Taking in the Lines

This is my most recent publication in the Kings County Record.  I have to tip my hat to this publication for faithfully publishing my bi-weekly submission.  Through this experience I have learned a great deal about writing and about my self.  One of my favorite topics is fishing and so this column follows my passion.  Hope you enjoy it.  If you want feel free to follow my blog or leave a comment, I'd love to hear from those reading my writing :)

 

It was an incredibly entertaining day today.  The Millstream River was flowing deep and peaceful and people were enjoying the gravel beaches near Lester Bridge.  It had been sometime since I had been on this stretch of water and I forgot how nice it was.  It winds gently toward Apohaqui with curves and lines that entice you like those of a sports car.  The serenity of the scene was slightly wasted on my fishing companions today though.  It was this contrast that made the day so entertaining however.

You see, today I hosted a "Youth Angling Camp" where kids were instructed on some of the ins and outs of fishing for trout in the Kennebecasis watershed.  There were 19 kids who came out to take part and they ranged in age from 7-16 and their attention spans ranged as broadly.  Some of the kids might have only cast their line into the water 5 times before splashing into the nearest dead water to catch tadpoles or dace.  Others would cast their line over and over.  The bugs wouldn't bother them.  The heat didn't irritate them.  The fact that we didn't catch any trout didn't upset them at all. 

We started the day with some class room style discussion where we talked about safety on the water, how to set up your tackle, where to find fish, and conservation values.  The kids patiently listened to the diatribe even though all they wanted to do was hit the water.  Once we had the discussion out of the way we took them out to find some bait.  It was laugh out loud funny to watch them interact with nature and some of the exchanges between kids.  They were trying to one up one another on gross bug stories, trying to find a bigger worm than their buddy, or, even funnier, coming up with the coolest name for their new found pet slug.  Sorry to any parents who may have found pet worms or slugs in their kid's pockets?

It amazes me how kids tend to see and appreciate the smaller things.  While they didn't appreciate the gentle curves of the river, they sure liked all the stones on the gravel bars.  They even liked the leeches and showed no fear of getting close to them and even picked one up.  It might have been the biggest catch of the day.  It might have been a slow day as far as catching fish goes but I'm certain the kids caught the bug.  Many will likely pester their parents to take them fishing again.  If your kids ask you to go fishing, you should take them.  Even if you don't like fishing, all you will have to do is sit and watch your kid for a few minutes and you too, will be hooked.  The lure and leisure of sitting on the banks of a river are appealing to most people I know and trust me, the kids won't cover more than 200m of stream, so you won't have to walk that far.  Take in life while the kids take in line.