Success for a father and joy for a daughter... a perfect day!

[BigDMan]

So today I headed out to the lake with my daughter and met up with a friend. We knew it was a bad time to expect to land a fish. It was high noon, windy, and warm. We hiked down, daughter on shoulders and gear in hand. After using powerbait for nearly two hours with not even a curious nibble, my friend decided a change was needed. I too thought it was time.
Against my daughters wishes (which was to head home at that point), I put on a silver kastmaster. Zinged it out into the wind and reeled it in. This felt like a hail Mary for me as I had yet to catch a fish for my little girl this year. After 2 casts I flung one out and was reeling in when I suddenly hit a snag. A big one! But wait, I was still reeling in and now the rod was bouncing like crazy.
I then realized I just hooked my first smallie! And, my first fish of the year. In my lil' one's presence, I ended up landing a 13 1/2" 1.5 lb. smallmouth bass. As I was taking this in, I was able to watch my nearly 4 year old light up with vigor and found a new hobby.
My daughter, like the smallie was hooked after that cast. My friend was witness to something very special.
We never got another bite today. And I feel that I may have been thrown a bone by someone. To that, this was a very endearing moment for a father. This is a day that will never lose a place in my memory, or my child's. Ty all for reading this and best of luck in the days ahead!

 

[Kellyannam]

So today I headed out to the lake with my daughter and met up with a friend. We knew it was a bad time to expect to land a fish. It was high noon, windy, and warm. We hiked down, daughter on shoulders and gear in hand. After using powerbait for nearly two hours with not even a curious nibble, my friend decided a change was needed. I too thought it was time.
Against my daughters wishes (which was to head home at that point), I put on a silver kastmaster. Zinged it out into the wind and reeled it in. This felt like a hail Mary for me as I had yet to catch a fish for my little girl this year. After 2 casts I flung one out and was reeling in when I suddenly hit a snag. A big one! But wait, I was still reeling in and now the rod was bouncing like crazy.
I then realized I just hooked my first smallie! And, my first fish of the year. In my lil' one's presence, I ended up landing a 13 1/2" 1.5 lb. smallmouth bass. As I was taking this in, I was able to watch my nearly 4 year old light up with vigor and found a new hobby.
My daughter, like the smallie was hooked after that cast. My friend was witness to something very special.
We never got another bite today. And I feel that I may have been thrown a bone by someone. To that, this was a very endearing moment for a father. This is a day that will never lose a place in my memory, or my child's. Ty all for reading this and best of luck in the days ahead!

Yay! Thank God for the good 'ol Kastmaster. It has saved me many of times as well. I'm so glad you took your little one fishing. As I get older, I realize the importance of getting kids involved in hunting and fishing, because when we are old and feeble (or dead), they will be the ones left to advocate for citizen's hunting and fishing rights. With the popularity of brainwashing kids into extreme liberalism and extreme conservationism (don't get me wrong, I'm a conservationist, but not to the point of stupidity, or using "conservation" as a means to block business for the mere fact that I hate big businesses (which a lot of the liberal extremists do), it is important to create our own "mini-advocates". No brainwashing necessary, just introduce them to the fun and resourcefulness of fishing and hunting, and their newly developed passion will do the rest.

PS. Sorry, Wal-Mart Chardonnay elevates me to the top of the soapbox at times. To sum it up, you are awesome for taking your daughter fishing. Please keep doing so, and if you hook one that is reel-able by a little girl, let her land it. She probably won't ever forget it

 

[BigDMan]

Ty. I would definitely have let her reel in. I thought I was snagged in weeds and that smallie fought me every second until I could flip him onto the bank. I can just imagine my pole flying outta her hands with that one...lol. funny thing was, I wasn't even trying for a bass. So I was a bit taken away when I realized I had a fish and it was bookin' it for the middle of the lake. Like I say, it was my first bass, so I wasn't even prepared for a fight like that. I'm hoping for a powerbait fix that will lend her a chance at landing a trout soon. This just happened too fast and fierce. Ty for the kind words!

 

[JeannaJigs]

My first handed off fish was a large bluegill when I was 4...that rod went swimming lol. So it was probably wise to land it yourself, and she was still involved and had a good time it sounds like.

 

[troutdude]

Kudos to you, for taking your wee one out and introducing her to an addiction with no side affects. Well, except for spending big $$$ during her lifetime, for gear, trips, and what not.

 

[Gettin' Jiggy Wid It]

Great job landing the smallmouth with your daughter! When my son was 4, I took him to the Sain Creek picnic area around July and let him catch a couple dozen perch. They are super easy to catch during the heat of summer as long you us put on a tiny hook and fish on the bottom with a couple of split shot about 16 inches above the hook. Worms work great. Most of the perch are small (3 to 6") but he loved catching them.

 

[TimberTodd]

Good job BigD.

 

[handmethewrench]

Love that story. I have had some good luck at Hagg fishin for smallies with tubes and other jerk bait. Look in the archives because there are some tips about Hagg trout that have help me limit out. My pops started me fishing at 8 and I am so grateful!! it is so important to me now. Im 38 now and we still fish together and talk fishing on the phone weekly. In fact my folks are moving from easter washington to portland to be closer and be able to all fish together. Plus its really great to remind girls that they can fish and hunt. we don't get that message very often from the greater society.

 

[BigDMan]

Thank you all for the feedback. Thought I'd throw in another lil' nugget. I hooked a nearly 2 lb. bass Wednesday night and my daughter once again went nuts! She is now getting mad at the fish when I don't get one after a few casts. Kids are very invested in an activity whether emotionally, physically, or both. Even if only for 15 minutes. I did end up with the talk about why I did what I did to end the fish's misery. She didn't like that one bit. Lol. But then telling her it provides us food, she went along merrily.
I lost my father at a young age, so this I hope can help give and inspire those to do all they can for the youth. Whether a boy or girl, they have excellent memories, facial expressions, and can make for a fun day on the water. Even without catching anything. My memory takes me back to the one time I went fishing with my dad at Hagg. I was four. Nothing caught, nothing notable happened. Except for one thing.... 27 years later,I still recall that day.

 

[Liphooked]

Nice read. Thank you.