ANNETTE BOOSE
Guest Blogger
Unseasonably warm weather this past November afforded my husband and me the opportunity to take our 2-year-old granddaughter, Wren, on a fishing expedition. We chose Schrock Lake at Sharon Woods because it is close to our home and it has really nice large docks from which to fish.
Wren had no idea what it meant to go fishing. We told her that we wanted to take her, and that it would be fun, and so of course she was up for an adventure. We gathered up our gear, which consisted of a vintage kid-sized fishing pole that our daughter used when she was a toddler. We also took some spare hooks, a couple of bobbers, and a nail clipper in case we needed to cut the line. We stopped at a local bait shop for wax worms; choosing them over night crawlers for their manageable size and because they aren’t as messy as the latter.
It was a beautiful day and the park was still adorned with fall color both in the trees and amongst the prairies. The sun was shining and there was an abundance of waterfowl on and around the lake. This was Wren’s first fishing trip and to say she was excited would be an understatement. We explained to her how the fishing pole worked and that the hooks are sharp. Grandpa actually baited the hook for safety reasons but Wren was fascinated as he explained how wax worms attract the fish. Grandpa showed her how to cast the line and wind it back onto the reel.
Grandpa caught a very small large-mouth bass with the first cast, which was fortunate for demonstration purposes, so Wren could actually understand the outcome of the fishing process. She was excited to touch the fish and learned that we release it unharmed back into the water. A few minutes later Wren caught her first fish. It was a colorful bluegill and the perfect size for her first catch. She was deep in concentration as she reeled it onto the dock, and squealed with glee upon closer inspection. There is nothing more satisfying than witnessing the sheer delight of your grandchild realizing an accomplishment and enjoying a hobby that you also enjoy. Wren wanted to keep fishing so we fished for a total of an hour and then went to the playground.
Fishing is a wonderful life-long skill for kids to acquire. Grandpa and I have been fishers since we were kids and have enjoyed the activity with family and friends. Fishing fosters a child’s confidence, curiosity, independence, and immerses them in the outdoors. As you can see in one of the photos; we got an up-close view of a mallard and some geese as they flew toward us on their journey across the lake.
Fishing in the Metro Parks enables you to try out a new activity with your child without having to invest a lot of time driving somewhere to fish. Fishing is an activity that can be done in all four seasons as long as you dress appropriately for the weather. Toddlers tend to have a short attention span and when the child’s attention wanes you then have access to other activities such as having a picnic (our parents took us on winter picnics), walking the trails, attending a program or playing on the playground to keep them entertained. Fishing at Sharon Woods is catch and release for children up to age 16. An adult is permitted to assist.