SNOWBANDIT
Active member
When I were a lad - I spent hours messing around our local rivers ,catching in very a rudimentary way ( a long stick, some wire and cut of one of my mums tights ) ,Millers thumbs, the colourful Stickleback, minnows, lampreys - along with crayfish and other insects - in some ponds some fantastic fiery looking newts!
It was all very idyllic - we all tried mostly in vain to catch the monster trout that abounded, nestling as they did in full view behind gentle weaving weed. There was the odd place ( feeder stream) that we could lie down and attempt the old tickle routine, though to varying degrees of success.
Ofttimes I was spellbound by the skill of visiting fly fishermen - who often stalked right along side our school playground ( and NO, there was no fence to keep us away from the bank - brilliant).
Of course being a child,one had no idea that this was a River of legendary status.
I vowed one day to fly fish that childhood river.
Anyway - to cut a long story very short.
I did various fishing over the years, mostly on a River I frequented ( not local) on my pops flotilla of boats and gin palaces, and eventually taught myself from a book how to cast a fly line.
Life happened and I stopped fishing about 17 years ago - my last fish being a trout I caught in a very wind swept lake atop a hill in Devon ( man it was hard work to cast)- I literally just did this to impress my then girlfriend who was over from Moscow ,of my most excellent hunting skills - I gutted and cooked that bad boyin our Tiddy House later that evening just to up the potential hubby credentials - must of worked.
A few years back our lad ( yeah - we made a baby,happens) decided I must teach him fishing ( coarse)- I got 2 of everything as I had nothing left kit wise aside from a tatty box of equally tatty flies.
He did not take to it - we left it 2 years and we tried again to no success, but it was safe to say I had the bug back. I was reminded of how relaxing an activity it was.I can sit for hours just watching a float -I am truly not bothered if I blank.
I sent a few pictures to my eldest son ( of me cradling Common Carp. He reminded me I had never taken him fishing - this was true, and I felt in equal measure both sad and guilty. We have been somewhat estranged over the years.
So I said, anytime, anyplace.
I took him to my favourite little fishery , showed him the rudimentary bits and bobs - and left him to it. I told him, you'll learn quicker by F***ing up.
He had been suffering a little with mental health and life/work balance- nothing serious. But he is slowly going blind and this effected him ( he has injections into his eyeballs - he decided to not let it defeat him. Anyhow - He took to like ......well fish to water.
Like me, he found it so refreshing and relaxing - the great outdoors, seeing his first Kingfisher flash by inches from the end of his rod - and of course, catching his very first fish. A small roach.
We arranged more trips and to other fisheries this year to explore and on the first one, he caught his first carp!! and then 3 more!!
Before we had little to talk about - and now we are in touch regularly - he said it has had a massive effect on his moods. It spurred him to apply for a new job,and he got 2 offers on the same day!! If only I knew earlier that this would be the key to to unlocking our relationship and his mind.
The point of the post? I was thinking of those who post who feel the weight of life hanging heavy, the black dog.
If you Fish and have a friend or relative who maybe be struggling - maybe this could be a way to help.
It was all very idyllic - we all tried mostly in vain to catch the monster trout that abounded, nestling as they did in full view behind gentle weaving weed. There was the odd place ( feeder stream) that we could lie down and attempt the old tickle routine, though to varying degrees of success.
Ofttimes I was spellbound by the skill of visiting fly fishermen - who often stalked right along side our school playground ( and NO, there was no fence to keep us away from the bank - brilliant).
Of course being a child,one had no idea that this was a River of legendary status.
I vowed one day to fly fish that childhood river.
Anyway - to cut a long story very short.
I did various fishing over the years, mostly on a River I frequented ( not local) on my pops flotilla of boats and gin palaces, and eventually taught myself from a book how to cast a fly line.
Life happened and I stopped fishing about 17 years ago - my last fish being a trout I caught in a very wind swept lake atop a hill in Devon ( man it was hard work to cast)- I literally just did this to impress my then girlfriend who was over from Moscow ,of my most excellent hunting skills - I gutted and cooked that bad boyin our Tiddy House later that evening just to up the potential hubby credentials - must of worked.
A few years back our lad ( yeah - we made a baby,happens) decided I must teach him fishing ( coarse)- I got 2 of everything as I had nothing left kit wise aside from a tatty box of equally tatty flies.
He did not take to it - we left it 2 years and we tried again to no success, but it was safe to say I had the bug back. I was reminded of how relaxing an activity it was.I can sit for hours just watching a float -I am truly not bothered if I blank.
I sent a few pictures to my eldest son ( of me cradling Common Carp. He reminded me I had never taken him fishing - this was true, and I felt in equal measure both sad and guilty. We have been somewhat estranged over the years.
So I said, anytime, anyplace.
I took him to my favourite little fishery , showed him the rudimentary bits and bobs - and left him to it. I told him, you'll learn quicker by F***ing up.
He had been suffering a little with mental health and life/work balance- nothing serious. But he is slowly going blind and this effected him ( he has injections into his eyeballs - he decided to not let it defeat him. Anyhow - He took to like ......well fish to water.
Like me, he found it so refreshing and relaxing - the great outdoors, seeing his first Kingfisher flash by inches from the end of his rod - and of course, catching his very first fish. A small roach.
We arranged more trips and to other fisheries this year to explore and on the first one, he caught his first carp!! and then 3 more!!
Before we had little to talk about - and now we are in touch regularly - he said it has had a massive effect on his moods. It spurred him to apply for a new job,and he got 2 offers on the same day!! If only I knew earlier that this would be the key to to unlocking our relationship and his mind.
The point of the post? I was thinking of those who post who feel the weight of life hanging heavy, the black dog.
If you Fish and have a friend or relative who maybe be struggling - maybe this could be a way to help.