While Waiting for a Bite . . .

As a child, I thought that a great blue heron was a pterodactyl. Photo by Robert Montgomery

When I was young, I couldn’t bear the thought of being on the shore of a lake, pond, or river without a fishing rod in my hands. Water was there to be fished. Period.

Looking back, with the wisdom of age, I realize that “catching” was secondary. What I lived for was wetting a line, with the hope of catching fish. What might be was more important than what was.

So I fished and fished and fished, as much as I possibly could. Understandably, I spent lots of time not catching fish as I figured out what worked and what did not.

With all of that slow time, waiting for fish to bite the worm on my bottom rig or under my float, I also began to take note of what was going on in the natural world around me.

I still can remember watching a great blue heron fly by in the distance and being certain that I was seeing a pterodactyl.

I’ll never forget looking down at a bush near me and seeing what I swear was a green spider of alien proportions. Was it really there? Probably not. But I took off like a rocket, without taking a second glance. And when I finally had bolstered my courage enough to return the next day, it was not there.

As I spent more time waiting for the fish to bite, though, I saw more great blue herons and learned what they really are. I slowly recognized how light and wind can play on the tendrils of a blossom, creating an optical illusion. I discovered the difference between dragonflies and damselflies.

And I learned to appreciate all of the wonders around me.

I thought about this recently, when I walked down to the lake behind my house --- without a fishing rod. As the sun set, I built a fire and sat back to enjoy a cool spring day’s transition into night.

I watched bats and fireflies, listened to cricket frogs and whippoorwills, and realized how different it was for me now. All of those hours waiting for bites gave me time to open my eyes and see what was going on around me in nature’s classroom. They led me to recognize birds, reptiles, and mammals of all kinds and to derive pleasure simply from observing their behavior. They gave me time to watch the wind, appreciate the clouds, and study the stars.

And, over time, this enjoyment of nature, given to me by reluctant fish, has provided  a pastime that requires no fishing rod--- even if I am on the water.

Oh, I still love to fish. I still get excited planning the next trip. And most of the time when I’m near water, I have a fishing rod in my hands. But with age and experience, I have realized that the pleasure to be derived from fishing comes from more than just a bite at the end of the line.

Spinner and Bobber Encourage Kids to Go Fishing

Especially if you have children or grandchildren, you’ll want to check out a new website called FishingKids.

Its founders say this:

“The FishingKids website is an invitation to children to join the FishingKids community – to meet the characters, play games, share pictures, write stories, send Grampa Grams, take quizzes, read maps, and more.

“The website was developed in collaboration with fishing experts, teachers, and parents. With kid-friendly advice on fishing in all parts of the country, maps, and a fishing glossary, the website is fun for kids, as well as educational.”

And this from the site with headquarters in White Bear Lake, MN:

“Nature Deficit Disorder is a condition that afflicts a majority of youth in America. Each year finds fewer children connecting with the Great Outdoors. Grandparents and parents lament the fact that their kids are becoming couch potatoes who have never caught a fish or slept under the stars.

“In response to this alarming trend, an inspired group of outdoor enthusiasts came together to create FishingKids, an integrated program of books, toys, games, apparel, and accessories that encourages children to get outside and play.

“With an emphasis on a healthy outdoor lifestyle and positive social values, FishingKids is a world designed to energize kids to get outdoors to enjoy the same activities that their parents and grandparents grew up with.

“The world of FishingKids is centered upon two young boys, Spinner and Bobber, and their fishing adventures around the United States. The FishingKids heroes – along with their parents, grandparents, and friends – share their fishing stories from around the country. Along the way, they learn lessons about fishing skills, safety, sportsmanship, geography, culture, friendship, and optimism.”

Why We Fish: It's Magic

We know why we fish.

It connects us to nature. It relaxes us. It allows us to spend quality time with friends and family.

Sometimes, it’s an adventure, a competitive challenge, or a way to put food on the table.

When children are with us, it also can be about chasing frogs, poking crawdads, watching meteor showers, and toasting marshmallows.

Yes, we know why we fish. But we also take it for granted, and tend to forget about the magic.

Every year, my friend Gene Gilliland, members of the North Oklahoma City Bassmasters, and a host of other volunteers take children from Camp Cavett fishing. These are kids with life-threatening and/or chronic illnesses.

The mother of one of those children once told Gene and other volunteers that, after camp the previous year, all her son talked about was fishing and riding in the bass boats.

 “She went on and on about how he talked about catching sand bass and perch and going fast in the boat,” Gene says. “He talked and talked about it.....right up to the day he died from cancer. 

“The story grabbed at our hearts.  But the mother assured us that what we had done that day at the lake made a difference in those kids' lives.  That's what keeps us coming back, year after year.”

That’s also why we fish.

(For more Why We Fish entries, click on the WWF tag below this post. Also, Camp Cavett always needs more volunteers. Remember that in 2012.)

B.A.S.S. Pros Still Are the Good Guys

I've been impressed with the "quality" of those who bass fishing professionally since I started attending Bassmaster Classics back in the mid 1980s and met guys like Shaw Grigsby, Denny Brauer, Stacey King, and Rick Clunn. And I'm not talking about their fishing ability.

 

 

I'm talking about their character, their generosity, and their willingness to do good works. I still remember fondly when I asked Shaw to help with a kids' camp in Mississippi and he accepted without hesitation.

 

I'm happy to know that the "quality" still is there today --- and Shaw still is hanging in there --- as BASS reports below about a visit by some pros to Tulane Hospital for Children:

Continued