I am what in the world of sport fishing is known as a master vertical caster. It took me years to perfect the technique, however, I was eventually able to drop a lure, or live bait of any type, reliably within a 6″ circle. The technique is not without its minor limitations; the 6″ target can be no further than 5 yards from shore and there can be no overhanging trees with branches less than 116′ above the ground. So I said to my wife, sometimes she listens, “I believe it’s time I took Eric out and taught him how to master, you know, my trademark casting skills”. To which she replied, “Leave the kid alone, he’s only 7”, then she rolled over and went back to sleep. After 36 year of marriage, I’ve learned to take this type of response as a resounding affirmative.
The preparation was fun. I ordered a rod and reel from Cabelas, and had them shipped directly to him. Pretty good sale price on a Shimano spinner and graphite rod and he seemed pretty excited to receive it. The next day, his grandmother and I took him shopping for the rest of the tackle. Amazing how quickly a 7 year old can grasp terms like hook size and spinner bait and split shot, then go off down a store aisle and make specific decisions to stock a tackle box. Actually his tackle box selection was interesting, not the biggest, or the most elaborate, but enough compartments to hold components, implements and tools, while still considering overall size and weight for a trek along a lakeside path. He picked out a pretty good lucky hat and his grandmother lobbied for a fishing vest. I’d say by the time we left the store(s), he was pretty much all set for all fishing short of whaling, which of course would not be fishing…. maybe mammaling.
The first challenge came when I realized I would be responsible for holding the attention of a child who was semi-hyper active and, no doubt, a good deal brighter than me. The kid’s involved in so many activities he needs a booking agent. It was at this point I thought it would be fun to rekindle the days when I might be called “Dear” or “Dad” depending on the source of the voice on almost any family outing, and invited my wife, Eric’s Dad – Rich, and Eric’s Uncle Joe. In other settings they call this participation “backup”.
We refrained from executing some preliminary planning; bringing along a trout in the cooler to be slipped on Eric’s hook in the event the fish weren’t biting, and using ultra light tackle where every breeze and current feels like a bite. We decided, not catching fish, getting skunked, was as much a part of fishing as…well, catching fish.
Once out on the lake Eric, sadly, was unable to master vertical casting, however, it took him about 10 minutes to get a pretty good handle on the less exciting horizontal and accurate placement approach…thanks to his Dad. A great day at the lake; a few bites, some boating, a little hiking and the weather was terrific all day. I was surprised to recall how long it had been since the last time we collectively ventured out like this. The lake is only 15 minutes from the Lake Chabot rifle range that we frequent, but I guess we never thought to make the short drive around to the lake’s marina. Chabot does a good job of providing room for hikers and bicyclist, people with dogs to run and fishermen without collisions in purpose. That isn’t always easy. In California, it seems fishermen frequently need to yield the right of way to virtually everyone else. Maybe it’s because the lake only allows electric powered boats and no swimming that Chabot doesn’t hold the attention of the general recreation lake crowd.
Pictured, conclusive evidence that a day full of physical activity, and the continued support of 5 adults can eventually deplete the energy of a kid. He was good, he demonstrated a lot of patience and really worked at tying knots and selecting proper tackle. He liked the bait shop, mostly the candy bars and night crawler, although hopefully for different purposes.
A small rental boat with electric trolling motor did an excellent job of carrying the party to an island in the middle of the lake, an island we were pretty sure was a stronghold for pirates. It also allowed a 7 year old to learn how to navigate a small boat in a cross wind and current.
I know, what’s the big deal, kids go fishing all of the time? Actually, that isn’t true in a lot of areas anymore. School in this part of the world preaches conservation as animal rights; fishing is killing a peer specie. Trout don’t taste good, they are to be given names and assume human qualities and personalities in text books. Catching a fish is nearly a crime and anyone who fishes is a throw back.
More than the experience of fishing, this was an opportunity for Eric to see his family doing things together; families associate in many ways. The people he sees everyday, the same people he plays with and draws upon as a component of learning, also go fishing. They catch, clean and cook trout and they can tell him the difference between brown trout and rainbow. Even the lovely lady he calls Grandma, and knows his favorite foods and toys and daily struggles, can also hunt and fish and is a very strong and independent person. Are there better role models?
Eric got to meet a lot of other people at the lake. They weren’t all old, they weren’t all young, they weren’t a particular nationality or color, but they all had something in common – fishing and enjoying the outdoors. Chabot is a pretty place, well maintained and a stocked lake. There are more picnic tables than people and more parking spaces than cars. I hope it stays that way for awhile. I hope Eric will get to visit us in Maine from time to time. We would have liked to have taken him out shooting, but not in California, not today, indoors or outdoors. I figured firearms are really about the outdoors, so just exposing him to the notion of being outdoors as a sportsman seemed a step in the right direction. In addition to family efforts and activities, I believe scouting will also help him a lot in this regard. And of course there will be plenty of time for firearms and hunting in the near future.
Closing Comments – Cheap Gear
Surprise, I am not a tournament level fisherman. In fact, I have probably maimed more fish with a sinker strike to the head then by deftly imitating the death throws of a tri winged tick at the end of a $2,000 fly rod. Fishing equipment, like most sporting goods, has gone to the practical versus flashy fork in the road. For me, a reel is a collection of cranks, gears and pulleys, designed in coordination to provide mechanical advantage, when lifting from the water, any fish dumb enough to get hooked. A fishing rod is mostly a device designed to hold the reel so it doesn’t spin around in your hands when you crank the handle, and to make it possible to toss a rig where fish are suspected to frequent. Beyond this equipment, and maybe: a knife, a few hooks, a bobber and bait, you’ve got your luxury items. Luxury items include; stainless steel hook removers, combination pliers, Plano 1,000 compartment back pack, glitter covered bait and most type of expensive and overly pliable line. The good news is, the inexpensive and essential tackle is of excellent quality and function.
Most of the gear is made in China, with a small notation of pacifying kindness, “designed in the United States”; that’s just a fact of life these days and really no different than other points of origin over past decades. That 440 stainless steel MTech locking folder cost $11. A six bearing, all metal reel with significantly trendy features and Ugly Stik Lite rod was under $50. A pair of those whippy stainless steel folding pliers/knife tools in a nylon case, price marked $19 was on sale at Big 5 for…$5. Hmm…Big 5, 5 dollars? Coincidence? Maybe.
Cost can creep in. That little yellow Velcro line retainer correctly labeled “Rip Off” sold for $7. I’m also sure the clerk would have been OK with selling me a $400 G. Loomis spinning rod, once I identified myself as a serious, almost professional fisherman. Perhaps there would be a $400 Daiwa Certate Spinning Reel to lend balance to the set up. I’m not knocking this type of equipment, anymore than I would knock a quality custom rifle. I think it would be great to have a personal pontoon boat loaded up with gear and fishing a remote lake from my pontoon plane, but that’s not going to happen today and I can really enjoy fishing at a relatively low entry cost and with good equipment. What’s my point? It is better to hunt and fish on a budget, than to daydream about over priced outings, never go, and miss those opportunities to be with the most important people in life. And with that closing comment – Hang in there Eric, looks like you and your Dad have a handle on this fishing stuff.
Thanks,
Grandpa
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