The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Last week I took my 2.5 year old daughter out to a friend's pond where she "caught" her first couple fish with the new fly rod my wife got her for Father's Day. She didn't do the casting or the hooking, but she did feel the fish on the rod and we looked at the couple of bluegill we got in a bucket for a while. She seemed as interested as a 2.5 year old can really be in fly fishing. We kept it short, 20 minutes or so and then off for ice cream. It was a lot of fun to see a little spark in her eyes.

We'll see. I'm not pushing too hard. This is my one bite at the apple, so it would be great if she'd be a fishing buddy.



B-

That is awesome!

Brings back memories. I helped my daughter with her "first" fish. I may have out done ya on the outfit. It was a 5 wt Powell rod with a Hardy reel. OK....It was mine.

I also hooked the fish but let her bring it in.

She was about three. We were at Hat Creek and she was sporting her smurf under-ware and some snow boots. (We always let her dress herself...part of teaching her to make her own decisions.) The picture is awesome. The grin on her face while holding her fish is to die for. I posted it on the board several years ago. Not sure where it is now.

For years she wasn't too much into fishing. And she would get upset with me for releasing fish. Her grandpa, who she got to spend lots of time with, would bring them home and cook them. She thought that was a much better idea. She actually cried one time when she saw me release a fish.

But now she is 31 years old. Both she and her husband love fly fishing.

That first fish may have been like planting a seed. I took some time to germinate. But now it yields tons of fruit.

I hope yours does the same.

Great Job Bjorn. Keep up the good work.

Dustin

Yeah, I hope it is something she grows to enjoy. Seems a tricky thing to transfer the passion of the parents to the child. I look forward to our next outing.

B-

Very nice!

My daughter wasn't much older than yours is when she caught her first trout. However...I have to confess...it was with BAIT! She's almost 15 now, and still likes to catch a few now and then (using the dreaded "B word", flies being "too hard." But I haven't given up hope yet. I'm glad you're starting her young and with a more "refined" method of angling. She'll be posting about it on her Facebook before you know it.

Cheers!

--FlyGuy (Dave)

Yeah, since I'm a stay-at-home dad now I get to brainwash her all I want. One of my proudest moments was when she was on the potty in the bathroom early on in potty training and she grabbed a fly fishing travel catalog, opened it up, pointed to a fish and said "Rooster Fish." That's what it was. That's my girl!

She also recognizes bonefish, trout and tarpon. Nice.

B-

Congrats Bjorn. Precious memories. Next thing you know she'll be stealing all your fly tying material to tie her own flies, then she'll want to borrow the car to go fishing!

My daughter caught first fish on bait many years ago, and has fly fished a very few times, and has now grown up and headed off to college. I got to take her out last summer in Sunriver and we fished the Deschutes and had a good time. A few fish were caught, but the memories were golden. Treasure every day you get to spend on the water with her!

I plan on using travel as a way to bribe her into fishing... the Bahamas, Montana, Florida, Wyoming... some good places to go see.

This same strategy didn't work so well on my wife, but I have a better chance with Anna, I think.

B-

"Yeah, I hope it is something she grows to enjoy. Seems a tricky thing to transfer the passion of the parents to the child".


Hey Bjorn,

I'm going thru this with my 12 yr old son right now. TRYING to transfer my addiction. He's
very into skateboarding...lives it, breaths it, competes a little. He always says he thinks
fly fishing is boring, dumb etc. But, when I take him to a few of my favorite sierra lakes where the
action is fast and furious, he enjoys it very much. I think that's the key. If the catching
is slow, he gets bored quickly and complains.

Oh and GETTING him to go can be a pain in the butt. If he knows we are fishing in several
days, all i hear is, "I don't wanna go"..."why do I have to go?" blah blah. But I know he
will have fun once we get there.

I really hope as he gets older that he takes to fishing. Such a great way to build a
strong bond, especially when camping is thrown in the mix

Eric

PS: I also realize that I am dealing with a 7th grader and all the joy that comes
with that. Lol. Perhaps he will grow to love it in his high school or college years.

Hey Eric, I'd look at getting some of those new videos... like Fish Eye... showing him This is Fly... the have that kind of skater/snow boarder look that might appeal. If it feels like something old men do, he'll be less into it, I'm guessing... that means keeping him away from fly fishing clubs until he gets the bug. No offense to fly fishing clubs, but the average age does not tend to make kids feel like they are being hip, ya know?

There are a whole host of young guys out there who are pretty cool/hip/trend setters... the whole Fish Bum persona, even if it's manufactured and a bit/a lot fake, would seem to appeal to that age.

I dunno... worth a shot. Hope it works... might be something he moves into as he starts to appreciate wilderness and solitude. Wasn't really until my early 20's that it sprung on me, despite the fact I grew up in Dunsmuir.

B-

Bjorn,

That's a great idea. Those Trout Bum videos are pretty cool from Patagonia
and New Zealand. No stuffed shirts there.

Exposure to young guys his age who fly fish would probably seal the deal.
But chillin' with Dad isn't always fun and cool. lol

I agree wholeheartedly. When you are young everything is about stimulation,
excitement, go go go. Oh, and now girls. I think he will be
more interested when he gets a bit older and experiences the outdoors more.

Or perhaps his first steelhead! That'll get his juices flowing. That's what
sold me...my first half pounder on the American River kicked my a$$. Hand
me the dripline and hook me up. I'm addicted

Eric

Eric,

You might also check out the Sierra Fly Fisher Series. They have one on the Golden Trout Wilderness with Guy Jeans. Pretty good video and not an old geezer...

Dustin