20a. Fishing for candy

I taught all the shavings to cast at an early age because they seemed to like it; plus out of state, they could ‘test the waters’ for free as most states let kids younger than 16 fish without a license.
Spinning reels are the easiest for small hands because the steps preceding a cast are physically separated and don’t require careful timing, just the correct sequence (which is easy to coach because you can see what they are doing). First, you press the line coming out of the reel against the rod with your pointer finger. Then you flip the bail open. Then you point the rod back over your shoulder. Then you sling the rod forward and take your pointer finger off the line. Three years old seems to be about the right starting age. Initially it’s a game in the front yard but smoothly moves to “the real deal” standing on some shoreline with the little fishy lure on the end of the line (or bobber, hook and worm).

Developmentally, continued interest varied a lot amongst the shavings. Shaving 1 had several good days as she grew older; King mackerel off the back of a party boat and one evening in the John Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge catching snook and lady fish. As darkness and an alligator approached (thrashing fish being his likely interest) I suggested leaving and she says “one more cast” – definitely “in the pipe, five by five”. She can still talk-the-talk and spits into unknown waters to see who’s near-by.

Shaving 3 had some early trout successes but ended up requiring more socializing than fishing usually entailed, at least when Shaving 4 and yours truly were setting the order of battle. In the event, Shaving 2 probably had the longest tour of semi-voluntary fish survey duty which is why bribery occasionally came into play.

So with Shaving 2 as the only combat-ready kid (Shaving 1 being elsewhere, Shaving 3 scooting around in diapers and Shaving 4 yet-to-be) we set out to see the Northwest. Tacoma, Washington to be precise, spending two weeks in a most excellent opportunity on the bank of American Lake as guests of Shaving 2’s Godparents, Ken & Issy.

From a what-to-fish-for standpoint, and how to do it, this was the proverbial unchartered waters and therefore fishing most closely tied to its fundamental attraction – the suspense that comes from not knowing if, when or what. However the answers can be bad: not, never and nothing. So before investing in legality it’s always best to turn a kid loose casting at the water. (I’ve always figured that if I do not touch the rod, then I am not fishing. Never had to test this legal theory but if it comes up it will be tested. If there are going to be court costs there is going to be a trial ….and the sawed-off go pro se.).

In the initial contact, a beetle spin works as well in the Northwest as it works in the Southeast. No “bream” in Washington but a functional substitute called a perch. So functional, in fact, that Shaving 2 was into the significant double digits before darkness, or she, fell (I can’t remember which). Although NOT FISHING, I’ve always felt that if my plan defeated the fish then didn’t I defeat the fish?

This initial burst of success had a downside. Shaving 2 had apparently gotten burned out and did not want to fish anymore. This was partly the result of the strenuousness of the first attack’s success and partly due to a general funk she’d descended into due to a thwarted march to see a glacier. For a collection of reasons she had become obsessed with the idea of seeing a real glacier. Unfortunately on our first march to fulfill her dream the trail was blocked by a rock slide and she had to be carried crying inconsolably from the scene.

So when the time came for us to go fish for trout at the local bait Shoppe + pier, she did not want to go! Now I can fish alone, have and will again, but there is the “Three Little Paddles” effect plus the reluctant have about the same luck as the beginner – good! Fortunately she had her price which was a guarantee of a big cup of hot chocolate the moment she got vertical that morning and anything from the snack selection.

So off we went around 6 AM. I got the proprietor’s recommended bait and Shaving 2 got a Snickers bar the length of her forearm. The end of the pier was populated with the Northwest’s functional equivalent of the Southeast’s – old guys. (Actually one of them looked familiar). We studied the locals’ approach which was small hook, about 18 inches of 4 pound test leader (spooky weak), swivel, one ounce barrel sinker, regular line. It was really deep as the slope of the lines into the water was steep (I was surprised there was any oxygen down there).

Well there must have been oxygen because Shaving 2 nailed what was regarded by the old guys as likely “the fish of the day”; landed with the kind loan of a net. It was big enough for about 7 people to get more than a taste at dinner that night.

The point here is that a successful fish trip can call for the right bait all around; worms for the trout, chocolate for your buddy.
ML
6/17/08