05-09-2012, 11:10 AM
By Tom Landwehr
Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
As I reflect on things that have shaped who I am, I realize that it is many things and many people, but also that fishing played a major role.<br />
I was fortunate my dad, an avid fisherman, exposed me to fishing at a very young age. I still remember dragging a plastic grasshopper along the canoe as he paddled the St. Croix some 50 years ago. I remember summers spent fishing White Bear Lake, near where my cousins lived, and using snails to catch cookie-sized sunfish. And I remember many weekends with extended family at Bayport or some metro lake where we'd wade in shallow water to entice other fish.<br />
Dad died when I was very young, and mom did her best to raise six youngsters to become responsible adults. Even with her stern hand, there were plenty of avenues for a city kid to go astray. It was easier to be delinquent than not. I still wonder how I survived my more "irresponsible" years.<br />
I know, however, that fishing connected me with nature and the web of life. Fishing allowed me - at least for short periods of time - to see and explore a world outside the urban core and connect with friends in wholesome endeavors. That was a good thing. I also enjoyed eating the fish I caught - and still do today -- and eventually became interested in hunting during my adolescence.<br />
Ultimately, a passion for fishing and hunting led me to college degrees and a career in wildlife management. It is true to say those childhood experiences profoundly shaped my life.<br />
So as I look to the Minnesota fishing opener, and as I take my own kids and the kids of others out to enjoy that day, I realize it is more than just fun on the water. Kids are easily hooked on fishing, especially when it is done at their pace. Fostering and nurturing a passion for fishing can give kids skills that shape their lives in remarkable and unpredictable ways.<br />
A love of fishing gets kids outdoors, builds confidence through learning, and teaches them empathy for the natural world. It provides a lifelong activity and connections with many friends over the years. It lets young people see nature's beauty and envision their role in keeping it intact.<br />
So, as you look forward to the fishing season, I encourage you to find a child and get a fishing rod in his or her hand.<br />
You will never regret introducing a kid to this sport. You will be shaping a life in unknowable but positive directions. So do it for them and yourself.
Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
As I reflect on things that have shaped who I am, I realize that it is many things and many people, but also that fishing played a major role.<br />
I was fortunate my dad, an avid fisherman, exposed me to fishing at a very young age. I still remember dragging a plastic grasshopper along the canoe as he paddled the St. Croix some 50 years ago. I remember summers spent fishing White Bear Lake, near where my cousins lived, and using snails to catch cookie-sized sunfish. And I remember many weekends with extended family at Bayport or some metro lake where we'd wade in shallow water to entice other fish.<br />
Dad died when I was very young, and mom did her best to raise six youngsters to become responsible adults. Even with her stern hand, there were plenty of avenues for a city kid to go astray. It was easier to be delinquent than not. I still wonder how I survived my more "irresponsible" years.<br />
I know, however, that fishing connected me with nature and the web of life. Fishing allowed me - at least for short periods of time - to see and explore a world outside the urban core and connect with friends in wholesome endeavors. That was a good thing. I also enjoyed eating the fish I caught - and still do today -- and eventually became interested in hunting during my adolescence.<br />
Ultimately, a passion for fishing and hunting led me to college degrees and a career in wildlife management. It is true to say those childhood experiences profoundly shaped my life.<br />
So as I look to the Minnesota fishing opener, and as I take my own kids and the kids of others out to enjoy that day, I realize it is more than just fun on the water. Kids are easily hooked on fishing, especially when it is done at their pace. Fostering and nurturing a passion for fishing can give kids skills that shape their lives in remarkable and unpredictable ways.<br />
A love of fishing gets kids outdoors, builds confidence through learning, and teaches them empathy for the natural world. It provides a lifelong activity and connections with many friends over the years. It lets young people see nature's beauty and envision their role in keeping it intact.<br />
So, as you look forward to the fishing season, I encourage you to find a child and get a fishing rod in his or her hand.<br />
You will never regret introducing a kid to this sport. You will be shaping a life in unknowable but positive directions. So do it for them and yourself.