‘It’s a big one, Dad!’ The excitement of a young daughter’s first fishing trip
My 2-year-old daughter, Skye, had been dropping hints for weeks.
On trips to the Children’s Museum, she frequented both the indoor and outdoor fishing stations. During bath time, she practiced catching fish with her magnetic Fisher Price rod. And she was increasingly interested in Daddy’s boat and fishing tackle.
It was time for this little lady to catch her first fish.
Skye has been on the family boat a handful of times, but she was always too young to truly participate. Her older sister, Quinn, has been my fishing buddy since she was a toddler, and our daddy-daughter outings are among my favorite trips of the year. Now it was time to show little sister the ropes.
On a perfect September afternoon, I packed all the things necessary for a successful outing with kids — a diaper bag, sunscreen and way more snacks than you think you’d need. The plan was to troll C.J. Strike Reservoir for crappie, perch, bass and whatever else was biting.
Since becoming a fishing dad, I have dialed in trolling as the best way to fish with kids. The boat keeps moving, the kids’ hands stay free for snacking and playing with (hook-free) soft plastics and, importantly, the lures and hooks stay safely in the water most of the time. I’ve begun working in some casting with Quinn, who is 5, but with younger or multiple kids on board, trolling is the safest choice.
We began our troll along a rocky shoreline, pulling wobbly crankbaits through the breeze-chopped water. The girls happily munched on chips and applesauce pouches, and Skye put her hand on one of the rod handles and proudly proclaimed, “Look at me, Daddy! I’m fishing!”
Soon, we went from fishing to catching. Our first bite came from a small fish, but Skye beamed as she reeled him in with some help from Mom. The culprit was a tiny smallmouth bass, maybe 6 inches long, but Skye was thrilled to touch his poky dorsal fin and toss him back into the water with an enthusiastic, “One, two, three!”
Small fish became the theme of our day. Quinn helped me land one nice perch, but the rest of our catches were bass and crappie less than 10 inches long. Not that the girls cared — Quinn and Skye likely would have been content playing hide-and-seek all afternoon with their new best friend, the 13-inch perch in our live well. And that would have been fine with me, too. Seeing my girls enjoy each other, the boat and Idaho’s great outdoors had already made Skye’s maiden voyage a success.
But like most good fishing stories, this one ends with a fun twist.
With the panfish bite spotty, I motored to a popular bass hangout and tied on one of my go-to smallmouth crankbaits. It didn’t take long before the rod slammed forward in the holder.
“There’s a fish, Skye!” I called, and she hustled over to grab the rod. With Dad holding on to both her and the rod handle, Skye took a few cranks on the reel and looked up at me, wide-eyed.
“Dad!” she exclaimed. “I think it’s a big one!”
Skye’s instincts were spot-on — this was a heavy, drag-peeling fish, especially on the light-action rods I use for trolling. It took us a while to crank it in, but eventually, a big flash of olive green splashed behind the boat. Skye giggled with excitement, but she remained calm enough to keep on cranking as Mom slid the net under a chunky, 3-pound smallmouth.
There were excited high-fives on board as the girls admired a beautiful bass. What a perfect way to punctuate Skye’s first fishing trip! The pictures turned out OK (the girls would much rather look at the fish than the camera) but the moment is permanently etched in my memory — and Skye is already telling anyone who will listen about the big fish she caught on Daddy’s boat.
Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.
Learn how to clean and cook your catch in Fillet & Fry class!
Turning your fresh-caught catches into delicious, home-cooked meals is one of the most rewarding experiences in fishing. But how do you clean your catches safely and efficiently? And what are the best ways to prepare them at home? Fishing columnist Jordan Rodriguez’s next Tight Lines 208 fishing class will help you master these useful skills.
Fillet & Fry class is set for Tuesday, October 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. at JUMP in downtown Boise. In this hands-on course, participants receive personal instruction on how to fillet, prepare and cook their catch — after which we will enjoy a meal of fresh fish and chips together! All supplies are provided (including the fish) and students get a fillet knife to keep.
For more details and registration, visit www.tightlines208.com. Idaho Statesman subscribers can use the coupon code FLASH15 at checkout to save $15!
