Finding time to go fishing can be difficult, but reward can be great
For many parents, September is a wonderful time of year. Why? For starters, school is now in session. The youngsters are now out of the house and in the classroom. Mom and dad can relax for a few hours each day knowing their children are sitting snuggly behind a desk. However, many parents know the days of peace and quiet will be short lived.
Soccer practice, football games, track meets, basketball, school clubs, school plays, Christmas pageants, cross-country running, swimming and a whole host of other school activities place great demands on your child’s free time, not to mention your own. In between the sports and clubs, there are homework assignments and book reports. Fishing, as usual, will take a backseat to a host of other school activities.
In many households, organized team sports have replaced treasured parent/child fishing outings. However, the new school schedule does not mean that family fishing trips have to be a thing of the past. By following a few simple guidelines, you can ensure that both you and your children will continue to have many fun adventures on the water.
First and foremost, make a pledge with your children to take them fishing at least once a month during the school year. Even if the trip is only a couple of hours, it is worth the effort. Those few hours will enable you to talk to your child about school and life issues. It also keeps the sport alive within their young hearts.
Although there can be two major problems with keeping this promise – weather and dwindling daylight hours to be exact – there are solutions. And with some clever thinking and careful planning, parents can work around these problems.
Maximize weekend recreational opportunities
Daylight Savings Time ends in October. When the clock turns back, we find that the sunset comes rather quickly. On the East Coast, it gets dark as early as 5 p.m. during December. Consequently, with the early sunset limiting many afternoon fishing opportunities, your fishing trips may become limited to weekend jaunts.
To fulfill your fishing pledge, plan ahead for the weekend and choose a block of time for the fishing trip. Try not to pick a morning outing because children sometimes like to sleep late to rest up from their school adventures. In the fall and winter, the mornings can also be cold, which could make fishing somewhat uncomfortable. Besides, most weekend sporting events occur between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and leave little time for morning fishing trips.
The better fishing choice is in the afternoon from 3 p.m. to sunset. In the afternoon, the air temperature is usually warmer and the winds often die down as the day fades. Fish also tend to be more active in the afternoons as they take advantage of the sun’s warmth and increased insect and baitfish activity.
Unfortunately, you will find one major drawback to weekend afternoons. Highly scheduled children get tired after a day of team sports. And they get cranky, especially when the fish aren’t cooperating. Parents really need to be aware of this issue when planning fishing trips. When cranky children are “forced” to fish, they can develop a dislike for the sport. That dislike is far worse than not taking a child fishing at all!
Plan your schedule carefully to avoid this problem. Don’t plan a fishing trip after a doubleheader baseball game. Pick days when the sports schedule is light. Though this may be difficult, you should be able to find at least one day each month where you can whisk your child away without interfering with the team sport schedule.
One word of caution: Never use the reward system for a fishing trip. Several times, I’ve heard parents explaining to their youngsters that after a fishing trip, they would stop for pizza or some other dinner treat. That bribe instantly takes your child’s attention away from fishing. For the next several hours you will be inundated with the questions like “When are we going to eat?”
Instead, make the pizza dinner a surprise. Don’t even tell your young fishing buddy that you are stopping for pizza until you are back in the car. Kids love surprises like that. And a surprise dinner after fishing makes the trip a more pleasurable affair.
Overcoming the weather
Autumn and winter weather can wreak havoc on fishing plans. With your tight schedule, a rainy or snowy day can easily doom a monthly fishing trip. Don’t despair. Work around the weather with some indoor fishing activities.
One of the best activities is a visit to an aquarium. Most states have an aquarium within relatively easy driving distance. If the nearest aquarium is outside of your allotted travel time, go visit a pet shop or the pet department in Wal-Mart. Both stores sell live tropical fish that will amuse your child. If you are so inclined, purchase a small aquarium and set up your own indoor fishpond.
Another option is to visit one of your state’s fish hatcheries. Hatcheries typically raise trout, walleye, pike, salmon and bass. Since most stocking activities occur in the spring, the hatcheries usually are loaded with fish during the autumn season. The rainy day can turn bright when the youngster sees the numbers and sizes of fish he or she will someday catch. The hatchery trip will also reinforce the conservation ethic as the tour guide discusses fish habitat and fish ecology.
Of course, snowy days make traveling a logistical headache. In most cases, you simply must grin and bear it. Somehow, sleigh riding beats ice fishing. That is okay as long as you sleigh ride together. Your fishing trips were set not only to keep the sport alive, but also to provide you and your children with quality time together. So, make the most of whatever time you can wrench away from the busy school schedule.