My dad came up for a visit last month. He’s a city kind of guy but I think he enjoys coming up here from time to time. It’s a slower pace of life with less choice at the grocery store and no where to be at any given moment. My dad loves the scenery, especially the multitude of bald eagles and of course spending time with his grandkids.
The kids were really eager to show him how they can fish. Cam takes the kids on a regular basis and coming along this time reminded me why I usually chose not to come. The kids use a herring jig and catch perch or flounder off the dock. I understand the theory of catch and release but when I actually see the little fish getting caught on the hook by their mouths or fins, I’m not really sure I understand why it’s okay to do it or what the point is. I guess I’m just not a fishing sort a gal.
Cam and my dad both have many fishing stories from when they were little. Every story seems to centre around time spent with their loved fathers. These stories clearly impart how special the time was to connect with their dads. This is the part that I get and I guess I hope my kids will get this too out of fishing with their dad and grampa.
We also spent some time on Rainbow Lake. The cooler weather made having a bonfire even more enjoyable. We cooked hot dogs over the fire and I stayed back with Oscar while everyone else took the fishing rods out in the raft. Oscar was upset about being left back but I quite enjoyed sitting with my book by the warm fire.
My family rowed far enough that they looked like little dots! It’s amazing how hard it is sometimes to grasp the size of a place. I certainly hadn’t thought the lake was so big.
Oscar moved back and forth along the shore waiting for the raft to return. Poor old deeg. Eager to be included but not always comfortable on the boat. He’s almost twelve and a half now.
Love the quote :-)
I’m with ya on the fishing.
We,too, have a border collie who hates being left behind on ANY excursion. We have to speak in code about where we’re going…he goes wild if he hears the words “go”, “car”, “beach”, “park”, “water”. My children now say things like “care for a stroll along the shoreline?” :-) They have to change it every couple of weeks because the dog catches on!
Oh Tracy, that’s so funny! Life is similar here with the code words. We get creative with “truck”, “car ride”, “run”, “go”, “come for”, “let’s go”, “hungry”…. I love “care for a stroll along the shoreline”. Wonderful but darn those smart dogs! Thank you.
I remember fishing for small perch as a kid too. I guess the catch & release wasn’t always perfect, but I certainly have fond memories of that kind of play in nature. And this weekend I discovered the addicting sport of fly fishing, so I’m maybe biased. And I do like the idea of bringing home a self-caught meal.
Cam and my fisherman friends say I just don’t get it and I admit they’re right. I think the best part must be the fond memories created being with family and often the quiet, peaceful locations. I understand eating the catch so much more than just catch and release! Cam’s an eager fly fisherman too! I’m a little embarrassed to say that I also don’t get the addiction- but that clearly happens to most who try it. Maybe we’ll see some photos of you flying fishing one day soon?