Teach a kid to fish...

This is an older Blog article that I wrote for a different source (WFN) back in the spring of 2011. I never shared it with my readers here so I thought I would now and include a short update  along with some newer photos

It is hard to pinpoint what you consider to be your greatest day out on the water. For me personally the best memories don't always include days with record fish, but instead it may be the person I shared the boat with, or the place I actaully got to fish.

If I had to select one day, I decided to go for a day that was not all about me, but more about my 5 year old niece (and her even littler brother. I will start of by telling you that they know Im a fisherman, at times I wonder if they can remember what I look like, or the sound of my voice, but the one thing they do know is that I fish. Anytime these two kids pass any lake (or puddle), anywhere in the world they ask their mother " Do you think Uncle Robbie is out there fishing?".


I have always looked on my job as a fisherman uncle to be the one to introduce them to the sport I know and love. Yes Im proud to say I gave them each their first fishing rods.. a barbie rod for her and a Star Wars rod for him, and Im even prouder to say that I was with them when they caught their first fish (and many more after that). I seem to be digressing here, so I will get to the point, and that point being "my greatest day on the water"

A couple years ago now, the park my family rents a cottage in, held their annual kids fishing derby. My niece 3 at the time wanted to enter and I was honoured to be her adult of choice to fish with. The derby was perfect for small kids, running 30 minutes per age group in a pond stocked with decent sized fish

She fished her heart out over that 30 minutes and caught many fish, one that eventually won her first place and what turned out to be her first ever trophy. The look on her face when we landed the fish (and when she was handed the trophy made my day, and I think she has been hooked on fishing ever since. To this day this is my favourite trophy win and Im glad to share it with her.

and the trophy goes to...

I included this picture as it has always made me laugh. Not even two years old this little guy watched closely to his sisters accomplishment and grabbed her rod to copy her. I think as his sister gets more and more into the pink and frilly things in life, this little guy will be my protégé  (see below)

Updated:

Ok, now for some updates, and some updated pics. My Niece and nephew still love to spend as much time on the water as possible, and still love to fish. My goal has been to teach them about water safety, fishing safety, as well as proper fish handling. Teach kids early not to be afraid of fish and how to properly handle them can make all the difference in the world.

My Niece, Nephew and I continue to enter the annual Kids fish derby and have yet to reclaim our title, but we have a blast, catch fish and really what else matters. Below are a collection of images from the most resent derby

As my niece gets older and turns to the more girly things in life, her attitude towards fish has not changed much, although she does spend less and less time wanting to touch the fish (or put on worms).

I love the above photo, it gives you the allusion that he is actually listening to me while I school him on the best place to cast his worm.. when really he just wants me to shut up and fish

This fish was is his personal best (to date) and the story behind it still makes me laugh...

Wanting to get some extra distance from shore my nephew asked me to cast for him, so I obliged and then handed him back the rod. After a few minutes of no action his interest was waning and he hand the rod back to me to hold for him. Moments later the bobber dipped below the water and I set the hook, handing the rod back to him to reel.. well lets just say Star Wars rods are not meant for fish much larger then a perch so he struggled a bit and asked he to help reel it in. Just as I get the fish out of the water and into my hands, my nephew turns to call to his mom and this is what he said.. "Look Mom, Look at this big fish I just caught... All by myself"

This last pic is all about learning patience, waiting for the blast off whistle (or bull horn) will come in handy later in life. I know it was hard on him, the worm was on our hook, and the water just inches from our feet, but when we finally heard the whistler this look of boredom quickly turned to excitement.. on both our faces