.
And change that we did.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Homa_JR_.jpg
We caught fish all afternoon, sometimes up to four fish on at once.
I think one of the best compliments I have gotten was at the end of the day in the parking lot. Dave came up to me and said, "We did it Dave, he didn't want to quit, I think he's hooked."
I thought about it, that's right, he wanted to catch one more fish and then just one more.....
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Tiawan.jpg
A fishing trip can be a long day.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415sleep.jpg
But many times it's rewarded at the end.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415TooBig.jpg
The best fisheries for taking kids are ones with lots of action. Sturgeon, Astoria salmon and shad are tops. Not only are the fish plentiful, but the weather is usually pretty good too.
Fishing for spring or fall chinook or steelhead can be a
real wake up call. This is reality, where a person may go hours without a bite. Some kids just aren't cut out for that. I've even had some get bored during a five or six springer day :hoboy:
Most kids in this day and age of supper media and instant gratification don't relize that good things come to those who wait and that it's OK to be bored once in a while.
Give them plenty of warning that there could be a lot of waiting. Lots of food and/or a GameBoy will do wonders. Make sure they are warm too.
Often a break in the middle of the day helps out. Hit the shore and let 'em burn off some pent up energy.
When I was young I asked my dad to take me steelhead fishing. He always said, "Wait until you are twelve."
I think he was onto something.
I have taken kids as young as seven or eight but they don't usually do too well. It realy is best to be at least 10 to 12. Some of the techniques can be mentaly or physicly challenging to young and/or small children.
That's what it's all about, the big smiles and to listening
to them call mom on the cell phone and tell the big fish story.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415Andrew1.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/415DGirl.jpg