6 or 8 lb mono...

After the threads that I've read here about taking kids fishing, I'm reminded of when I was a kid and my Dad taking me fishing. I don't remember my first fish or what type of rod I was using, which was probably a cane pole and worms, or the first place I fished at. What I do remember are days spent fishing Shoal Creek, Laurel Hill Lake and VFW Lake, the latter two being managed by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Another thing I remember is seeing how many fish my Dad caught on those Barr-Nun poppers and the day I got my first fly rod and reel.

I had wanted to do it for some time and I couldn't have been much more than 7 or 8 when my Dad sent me to town with my Mom to do some shopping. He told her to go ahead and buy me a fly rod and reel outfit. Well the choices were slim. K-Mart or Wal-Mart. So I picked one out at K-Mart. The brand I don't remember.

When we got back home, I showed it to my Dad almost immediately to get his approval of my choice. He picked it up and said, "Boy, your arm is gonna get tired holding this thing." He told me recently, when I asked about it, that it was a very long rod. Apparently it was heavy too, and I remember that as well. But I learned to cast on that thing and it did it's job.

The line had no leader between it and the tippet and the tippet was probably some 6 or 8 lb test monofilament. When I learned to cast I started doing other things with it such as rolling the line in a sideways action to move the fly a few feet to the left or right. Mostly right since I was right handed.

Once while I was in mid back cast, I was stopped by another boat passing between us and where we were casting. The line settled on the water behind us and the biggest bluegill I had ever seen (keep in mind things are bigger when you're that age) snatched that little popper and ran. I was dumbfounded and had no idea what to do since I had never caught a fish backward before. My Dad told me to reel it in (automatic reel) and cheered me on! Eventually the slack was taken up and I got the monster bluegill in the boat. I was impressed, but I still wanted to catch a big bass.

I didn't get many chances after that to fly-fish and mostly stuck with spin-rods in the creek and pond near my house. Eventually I gave it up and the rod and reel disappeared and no one has seen it since. Surely I didn't drop it in the lake, though I have been known to do that.

I gave it up completely until 2003 when a trip to Pagosa Springs, Colorado sparked the interest in me again. My Dad remembered to bring his fly equipment which consisted of his rod, reel, and a few flies. He got his "tippet" which was mono from a local store. I bought an open face spin reel from the same store seeing as how they were lacking in the fly section.

We went to the East Fork River ( I think that's what it is) and I caught my first and only trout there. I hadn't fished in a long time up to that point and was surprised when a small rainbow hit the rooster tail I was tossing about and reeling in. It got something started again.

On the way back to Tennessee, a little stop-over in Memphis at the Bass Pro yielded a 7'6" 4wt St. Croix and a Pflueger Automatic reel. I didn't use it until 2 years later, when I just had the need to get outside and explore Shoal Creek like I used to. I enjoyed the scenery and wildlife and that was the main reason I was there. I got everything set up on my fly rod and reel and started wading upstream. Stripping the line off the reel and casting it, began to bring back how I used to do it at Laurel Hill. After several tries and a few colorful phrases after piling the line up on the back of my head, I got it right again.

I was able to get the little popper to lay out fairly well, especially since I had no leader and my tippet was.... 6 or 8 lb mono. I started bringing in small bluegill and bass left and right. Eventually, I made up to a fairly deep hole right below a faster flowing part of the creek. It's about 3/4 mile from my house. I decided to try a few casts there and came back with some rock bass, bluegill and some other small bass. I would cast upstream and let the popper float down, then re-cast upstream again. I did this several times and then something happened.

My fly just disappeared below the water, leaving very few ripples and kept sinking. It was being pulled up-stream at that. I gave the rod a little tug and the line kept sinking. I started to pull against it and it rose a little and went down again. I pulled harder and then the mono snapped. My heart was pounding and I was left there with a pile of fly line floating around me. That, is what re-hooked me.

I have been back there every year since looking for this fish that snatches poppers and hides at the bottom of that hole of water. It could be a catfish, but that's all I know of here that would go straight to the bottom like that. Since then I have pulled numerous bluegill, bass and rock bass out of that creek and released them. I've landed a 3lb spotted bass and also a few minnows and darters on some tiny copper johns.

So now I'm an addict and fish even when the fish aren't biting. I'll spend hours wading that creek up and down, without food, just enjoying being there, watching the wildlife, and looking for a shady spot with a few bluegill. So hopefully when someone introduces a kid to fishing, it will stick with them and give them a love for the outdoors. Even if they seem to lose interest for a while, a nostalgic moment may kick in and start something. I am very grateful that my Dad introduced me to it as soon as he did.

Joe -

A very enjoyable way to start my Sunday. Thanks.

John

Thanks John! I enjoy reading everyone's stories on here (true or not) and I thought I would share mine. I remember those days on Laurel Hill like it was yesterday. Me, my Dad and brother, and maybe my Mom and sister. Just cruising right along in a Grumman Jon Boat. Mostly it was me and my Dad though.

That was a great story thanks for sharring it.