===========================
Dateline 06/22/98
Just in time for Father's Day, Bryan Hurley explains the feelings every father should have and realizes some things are more important than catching fish.
Fishing With My Three Year Old
Bryan Hurley
Last Friday, an event happened that will change the way I fish forever. My three year old son Fletcher, looked me square in the eye and said, "Daddy, I want to go fishing with you." The first thing I thought of was how could I get out of this. After all there was no way I was going to have any fun, or catch any fish with a three year old along for the ride. Jane, my life partner assured me that everything would be Ok and said indeed I was taking him with me.
I decided to take Fletcher to a lake where there was a sure thing trout bite going on, figuring no matter what else, we would at least catch a couple of fish. As I sat on the shore and watched my young son throw every rock he could find into the lake, and chase the ducks, and pull the heads off the worms, I realized how much more there was to a fishing trip then just catching fish. I wound up my line and put down my rod and followed him into the field to chase the rabbit he had just spotted. The rest of the day was spent playing and answering questions like, "Why are worms squishy? and Why do fish live in the lake instead of houses?"
We did not catch any fish that day and it did not matter. When it came time to go home, Fletcher asked me if we could go fishing again tomorrow. I said yes of course, knowing that I now have a new lifetime fishing partner. There will be plenty of days in the future to refine his fishing technique and to teach him about conservation and safely and all the other skills he will need to learn. For now there are more worms to pull the heads off of.
