| We can learn alot from kids.Last Friday, | | | | is reeling in with hopes of catching his |
| which incidently was St. Jean Baptiste Day in | | | | first pond Shark.The bright green line yields |
| Quebec, was also the day we decided to have | | | | another Smallmouth and I explain that the |
| Grandpa's Pond day in Shady Cove, | | | | Sharks are tricky in these waters and |
| Oregon.Everything went off just as planned. | | | | sometimes "grab" a smaller fish and pull the |
| In Shady Cove, anyway.A beautiful early | | | | old switcheroo trick, where they put the |
| summer day, this is the annual "take the kids | | | | small fish on while the line is being reeled |
| fishing and make sure they catch fish day", | | | | in.James is skeptical once more.Here comes |
| that we have to help build interest and | | | | lesson number two.We fishermen and budding |
| enthusiasm towards fishing for our little | | | | fishermen, live for the thought that the big |
| ones.The pond is not large, and really is a | | | | one is out there somewhere and as long as we |
| watering hole for the few head of cattle that | | | | have a chance to catch it--we will keep |
| roam the hillside on Grandpa Ray's mini | | | | coming back.After a few"switcheroos" it is |
| ranch. At some point, a previous owner or | | | | time to "venture" off to the great |
| large water spout, deposited several Crappie, | | | | unknown.The other side of the pond!!We grab a |
| Smallmouth Bass, and who knows what else into | | | | pole and without so much as packing a lunch |
| the tiny pond.There, the fish have | | | | or snack, we head off like Tom Sawyer, Becky |
| flourished, reproduced and turned the pond | | | | Thatcher and an old bald Huck Finn.Twenty |
| into a lovely little starting place for kids | | | | yards later we arrive at the wilds of the |
| to learn to fish.Truth be told, the adults | | | | other side of the pond.I explain to the kids |
| like to use it for a confidence builder also. | | | | that I saw Shark bubbles over here, and we |
| The fish don't get very big, and like an | | | | keep the Shark tale active.By now, the kids |
| overcrowded meadow, it is nice to thin the | | | | interest has turned to building a "bridge" |
| herd.Anyway, my five year old daughter and | | | | over the great Bovine river-- which is a two |
| her school buddy James were excited and | | | | foot irrigation ditch- and crossing back and |
| donned in fishing hats ready to go fishing. A | | | | forth to test its engineering. Then my |
| couple other lads, Sterling & Saxon-- were | | | | daughter of course wants to play "little |
| supposed to attend but unfortunately their | | | | house on the prairie" and starts doling out |
| Dad must have had some bad Oatmeal and | | | | instructions for the homestead to James. I |
| decided to do some toilet trolling instead.I | | | | rescue James by sending him on another |
| know--too much information!!Meanwhile back at | | | | adventure. He is to go solo on a mission back |
| the pond...Grandpa had the worms ready and we | | | | to Fort Fish Bucket, and bring back another |
| had three poles ready to go.(for those of you | | | | nightcrawler. It is a trip fraught with |
| who cringe at the term"pole"-- it is | | | | dangers, like cow pies and cockleburrs. I |
| acceptable when referring to kids fishing!!) | | | | wish James well and soon he is sending |
| Two of the poles were standard issue, fish | | | | messages back to our camp of his "leaping" |
| tested, Fenwick "rods", the third was the | | | | over cow pies and battles with hostile |
| little "Barbie" pole I bring out for my | | | | sticker bushes, which have apparently riddled |
| daughter each year--complete with Tiggger | | | | his socks with attachment. James returns from |
| bobber and bright green line.The kids are | | | | the frontier with a nightcrawler. MISSION |
| always overly excited at first and can't wait | | | | ACCOMPLISHED!!Sara, not wanting to be left |
| to get the lines in the water. Luckily, it | | | | out of the great adventures, and hearing of |
| took all of thirty seconds to have the first | | | | James harrowing tales of the trail, now wants |
| nibbles and soon Tigger was "scuba diving" | | | | to head to Fort Fish Bucket on a mission of |
| below the surface.I think the fish wait all | | | | her own. I let her know that the well being |
| year for us to show up too!Of course both my | | | | of our continued stay out in the wilds of |
| daughter and James want to claim the first | | | | North pond country, will be determined on the |
