Happy Fathers’ Day Weekend

I’m often asked if I ever get tired of going fishing. My usual response it to smile and point out that I don’t really get all that much time handling the equipment, just primarily help others catch fish. So no, I don’t get tired of going fishing. In fact, I’d like to get to go fishing more. Now that our kids are getting a little older and showing an interest in fishing it seems that much of my time off is still spent helping others catch fish.

Notice the family resemblance: Boony hat, rising trout T-shirt, and bent fly rod

Charity and I both really enjoy teaching kids to fish. Some kids they try to put up that “too cool for school” front, but after they miss a strike or land a fish that always melts away and they can’t deny having a great time. Our kids are growing up around fly fishing and think they’re experts. To be fair, they’re not bad anglers when you consider our oldest is still eight and can catch fish without much help anymore.

Now I spend a good chunk of my time off rowing the drift boat for my kids or taking them hiking along a trout stream in the Smokies. It’s great fun even if they’re lousy tippers.

The truth of it is that they won’t be this old for very long and I don’t know if they’ll always want to go fishing with me. If I take them now there’s a good chance they’ll want to keep doing it as they get older.

Who wouldn’t want to spend the day with this kid?

I was having a great day. Willow was catching enough fish to make us both proud and the weather was just about perfect. And then I just couldn’t believe what Willow did. After catching a few fish she told me it was her turn to row the boat while I fished. Of course I laughed at the notion of an 8 year old girl rowing a drift boat, but she was serious.

The boat spun is circles, the oars slapped the water, we ran over pods of rising trout, and it was the most fun I’ve had in a drift boat maybe ever.

Here’s hoping that all our fishy friends get to spend some time with their Dads and kids this weekend.