12-22-2014, 11:24 PM
In the summer of 2013 I decided that fishing would be a good father/son activity for me and my fourth child. We fished maybe half a dozen times that summer, during which I maybe felt two or three nibbles and Hyrum didn’t feel anything. Absolutely nothing! Yet he was patient and didn’t complain. I had no idea what I was doing.
Then, in July, I decided I wanted to take a side fishing trip during our annual family run of the Snake River. So I spent a day fishing the Little Grey’s River. I spent a considerable amount of time on the Wyoming forum in preparation for that trip. It was during that day of fishing that I caught a 17 inch trout on the Little Gray’s (easily twice as big as anything I had caught before in my life). I was hooked. Bummer was that Hyrum was allergic to something near the river, so I had to take him back to camp midday. He missed out on the excitement of the big catch.
Then I found this forum. Dangerous on the marriage, I’m telling you.
On a weeklong scout trip, I made sure we went to a reservoir to fish four of the five days. At Settlement Canyon, Hyrum caught a bunch of baby chub? or carp? or something. He liked that--his first catch. Two days later at Vernon, he brought in a number of foot long trout. We continued to have greater success during the summer, and seldom did Hyrum get skunked. He still owns the biggest fish between the two of us, a 21’’ cat from Bountiful Pond. I knew Hyrum was hooked for good when he turned to me during one outing and said: “Dad, I want you to teach me all the fishing knots, so you can just drop me off at a place to fish and I’ll be fine all by myself.” He’s not asked me to rig his pole for him once since then. We’ve both started working on Jacob (Hyrum’s 6 year-old brother). Jacob has a couple of catches under his belt and he unwrapped his very own Dock Demon pole/reel for his last birthday.
This forum has been great. I only wish I had the time to catalogue all the information. I have a couple of Google Docs where I cut and paste information so I can refer to it later (I don’t have the elephantic memory of Tubedude). I’ve had one fishing outing with a fellow BFT member, and purchased some flies from another. I also have a small library of Tubedude’s writings. There is so much to learn; and it’s tough to practice patience and moderation when I know that fishing must come after so many other responsibilities. Cry me a river, I know. . .
Three years ago when a friend invited me ice fishing, I remarked “I can’t think of a more miserable activity than ice-fishing.” I didn’t go. I’ve since repented, and I should get a package from Amazon today with some ice-picks and ice cleats, my first purchases as I make my preparations for the hard deck.
With few exceptions, I found everyone on the forum to be helpful and encouraging. I appreciate those that take the time to moderate and participate. And I hope to meet more of you out in the field.
-Aaron
[signature]
Then, in July, I decided I wanted to take a side fishing trip during our annual family run of the Snake River. So I spent a day fishing the Little Grey’s River. I spent a considerable amount of time on the Wyoming forum in preparation for that trip. It was during that day of fishing that I caught a 17 inch trout on the Little Gray’s (easily twice as big as anything I had caught before in my life). I was hooked. Bummer was that Hyrum was allergic to something near the river, so I had to take him back to camp midday. He missed out on the excitement of the big catch.
Then I found this forum. Dangerous on the marriage, I’m telling you.
On a weeklong scout trip, I made sure we went to a reservoir to fish four of the five days. At Settlement Canyon, Hyrum caught a bunch of baby chub? or carp? or something. He liked that--his first catch. Two days later at Vernon, he brought in a number of foot long trout. We continued to have greater success during the summer, and seldom did Hyrum get skunked. He still owns the biggest fish between the two of us, a 21’’ cat from Bountiful Pond. I knew Hyrum was hooked for good when he turned to me during one outing and said: “Dad, I want you to teach me all the fishing knots, so you can just drop me off at a place to fish and I’ll be fine all by myself.” He’s not asked me to rig his pole for him once since then. We’ve both started working on Jacob (Hyrum’s 6 year-old brother). Jacob has a couple of catches under his belt and he unwrapped his very own Dock Demon pole/reel for his last birthday.
This forum has been great. I only wish I had the time to catalogue all the information. I have a couple of Google Docs where I cut and paste information so I can refer to it later (I don’t have the elephantic memory of Tubedude). I’ve had one fishing outing with a fellow BFT member, and purchased some flies from another. I also have a small library of Tubedude’s writings. There is so much to learn; and it’s tough to practice patience and moderation when I know that fishing must come after so many other responsibilities. Cry me a river, I know. . .
Three years ago when a friend invited me ice fishing, I remarked “I can’t think of a more miserable activity than ice-fishing.” I didn’t go. I’ve since repented, and I should get a package from Amazon today with some ice-picks and ice cleats, my first purchases as I make my preparations for the hard deck.
With few exceptions, I found everyone on the forum to be helpful and encouraging. I appreciate those that take the time to moderate and participate. And I hope to meet more of you out in the field.
-Aaron
[signature]