Ben's First Fish
By Brad Durick- Why-Fish.com
A couple of winters ago Cathy (a co-worker) walked into my office and just out of the blue asked if I would take her four year old son Ben fishing for an afternoon. My first question was “Why doesn’t your husband take him? After all, you have a cabin on a lake that’s full of fish.” The answer was just because you go to the lake every weekend doesn’t mean you go fishing. It was explained to me that the lake was for water skiing, and relaxing. She also told me that the last time her husband tried to fish he dropped the plier in the lake trying to get his fish off the hook when it wiggled in his hand. He then tried to cast and threw the rod in the lake.
With an explanation like that, what could I say? I guess it was my duty to take a kid fishing since I tell the audience of my radio show to do it every week. I agreed to take him out on the Red River some time during the upcoming summer. I figured the Red would be the safest for me because it was right in town and if he didn’t have any fun or got crabby I could have him home in just a few minutes.
At least five months passed from the initial request without hearing anything. Then one day last August the question came again. “Are you going to take Ben fishing?”, Cathy asked me. As luck had it I was free that next Sunday so we made plans to take him on his first real fishing trip Sunday afternoon. One stipulation, mom would be joining us.
The Sunday I picked was sunny, about 90 degrees and no wind whatsoever. We met at the local boat landing and headed out for our fishing adventure. Since I’m not a walleye guru on the Red River and I thought catfish might be to big for a four year old, I decided to target goldeyes. A goldeye is a silver colored fish that ranges from 7-14 inches in length and has gold eyes (imagine that). Most people just hate catching them, but for someone who fishes catfish they are the ultimate baitfish.
We pulled the boat into a clump of trees along the edge of the river to begin our adventure. I got Ben’s brand new Spiderman fishing rod all rigged up with a hook and bobber tipped with a bit of night crawler and he was fishing. After making a few location changes and not catching any fish, I pulled into a known goldeye hole. By this time I knew Ben was starting to lose interest and I had better find fish fast or that would be the end of his illustrious fishing career. I baited him up and threw out the lure - BAM!! Down sank the bobber. Talk about a frenzy in a little boat, his mom was scrambling around the boat trying to get the net while I’m cheering him on “reel, reel, reel” as it came to the boat I grabbed the fish out of the water. It was a tiny cute seven-inch goldeye.
Ben was just squealing with excitement as we handed him his very first fish. After taking a picture and a bit of pleading to get him to put the fish in the cooler and not hold it, I re-baited the Spiderman rig for a second fish. Only a few minutes passed when Cathy and I were cheering again “Reel Ben Reel.” This repeated for another four or five fish before it was decided to call it a day.
After a productive afternoon of creating a life-long fisherman I reflected back on the day. I realized that Ben’s first fish was not the ever-popular walleye, perch, or sunfish, but rather a goldeye. His first fish was one that is considered by most as trash, but he didn’t care. All that mattered to him was catching the fish and having fun doing it. His mom tells me that to this day every time someone comes to their house he grabs the framed picture of that seven-inch goldeye and shows them his very first fish. He also tells them that next time he will catch mom’s fish for her because she doesn’t know how. I guess that means he is a true fisherman already bragging about his catch and talking like an expert at the ripe old age of four.
June 3rd and 4th is free fishing days in North Dakota. This offers the perfect opportunity to take a kid fishing or even experience it once again for yourself. Just pick one of the many fishing waters in North Dakota and enjoy. You just might make a memory for yourself or create a lifelong fishing partner.
Until next time get outside and make some memories.
A couple of winters ago Cathy (a co-worker) walked into my office and just out of the blue asked if I would take her four year old son Ben fishing for an afternoon. My first question was “Why doesn’t your husband take him? After all, you have a cabin on a lake that’s full of fish.” The answer was just because you go to the lake every weekend doesn’t mean you go fishing. It was explained to me that the lake was for water skiing, and relaxing. She also told me that the last time her husband tried to fish he dropped the plier in the lake trying to get his fish off the hook when it wiggled in his hand. He then tried to cast and threw the rod in the lake.
With an explanation like that, what could I say? I guess it was my duty to take a kid fishing since I tell the audience of my radio show to do it every week. I agreed to take him out on the Red River some time during the upcoming summer. I figured the Red would be the safest for me because it was right in town and if he didn’t have any fun or got crabby I could have him home in just a few minutes.
At least five months passed from the initial request without hearing anything. Then one day last August the question came again. “Are you going to take Ben fishing?”, Cathy asked me. As luck had it I was free that next Sunday so we made plans to take him on his first real fishing trip Sunday afternoon. One stipulation, mom would be joining us.
The Sunday I picked was sunny, about 90 degrees and no wind whatsoever. We met at the local boat landing and headed out for our fishing adventure. Since I’m not a walleye guru on the Red River and I thought catfish might be to big for a four year old, I decided to target goldeyes. A goldeye is a silver colored fish that ranges from 7-14 inches in length and has gold eyes (imagine that). Most people just hate catching them, but for someone who fishes catfish they are the ultimate baitfish.
We pulled the boat into a clump of trees along the edge of the river to begin our adventure. I got Ben’s brand new Spiderman fishing rod all rigged up with a hook and bobber tipped with a bit of night crawler and he was fishing. After making a few location changes and not catching any fish, I pulled into a known goldeye hole. By this time I knew Ben was starting to lose interest and I had better find fish fast or that would be the end of his illustrious fishing career. I baited him up and threw out the lure - BAM!! Down sank the bobber. Talk about a frenzy in a little boat, his mom was scrambling around the boat trying to get the net while I’m cheering him on “reel, reel, reel” as it came to the boat I grabbed the fish out of the water. It was a tiny cute seven-inch goldeye.
Ben was just squealing with excitement as we handed him his very first fish. After taking a picture and a bit of pleading to get him to put the fish in the cooler and not hold it, I re-baited the Spiderman rig for a second fish. Only a few minutes passed when Cathy and I were cheering again “Reel Ben Reel.” This repeated for another four or five fish before it was decided to call it a day.
After a productive afternoon of creating a life-long fisherman I reflected back on the day. I realized that Ben’s first fish was not the ever-popular walleye, perch, or sunfish, but rather a goldeye. His first fish was one that is considered by most as trash, but he didn’t care. All that mattered to him was catching the fish and having fun doing it. His mom tells me that to this day every time someone comes to their house he grabs the framed picture of that seven-inch goldeye and shows them his very first fish. He also tells them that next time he will catch mom’s fish for her because she doesn’t know how. I guess that means he is a true fisherman already bragging about his catch and talking like an expert at the ripe old age of four.
June 3rd and 4th is free fishing days in North Dakota. This offers the perfect opportunity to take a kid fishing or even experience it once again for yourself. Just pick one of the many fishing waters in North Dakota and enjoy. You just might make a memory for yourself or create a lifelong fishing partner.
Until next time get outside and make some memories.
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