Took Coop down to the ol’ backyard late yesterday evening for a quick plug pulling session and he managed to go 2 for 2 on small steelies, the first two of his young steelheading career. Not the biggest fish in terms of weight, but so huge in other ways!
I knew there were decent numbers of these little “egg-eater” size fish around and I figured they’d be the perfect size for a 4-year-old. Though the little fish were pretty scrappy on kokanee rods, the little dude was able to crank ’em in all by himself. He was stoked! But not nearly as much as dad…
We were only out for an hour and the problem now is convincing him you don’t catch a couple steelies every time out!
The Kid’s First Striper
Took the kid out the other night for a quickie 1-hour (that’s about all a 4-year-old can handle) fishing mission on the river to dunk some sardines. It was a beautifully cool August evening, just dad and the monkey. On the first cast, his little rod doubles over and the fight is on! I have to hold the back of his lifejacket as the scrappy striper is determined to yank the kid over the side. It all looks like a scene from one of those long range tuna boats…rod pinned to the rail and the angler grunting as he struggles to lift the fish from the depths.
A moment or two later, I heaved the 15 incher, Coop’s first-ever striper, aboard. Judging by that grin, it might as well been 50 pounds! You should have seen my smile…
Coop’s Shad
Okay, so indulge me here…I just have to be a proud papa here for a minute. Coop, who’s coming up on his third birthday, got out fishing with dad the other morning on the American River and caught his very fish (non-handed off)…an American shad.
Though we had some break-off issues with the Snoopy outfit and its worthless pre-spooled line earlier, The Kid managed to land this fish…and then thoughtfully released it.
For dad, it just doesn’t get any better…
The Natural’s turning 2!
It’s hard to believe, but my little dude Coop is about to have his second birthday. We celebrated the big day in style a little early with a little old-school bluegill fishing at a local park pond.
Four-pound test, a No. 12 hook and some Wonder Bread…yep, that’s how we roll…
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