Catch a Fish, Throw a Ball, Fly a Kite 21 Timeless Skills Every Child Should Know (and any Parent Can Teach!)

CATCH A FISH "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you're lucky if he even comes home for dinner." --Anonymous When I was growing up, the only time I had my father all to myself was when we were fishing. My brothers fished too, but they weren't obsessed with it, like my dad and I. He'd creep into my room before dawn to tap me on the shoulder, and I'd wake up instantly, as if I'd been waiting for that moment all night long. Then we'd sneak out of the house together and load up the car in the dark. We'd reach the lake with the sky aglow in the east and the birds just beginning to sing. Often, we'd hear the faint sound of a splash across the cove. "You hear that?" my dad would whisper. "They're hungry!" After that he wouldn't say much. That's how he was--more comfortable with silence than conversation. That was fine with me. I was happy just to sit with him by the water and watch the sun come up over the trees. Years later, when I was in medical school, I came home one weekend for a visit. Since my brothers and I had moved out, my father had gone on to new interests, and our little rowboat hadn't gotten much use. On a whim I asked him to go fishing with me. He came to wake me an hour before dawn, and I was up as soon as he tapped my shoulder. That morning the fish really were hungry. In just a couple of hours we caught a stringer-full of fat bass. We headed home early, triumphant hunters, with the quiet of early morning still hanging in the air. I was surprised when my father broke the silence. "You know," he said, "we probably didn't tell you this enough, but your mom and I have always been very proud of you and the things you've done." I turned to look at him, but he was staring straight ahead. Behind him the sun flashed and flickered on the lake as we drove along the shore. "That's okay," I said. "I knew." WHEN TO START There's no easy answer to this one. Mostly, it depends on your kids. If they love being outdoors and they're fascinated by little critters, fishing is an easy sell. But remember, the younger they are, the shorter their attention spans. Fishing can involve a lot of waiting, and some kids aren't good at that. Later on I'll give you some tricks to keep their interest, but you still have to be realistic about how long they can sit in one place. If you think they can hang in there for at least an hour, then give it a try. WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START A Place to Fish This is the most important part of your preparation. When you take a kid fishing for the first time, you're looking for one thing, and one thing only: action! What you want is a place where there are lots of hungry little fish to gobble up anything you dangle in front of them. The key is to go after the fish that serious fishermen ignore. These are called "panfish." Panfish are the little fish that gather in the shallows of lakes and ponds. They're the perfect quarry for beginners. The most common are little members of the bass family, known collectively as "sunfish." They all have the same rounded shape and seldom grow much larger than eight inches. Also common is the yellow perch. There may be others in your particular region, but sunfish and perch can be found almost anywhere. They're good eating and easy to catch. Some ponds and lakes are stocked heavily with hatchery fish, usually trout. This is a good choice too, especially at the beginning of the fishing season, but you may have to fight the crowds. To locate a good fishing spot, call up a local bait shop or fishing tackle store. You can also try your state Fish and Game Department. Tell them you want to take your kid where it's easy to catch small fish. Ask if there's a dock or a clear stretch of shoreline where a beginner can castLee, Jeffrey is the author of 'Catch a Fish, Throw a Ball, Fly a Kite 21 Timeless Skills Every Child Should Know (and any Parent Can Teach!)', published 2004 under ISBN 9781400048106 and ISBN 1400048109.