Though Rebecca had landed
her first trout, a rainbow, when she was just over two, now at 3, boats
and bass would be a new experience. At her recent 3rd birthday party, she
received a kid's Mad River canoe paddle, with no clue to what is was.
The hype started about a week before the outing, and there was reservation on her part. She knew she was small, and lakes are big. But she knew as long as her dogs, Ollie and Mollie were around, nothing could happen to her.
The day, May 15, was sunney, mid 80's, with a slight breeze. Just about hot enough to make the life jacket she wore hot. Dad, grandfather and Ollie and Mollie, completed the entrourage.
The secret of successful introducing kids to the outdoors, is to "contol" the situation. Adventure is fine for grown ups, but bad memories are not for starters. With bad memories, there may not be a second time.
The boat was a stable johnboat. The lake was a small private wooded one, with steep banks. Tackle was light spinning, with lures, no bait.
A short inspection of the Rapala, and Becky understood that big fish feed on little fish. As soon as we reached fishable water a bass was on. Grandpa cast and Rebecca did the retrieving. Though the bass jumped twice at the strike, Becky didn't spot it. Reeling with a life jacket on isn't easy for a 3 year old. But once it was near the surface at the boat, eyes as big as saucers took everything in.
See how big the mouth is? That's why it's called a largemouth. Lateral stripe is the ears, to hear. Feeling the fish, the slime wasn't slime, but "ickky". Ollie and Mollie eyes rivited to the fish right to the release. Returning the fish back to the water, watching them recover, and then "blast away", unhurt, amazed her.
Afew more bass, acouple of very large sunnies, 90 minutes later, we were back at the dock.
"When are we going to fish again?".
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