It’s no exaggeration to say fly fishing is a big deal in our household. Both Mom & Dad are full time fly fishing guides and the kids are growing up on the front door step of the Smoky Mountains and its 800 miles of trout water.
A rite of passage in the R&R family…
Our daughter recently turned 6 and she just caught her first “solo” trout. That is to say without assistance. She caught her first fish back when she was 3 and has helped us land fish when we go out together. Now she’s very proud to do it without assistance.
We went on a father / daughter backpacking trip last week and did a little bit of fishing along the way. After helping her catch a fish she insisted that she could do it alone. I may have even been a little more surprised than the rainbow trout when she yelled out “I got one! I got one!”
Man do they grow up fast…
Even better, she caught the fish on an Elk Hair Caddis I helped her tie.
Scott Houghton says
Ian,
Beautiful girl and picture. I know you are proud of your little girl. She will surely look back one day with fond memories.
My oldest son caught his first trout on a fly rod when he was 9, and my youngest son just turned 9, so he is ready for his turn.
I am planning to take them up to the smokies this coming fall. I may take them up to Elkmont and camp.
Scott
Mike says
Great pic. You”ll have to enlarge and frame that one. I need to send a pic of my adult son catching his first trout flyfishing on the Clinch during the 4th. He’s got one on when I took it.
George says
That is cool. I love watching my kids catch trout. I think I get more excited than they do.
Collin says
Priceless! I took my 8-yr-old daughter Mollie up to Cosby Creek in the Park for a couple of hours of fishing with dad, and with a little help from dad she landed her first brookie! She was elated!
It won’t be long until she’s bugging me to take her and her brother over to Cimarron Canyon (NM) for a quick “fix” of fly fishing between our trips to the Smokies.