Image by Old Shoe Woman via Flickr
I don’t fish!
You have probably figured out that this Coot is no fisherman. My Dad tried to develop my love for fishing. He got fishing rods and spinning reels and he would take my brothers and me down to the pond from time to time. It didn’t take. I don’t know it if was not catching many fish that kept me from developing fishing fever or maybe it was that my father never seemed very committed himself. Somehow, fishing just never caught my fancy. If I planned to spend a day staring at the water, I would much rather not be distracted by casting a line and reeling it back in.
Justin fishes!
Whenever the pressures of his responsibilities weigh too heavily, he finds a way to shove them aside and go fishing. Even during his day to day stay at home Dad duties, it seems that Justin can squeeze in a little fishing diversion and he is always eager to share his love of fishing with his kids. It seems to be working because his four year old is now eager to teach the baby how to fish. It seems that those apples just don’t fall very far from the tree in the Matthews household.
Successful fishing has consequences.
I just never saw the pleasure in fishing. I remember that on one of my infrequent successful experiences that the joy of actually catching a fish quickly dimmed when I discovered that I was expcted to skin and clean the darn thing – and then eat it. This was a big overload for an over-sensitive youngster. My killer instict was undeveloped in those days and the idea of killing and eating a harmless fish made me anxious and inclined to vegetarianism.
My apples rolled away.
My sons through no influence on my part, love to fish. I took them fishing on occasion both at lakes near our house and at the pond where I fished as a child. I didn’t do it for love of fishing, it was because I was trying to be a good dad. Despite my influence (or maybe because of it) my older son now goes deep sea fishing often and my younger son wants to emulate him when he has the funds. I may give it a try myself because it seems a big improvement over the land based fishing I know. As I understand, you just get on the boat and then they take you where the fish are and give you the equipment. You fish and drink beer with the other fishermen (male bonding), When you catch something, the crew cleans and packages it for you to take home and it looks just like you bought it at the store. Perfect!
Maybe it’s time for a change-up.
Maybe I need to work a deep sea fishing trip into my schedule this spring, I could bond with my younger son, look good to my older one and score some points on the hunter-gatherer scorecard from my wife. Or I could just think about it while I stand on the shore like an idiot.
There’s more to fishing than just yanking hapless life forms out of their natural environment, by tempting them with fake food that in reality conceals sharp, barbed hooks. Fishing is just the excuse a man sometimes needs to get the hell out of the house, away from the wife, and just hang out with a Buddie, wiling away the time with beer drinking and bullshitting.
Hansi,
Thanks for the insight. I always thought it was about the fish.
Leaving the family on shore and spending hours alone in a boat is priceless….
Go fishing Ralph, just do it. You can always catch and release but hook ’em and cook ’em is more cantankerous. My wife has issues cleaning fish but she likes catching them. I made a deal with her 18 years ago, she cleans at least one fish and I will clean the rest. She cleaned 1 fish in August of 1993 and I have covered the rest. maybe your son should do something with you like that, you pay for the beer and he cleans the fish. My sons are going to clean their own fish but I will make the deal with my daughters that Ihave with the wife, clean one and know how to do it and I will do the rest. The same goes for oil changes and brake repair.
Justin,
Want to adopt me?
Only if I can call you Grandpa…. Seriously, if you ever come to Utah we’ll go fishing