When Grampa puts ya on the Smallies

[FinsnFur]

[Hawks Feather]

Grandpa, she has really grown. But I am glad that she still likes to fish with you.

[Okanagan]

GREAT picture!  Dandy fish and a girl to be proud of.  Love the freckles!

[FinsnFur]

Shes been wanting to go bass fishing for a couple years. The fact that her Mom still loves to Bass fish with me, helps feed her interest.
She would get upset when I would send Katie pics of my of kayak trips and shes constantly whining that she wants top go bass fishing with Grampa.
Last year I upgraded her panfish rod to a short Bass rod and one day I took her shore fishing to a few spots I thought she'd undoubtedly get a dink bass or two. But she struggled with the reel, she struggled with casting and she would really get upset if I caught one while standing next her.
I figured the best thing here is for me to not fish and just work with her.
I found myself getting really frustrated and without thinking made a few comments along the lines of, "Grampa needs you to learn this before I die because no one else is going to show ya how I want you to learn it".
And...Grampas not going to be around forever, Itd be nice to know you can do these things before I go.

When I took her back home that evening, I got back home (3 hour round trip)  just in time for a phone call from Katie. And she was chewing my ass like a step Dad. Screamin at me though the phone.
Apparently Sydney went in crying saying that she didnt want Grampa to die.
I had me a mess to deal with LOL!

So yah...fast forward to this past weekend. She was already harpin to go. Grampas catching them and shes seeing the pics, so away we go.
She's a year older, shes a lil more patient with the rod and reel, and she's not very optimistic due to trying and failing so many times.
I told her where to throw the lure, promising her there would be fish there. Giving her first dibs and all the fail safe spots. She would get strikes but struggled with the hook set and timing.
I kind of wondered down the shore line a bit and let her do her thing. She's getting frustrated and I figured she'd be at ease a bit more without me hanging over her.
All of a sudden she's yells down the shore line to me while she's clutching the base of the rod with both hands, hanging on for dear life..."Grampaaaaa! Oh my god I got one GRAMPA!
I ran down to her and found her hoisting this thing out of the water and gloating over it and I couldn't have been any prouder, not even a little. I was as proud as I could possibly be.
And that look on her face in that picture says, "I told you I could do it Grampa!"
And now she's hooked. Pun intended 

[nastygunz]

My 2 rules when taking a kid fishing or kids, pinch the barb on the hook, take them for a McDonald's drive-through blowout before you bring them home ha ha. Using a bobber also helps them with identifying a bite and setting the hook and also prevents most snags. A 4 inch powerbait worm rigged weedless in black or pumpkinseed under a bobber is deadly on bass. Crawdad/minnow,bobber combo is deadly. YES, live bait still works 🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟

[Okanagan]

Jim, greeaattt read!  Can't overstate how much I enjoyed it.  She is a firecracker, and a competitive one!

And you bet that she is hooked on fishing, especially with you.  You are blessed! 

I was a slow learner with my kids, burned them out a little on some outdoor stuff before I realized that the most important factor in taking a kid is that the kid have a good time, whether we catch anything or shoot anything or not.  My youngest benefitted from mistakes I made with his older brother and sister, and the grandkids have benefitted a LOT.  Golly you are in for some fun times ahead with her!

When my youngest son was 4, we called a huge coyote in to about 30 feet in snow and killed it. He was hooked.  Since then till now in his 50's, he is the best calling partner I've ever had. He takes me now.  He is patient, sits still like no one else, and is always expecting a critter to show up.

[Okanagan]

Just looked at that picture again.  That is a fabulous photo!

[Todd Rahm]

That's awesome Jim!!! The grow so fast. It seems like yesterday your kid were that age.

She has a dandy of a fish too!!!!