Spent a day out at Brownlee res with the kids fishing this weekend. Couple of boys and a 11 year old girl. So how many of you have had something like this happen. The boys are pretty much all over it. Complaining at each other non-stop- "your in my spot" , "I want the front of the boat" , " get closer to shore". The girl says nothing, stands there holding her pole. About the time I forgot she was even back there. she says " dad , I got something".. I go to the back of the jet boat and her pole has a pretty good bend in it. I figure its a O.K sized small mouth. She reels and reels and reels.. wants me to take the pole.. " nope, you hooked it you reel it"... up to the surface comes a 16 inch crappie... now dad wants the pole real bad.. he has been looking for one of those his whole life. He knows how easy these things come off and the way she is standing there cranking away.. it surley will.. Get the net !!! I scamble for it. Before I can make the move she has hoisted the thing up and its flopping on the fish deck. " is it a keeper dad" ... " Uh, yes it is honey".. " Can I have some grapes ".... Sure, go ahead.

The boys are flabber gasted then hostile.. " You got lucky".. " I want the back of the boat" ... on and on.. All she wants is some grapes and maybe a pop.

We head back home and when we get to the ramp I have her take it down to the fish cleaning station where there is an assortment of old men filleting the days catch. She walks down there and pretty soon is in the center of a mob scene... " My god girl, lemmie hold that thing !!!, Frank, run and get my camera"... They all wanna know how I did I catch it. " Pretty easy, just stand at the back of the boat and don't complain".. I know its no 20 pound steelhead, and I have caught a couple dozen of those. But I have never seen a 16 inch crappie.

I WISH I CAUGHT IT !!!

Better than catching it yourself is watching your kids. Those are moments to charish for a lifetime. Its aways more exciting to watch my little girl catch fish no matter how big than to catch a big one myself.

she wil be able to hold that over the boys head the rest of there lifes!

My 5 month old had her first fishing derby and fish a couple of weeks ago. I cant wait until she can real one in herseslf!!

Robyns

I wish I could of seen her face down at the cleaning station!!!

Good job Dad
I can hear it now,And who caught the biggest fish,not you boys.

Awe, them are the good ol storys I like to hear. I would sure like to see a picture of that!

Way to go Dad! Moments like that will be a lifetime of memories..

Get them hooked early and you surely have a fishing partner for life.

My daughter gets pretty upset when I don't take her...

Gotta Love it. Took the kids to a pond down in Lanesboro Minnesota for a crack at some trout that are occasionally stocked. Figured the fish were a little line shy, so I spliced on some 2 pound leader, a tiny float, and size 10 hook for a little garden hackle and power bait. Cast out the four rods for the kids and went up to the picnic table to get the rest of my tackle. Turned around and three of the four were in to fish. My three year old son, 5 year old daughter, and ten year old daughter were heavily engaged in battle. My eight year old girl was bent out of shape because she had cracked hers off. In a little over two hours, we caught 19 trout. It was an absolute classic given the fact that 8 or 9 other families were trying to catch trout, and they all bombed out. Tried helping them out, but their gear was too heavy to hit further away from shore where the fish were.

Ultimate highlight of trip was my youngest girl telling a little boy " your Dad must not know much about fishing". It even got better when my 10 year old said " Yeah, but I bet your Dad is home on the weekend, instead of fishing". Ouch. Dam those kids, sure have it all figured out.