| fish and they are clamoring for the chance to | | | | success of her trip to Fort Fish Bucket, and |
| reel in a six inch fish on the "Barbie-nator" | | | | the return of further provisions, in the form |
| fish slaying machine. I appeal to James | | | | of a couple more nightcrawlers and a couple |
| manhood and the chauvinistic "ladies first" | | | | of hooks.With fore warnings of the imminent |
| approach, and hand over the pole to my | | | | cow pie dangers, Sara is well prepared for |
| daughter.She loses the fish in the | | | | the journey, and soon is stocking up at Fort |
| weeds.Lesson number one is learned, sometimes | | | | Fish Bucket. Her return is delayed, as there |
| the fish wins. Lesson number one "A" is also | | | | are bugs to observe, bullfrogs spotted on the |
| learned, --that it is O.K. for a dad to look | | | | water, and flowers to pick. She finally |
| less than manly with a Barbie pole-- but not | | | | returns to our outpost--sans hooks-- which |
| a five year old macho boy!!It didn't take | | | | must have been lost along the trail. This |
| long before the next fish was dancing around | | | | limits our stay in the Northcountry, and we |
| with the worm, and soon the kids were reeling | | | | soon head back to Fort Fish Bucket, with a |
| in fish left and right and dropping them into | | | | few more fish-- and tales of the wild.Lesson |
| the fish bucket. Well, I guess we did most of | | | | number three is for the adults.There is so |
| the dropping into the bucket, since the kids | | | | much fun to be had along the way, and the |
| thought the fish should just submit quietly | | | | true joy of fishing is ALL the things that go |
| when being removed from the hook. The | | | | on, in and around the act of fishing. The |
| flopping and wiggling of the fish induced | | | | stories, the anticipation, the environment |
| happy shrieks and giggles and once the fish | | | | around you--all things that can be overlooked |
| were "stabilized" into the fish bucket-- then | | | | when we are hell bent on CATCHING fish.We |
| it was O.K. to pet and observe the fish in a | | | | caught a MESS a fish that day and when we got |
| more controlled environment.Kids are pretty | | | | back to the ranch--it was time for the |
| accepting at this age. They seem to | | | | cleaning and eating of our days catch. Lesson |
| understand that it is O.K. to appreciate and | | | | four, is that you should wear gloves when |
| find the fish "cute", as well as have them | | | | cleaning those spiny sharp little Crappie and |
| for dinner. They are fish afterall, and there | | | | Bass-- or at least have some band aids |
| is no worry of "endangered species" on | | | | ready.Lesson five, was that as fishermen and |
| Grandpa's pond.Kids usually also have the | | | | fisherwomen we should always have respect for |
| attention span of a Cocker Spaniel at this | | | | the animals that give their lives up to |
| age, so after about a half hour of catching | | | | sustain ours. The kids enjoyed eating the |
| fish,(and releasing the small ones) in order | | | | fish as much as the catching, especially when |
| to keep it interesting for them you have to | | | | you mixed 'em up with enough mashed taters. |
| get creative.The first thing I do, is tell | | | | James even wanted to bring some of his catch |
| the kids that now we are going to try and | | | | home so his dad could have some.We talked of |
| catch the Shark that is in the pond. James | | | | the days successful fishing and James shared |
| thinks this is really COOL. He is a little | | | | with us- tales of another fishing trip to |
| skeptical, and more than sure that Sharks | | | | Applegate lake--where he, his dad, and some |
| don't live in small ponds in Shady Cove | | | | friends caught some trout.Guess they weren't |
| Oregon-- but he is willing to go along with | | | | able to catch any Sharks either!!A.J. Klott |
| the "fish tale" after I let him know that | | | | |
| these are "freshwater" Sharks. As I show him | | | | Author, writer of fishing humor,and "fly |
| the special technique I use to entice the | | | | tack" peddler.A.J. writes about the |
| "freshwater" Sharks from the murky deep- I | | | | people,characters and modern day events that |
| cast into the reeds and as the bait starts to | | | | surround the fishing world. His first book is |
| circle I ask him if he thinks that it might | | | | due out in December of 2005. |
| be a Shark nibble. The battle is on and James | | | | |