Not every Dad can say that his brood enjoy coming out for a fish with him, especially when they might be 15 and usually enjoy things like sleep overs and shopping.
I can't believe how many previous fishing trips with my girls have ended up very ordinary. Try as I might, either it was too hot, or one of them got seasick, or no fish wanted to play ball, and the boredom would set in. The question every father dreads to hear - " When are we going home??" I must give them credit, of late, the poor things tended to just lay their heads on whatever was available - the dashboard, Mum's shoulder, the side of the canopy....while Dad would be frantically sorting out tangles, rebaiting and trying to keep as many lines in the water - Long after the Kids had given up and would prefer to be anywhere else but in a small boat and an increasingly grumpy father who only wants one thing, for the kids to catch a decent fish.
Today was a perfect opportunity to turn things around, and hopefully spend some quality time with my 15YO daughter Kelly. Yesterday, it seems, I was changing nappies and burping her on my knee. Today, I attempted yet again, to give her a memorable trip out with her father. I am running out of time! Here she is, 15, and only caught one other decent fish in her life, a Mackeral while jigging for live bait. ( that's another story)
To be honest, I thought a relaxed approach was in order, I would take her for a sight see around Peel if that's all she wanted, but a little more inspiration was coming from her best friend who has been begging for a trip out with us, because she loves fishing. Not this trip unfortunately.
What a perfect day!! The stage was set, I gave her my best Dropshot plastics Rod, set everything up perfectly, by 8.00am she had boated 1 x 38cm, 1x 42cm snapper, a Cod, a sweetlip, and heaps of throwbacks.....but we only kept 4 snaps for the table...... And 2 steamtrains that did not slow down in the 10 second fight she had with them. I doubt if I could have done any better. By the 1st unstoppable, she had mastered pulling fish in like a seasoned fisho, so there was simply nothing we could have done.
Awesome!! She could not beleive the strength these fish had, and I think she will be out with me again some time soon.
Scalem