MaryJanesFarm | Simply MJ

May 2, 2003

Gone Fishin’

MaryJane has gone fishin'. Emil, MaryJane's 19-year-old son, wrote today's column. Photo taken by Emil's buddy, Zac Sexton. Emil and Zac are currently single and good with kids.

Spring has finally arrived. Flowers are starting to bloom, trees are budding, the days are longer and gorgeous girls are jogging in spandex. It's that time of year. Guys and gals around the country are abandoning their garage cleaning chores and sneaking out the back door, loading up the rig and goin' fishin'.

Can you remember the first time you went fishing? I'll bet you still remember the first fish you ever caught, landing it with little skill, standing next to someone who patiently helped you reel it in. Now is the chance to return the favor. Mark a weekend, invite a kid or two and post a "gone fishing" sign. Now is the chance to teach a relaxing, rewarding sport to an eager little youngster, who, if taught right, will be forever imbedded with the fishing bug.

Make it fun. If you wear the kid out trying too hard to catch fish, it will seem more like a chore than a sport. If the little squirt wants to swim, catch frogs or have a spitting contest, then by all means, let him do it. Better yet, do it with him. Always make the appropriate noises and pretend you're having a blast even after you've given your charge the hundredth human horse ride around a lake. If the day is fun, he'll associate fishing with fun.

Catch fish. Pick a place close by so the kids don't get bored on the drive. Look in the yellow pages for places that sell stock fish; they might let you pay to fish, and catching a fish at those places is pretty much guaranteed. Let your young buddies land the fish but help them enough so they don't lose it, because that is super frustrating. In most states, kids under 16 don't need a license but it varies from state to state, so check it out first. Contact Idaho Fish and Game at 1-800-554-8685, www2.state.id.us/fishgame or Washington Fish and Wildlife at 1-866-246-9453, www.wa.gov/wdfw.

Go prepared. Pack the night before and don't expect the young'uns to help much. Pack all the essentials to make it fun, easy and safe. If you're going in a boat, have them try on their life jacket before you leave, making sure all the belts and buckles work. Pack games and something for playing catch. It sucks, but you should be ready for rain. Pack lots of food and good sweet snacks they normally don't get to eat at home, like gummy worms, sunflower seeds and jerky chew. Remember to include good strong sunscreen and a first aid kit.

Always be patient. If they see you freak out, cussing every time you get a knot in your line, it catches on something or a fish breaks loose, they'll do the same thing. Don't push them too hard. If they don't want to put the worm on a hook, don't make them do it. Instead, put a worm on your hook. Once they see you yanking fish out of the water with a worm they'll ask to use one too. That's when you tell them the worm they're using has to have the scent of their own hands before a fish will agree to get caught by them.

Praise them. If they don't really like to do a particular part of fishing, tell them they're really good at it. My Mom remembers she didn't like cleaning out her fish afterwards when she was a kid. So her Dad and Mom, at every given opportunity, said to friends and neighbors, "MaryJane cleans fish better than anyone we've ever seen. She has real talents along those lines." My Mom says she took on bragging rights for her superhuman gutting fish abilities, and from then on cleaned everybody's fish.

Teach a tyke the art of pike. Let them release the fish if you're not going to keep it. Don't let them throw it back into the water. Show them how to be gentle with it. Have them hold it under water and slowly move water through its gills before they let it go. If they keep some fish, teach them how to cook it. My mom has a great recipe and when you buy her next magazine, you'll find it there.

If you teach a kid early on to respect the water and the fish they're catching, then it'll remain an unspoiled and available escape for others down the road. The exaggerated sizes of the fish they catch will probably never change - fun kid stuff on into adulthood. Years later, they'll still come home dirty and smelly, tired and happy.

Send your questions to MaryJane Butters, c/o MaryJanesFarm, 1000 Wild Iris Lane, Moscow, Idaho, 83843. Questions may also be e-mailed to maryjane@maryjanesfarm.org. Please include your name and daytime telephone number. For more information, visit www.maryjanesfarm.org


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