Kids

One of my favorite fishing practices is taking youngsters out fishing for the first time; I find that they're particularly interested in fly fishing and I have a stock of equipment just for that purpose.

A key to helping someone new to fly fishing is not to inundate them with too much information; sometimes we make this sport out to be brain surgery, when the basics that are needed to enjoy it are just that - the basics. Energy transfer, leader construction, and all that jazz should remain until certain questions arise - if they ever need answering!

Patience is critical and if you're not willing to have a rod bungled a bit or a line put through a little more abuse than you might like, then maybe you should consider whether it's worth getting involved for you and the youngster involved. It's supposed to be fun and trying to get him or her to do it ``just right'' isn't a great approach.

Fortunately, we have one of the keys to a successful trip with a kid right here on the Cape - plenty of fish for the taking. Right now with all the schoolie bass and bluefish around is ideal. While we might like to stalk that one large bass, kids are into action. Bluefish slashing at a popper with birds all around or bass finning on the surface can whet anyone's appetite, let alone a youngster whose enthusiasm is at a high anywise.

I'm reminded of kids and fishing from an email that Bob Lane, president of the Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters Association sent me the other day. Bob was fishing with Chris Windram when he came upon a sight that would make anyone smile: ``By the way, Chris forgot to mention the young fisherman we stopped on his way out of Menemsha as we were arriving. His name is Davis Solon and he was pedaling his bike up the hill out of Menemsha with two five pounds blues strung over each side of his handlebars. A classic pose which is still in the camera. Davis, a seventh grader, invited his friends Peter d'Amico, and Ross MacDowel out in Davis's Boston Whaler after school was out for the day. In a few hours he and his two friends were back at school, a school of bluefish that is. They took over a hundred pounds of bluefish from a rip not far outside the Menemsha Jetties. Peter and Ross caught some of their blues on flies they tied in my industrial arts shop at the West Tisbury School. It is a good feeling to hear my students tell about successful flies and lures they have made in the shop. ''

Congrats to Bob for being such a good influence in the lives of his students beyond being their teacher; it's an example we all could live up to.

Reel -Time

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