I was blessed. lucky, spoiled, whatever you want to call it growing up spending my summers in Montana. My Grandma stocked coolers full of goodies, loaded us up almost every day and took us to the lake. My Grandpa dedicated the nicest days to pulling us on tubes behind the boat for endless hours, and teaching us how to fish. We ice fished, we trolled, we fished for perch, for rainbow, for salmon, and usually for cutthroat. My brothers and I were young when we learned how to cast, reel, and gut our own fish. We were young when we experienced both the thrill of watching that bobber sink under and the pride of eating the fish we caught for dinner, even though Grandma was the one who cooked it to perfection. (incase you were wondering, my favorite is still with butter, onion, and garlic salt wrapped in tin foil over the campfire.)
So, taking my kid fishing is a big deal to me. I want him to have those memories and feel the same excitement that I did as a kid. I want him to remember the conversations he had with Nate while they sat there uninterrupted, feet and lines in the water.
At 3 years old, patience is not exactly an age appropriate skill. Fishing is a test of patience most places, but not where we took him the other day. On Monday, we took Eldon to PineGrove Pond to test it out, test out the casting skills he has been working on, and see how he liked fishing. If you haven't been there, GO. Especially if you have young ones. The land was very generously donated by a family to be utilized as a family fishing pond. The pond itself is beautifully landscaped, the entire area is quiet and beautiful and the fish are biting something fierce. We just kept reeling them in! We were catching small rainbow trout, but heard rumors swirling of an 11 pounder that came out of there a few weeks ago. (You know how fishing tales go, I can't exactly be quoted or quote anybody on that one.)
Eldon was so excited to reel in fish after fish and not so excited once he got them out of the water. Something about a slimy, floppy, live animal that made him uneasy....but even though he couldn't hide his nerves, he was absolutely fascinated. He would carefully inch toward the fish and try to help Nate get the hook out. He would stare without blinking after we threw it back and announce to us when it finally swam away. He counted out three salmon eggs and handed them to us one by one as we baited his hook. (Those fishing with worms were not having the same kind of luck-just a tip!)
The fact that we now have this lovely little gem of a fishing hole is a perfect excuse to take your kid fishing or even go sit alone for awhile! Watching the osprey plunge into the water and successfully fly away with dinner clenched in their talons is worth the trip alone. We saw alot of succesful birds while we were there too.
Anybody can fish there with the appropriate license, but it's catch and release. Kids 15 and under are allowed to keep one fish each.
To get there, turn on Rose Crossing and look for the new brown FWP signs, turn at that road and follow it down to the pond.
A HUGE thank you to the lovely family that found the benefits of taking your kids fishing great enough to donate such a generous portion of their own land. PLEASE be aware of that when you go. This is such a great opportunity for our kids, I would hate to see it lost because people can't clean up after themselves or behave responsibly.
So GO! Take your kids fishing!!! Take pics and send them to liveandloveinmt@gmail.com. :) I would love to start fun posts featuring your adventure photos!
