(I wrote this for a column in the Bonita Banner here in Naples/Fort Myers area:)
Teaching a kid how to fish is one of the most entertaining and crazy experiences you will never forget.
1- Don't let the kid fall in the water. You must put on a life jacket or tie lots of buoys to the kid.
2- Make sure there is a bathroom nearby, or find very large leaves.
3 -Suntan Lotion- 1 Gallon
4- Drinks, snacks,ice (for the kids to watch melt when fishing is slow.)
5- Sunglasses with strings attached.
6- Coloring books and crayons(see #4)
7- Lots of extra hooks and fishing poles.
8- An extra bucket of bait hidden somewhere to fish with,because the first bucket of shrimp or bait fish will either be squeezed to death or let go because they need to find their mommies.
YOU WILL REPEAT CERTAIN SENTENCES THROUGHOUT THE DAY SUCH AS:
A. See? Your shoes really DON'T float.
B. Pick up your fishing pole or we go home.
C. Stop playing with the bait.
D. I told you fish don't eat cantaloupe.
E. Yes. Your hat is floating. It will be in the gulf soon.
F. Sit down while I get your hook out of my: 1.head 2.hand 3.leg
G. Were those your sunglasses or mine you just kicked into the water?
H. Don't nap in the fish blood,dear.
I. "If you do that again, we are leaving", which never works, because she was ready to leave before
you've even finished hauling all your stuff to the dock.
There were times I would call over and over to get her pole as she had a fish on.
And where is she? Standing in the water near the boat launch throwing rocks at baitfish.
Usually the pole ends up traveling around the river with a fish leading the way.
I should give up,but I know someday she will learn more and more and maybe actually like fishing as much as I do.
There's nothing like watching her catch a fish,
pet it 20 times,
and then scream at me for not getting the hook out fast enough.
Packing up to leave, she'll ask,"Can we go crabbing tomorrow please?"
MY KIDS FISHING IN A CONTEST. CAME IN 2nd!
Well guess what little campers? My girl is now 25 years old and LOVES to fish with her hubby!
Mom did good.
Ok,Ok.. So I suck at drawing. This I know.