Dads fishing with their kids.

[Steve Coppolo]

We often see threads written by people who take their kids fishing, and what great reading it makes. I can't think of anything better than getting you kids involved in fishing, or a better way of parents and kids to spend their time together.

 

My Dad was a mad keen angler and started taking me fishing as soon as I was old enough to hold a rod. Most of my childhood memories involve fishing of some description. He showed me not only how to fish, but to appreciate the surroundings and all the wildlife that we saw. I knew from a very early age not to leave litter, to shut gates behind me and to treat the fish I caught with respect. We have enjoyed some fantsatic fishing together over the years. From free-lining worms in Welsh streams for wild brown trout, to standing on cod beaches all night in the middle of winter. There was no where we wouldn't go, and nothing we wouldn't do for a bit of fishing.

 

As our sea fishing deteriorated, my Dad started to lose interest. He said he was fed up with either blanking or catching fish that were a fraction of the size we used to be able to catch. Gradually, he all but stopped sea angling. It was all I could do to get him out on the odd bass trip, and even then he would become frustrated at the lack of bigger fish. He continued with his course fishing, but I really wanted to get him out sea fishing again.

 

This year I told him that there have been plenty of Thornbacks about, (he likes his skate), and persuaded him to come out for a days roker fishing. Reluctantly he agreed, but I could tell he wasn't convinced we'd have some fish. Too many blanks and small fish had left their mark on him. Anyway, we went out today. We left home at 9.00 am, were launched by 10.00 am and after half an hours steam, dropped the anchor. In three hours fishing we had six Thornbacks between us, and as the tide had eased to nothing we decided to call it a day. We were back home by 3.00 pm. My Dad's enthusiasm for boat fishing seemed to return all at once.

 

I really enjoyed sea fishing with my Dad again today, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years to come. When you teach your kids to fish, you do so much more than just give them a hobby.

 

Here's a picture of the old chap with one of his Roker.

 

Edited June 28, 2006 by Steve Coppolo

[glennk]

[sam-cox]

To me thats just the life should be mate! nice bit of fishing mate!

[Snatcher]

Nice one Steve It is a family affair mate.Enjoy taking young Snatch (25 shortly ) fishing and my surrogate grandbairns - the Tacks from Stranraer fishing. To catch fish is nice but the "craic" is equally important

[RichardB]

Very nice post Steve. It touched a chord with me - With me and my dad it was almost exactly as you describe. He was a very accomplished sea angler, an amature naturalist of encyclopoedic knowledge, and a conservationist before the green movement had ever been heard of. He taught me so much of what is important to me.

 

Don't want to seem morbid - but make sure you 'get it while you can'. My dad died a couple of years back and I miss all that terribly.

 

On the up side, I've got great memories to savour and when I go fishing it's like a way of still being close to him. If I catch a goodun, I can almost hear him saying "nice bass Rich !"

 

Happily, the fishing / wildlife gene is strong. My youngest daughter (7) likes to go fishing with me on trips where appropriate, and she's mad on 'nature' - wanders around on our dog walks clutching three of those little handbooks on birds, plants and butterflies.

[Steve Coppolo]

Very nice post Steve. It touched a chord with me - With me and my dad it was almost exactly as you describe. He was a very accomplished sea angler, an amature naturalist of encyclopoedic knowledge, and a conservationist before the green movement had ever been heard of. He taught me so much of what is important to me.

 

Don't want to seem morbid - but make sure you 'get it while you can'. My dad died a couple of years back and I miss all that terribly.

 

On the up side, I've got great memories to savour and when I go fishing it's like a way of still being close to him. If I catch a goodun, I can almost hear him saying "nice bass Rich !"

 

Happily, the fishing / wildlife gene is strong. My youngest daughter (7) likes to go fishing with me on trips where appropriate, and she's mad on 'nature' - wanders around on our dog walks clutching three of those little handbooks on birds, plants and butterflies.

 

I do make sure we fish together at every opportunity Rich. I go course fishing with him whenever I can. Usually I'm fishing for nothing but bass at this time of year, but I knew I had more chance of getting him out today if we went after roker.

 

I've also got a daughter who's 7. She used to love coming out with me. I took her to the local pond when she was 2 and helped her catch little rudd and skimmers. She loved it. She even used to come bait digging and crabbing with me. Sadly she has now turned a bit "girly" and thinks lug and zig zag worms, as she calls them, are gross. Still, she's promised to come on a few beach outings with me during the summer holidays, as long as I take my tent, (beach shelter!).

[Elton]

The git. That could have been me on your boat today, Steve. I hate him already

 

In all seriousness, mate, I know we've only fished a few times together, but I think I brushed upon this once when we chatted.

 

Father, son and fishing go hand in hand, mate. It's the best thing we can do together as men and boys. Enjoy it and tell us all about it.

 

My little daughter wants to go fishing with me. She tells me almost every day. She wants to come on my boat and catch fish whilst I 'drive'.

 

I keep telling her this bloke down the road is gonna help me sort it

 

Just noticed that the news links in that old article don't work. Not wishing to disrespect my old dad, so the BBC one is:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/3037322.stm

[Sharkbyte]

Fantastic piece of writing Steve about a subject very difficult to put into words.

 

As you know I've just got back from another long weekends fishing with my Dad and Brother, the memories of such times will always be dear.

 

When you teach your kids to fish, you do so much more than just give them a hobby.

 

That just about sums it up for me, so much so infact I'm going to go upstairs now and make a baby. Hang on a minute I've just realised that I'm going to have to fork out for a wedding before that. Sod it, I'll have a read through the non fishing chat instead.

[Elton]

That just about sums it up for me, so much so infact I'm going to go upstairs now and make a baby. Hang on a minute I've just realised that I'm going to have to fork out for a wedding before that. Sod it, I'll have a read through the non fishing chat instead.

 

Do the archives as well.

 

I'll even send you every copy of AN since 1999 by email.

 

Sorry, Mrs. Potential. A. Sharkbyte, but........well, but.

[Grant]

Sharkbyte- my son is five, and we get married next week!! Dont worry about the sequence too much- its the pople that are important.

 

Took Tyler fishing the other day, and he caught a weaver as his first fish! As it was poisonous he was even more excited!!