When I was 7 years old, I was riding my skateboard down the street, when I saw a fish hook in the gutter, all rusty and sharp – the best of combinations. I didn’t think much of it but on the way home, I stopped and picked it up.
We had a koi pond in the back yard about the size of a very large jacuzzi and at that age I had been known to take a relaxing dip on occasion. It was complete with a huge lava rock waterfall and multi-colored flood lights for night time entertaining. What would you expect, it was Hawaii in the late 70’s after all!
I grabbed my butterfly net which had a long bamboo handle and removed the net – I don’t need no stinkin’ net, I’ve got a hook! After carefully tying it to the pole with some monofilament I procured from the seam of one of my Mom’s chaise lounge cushions, I stuck a piece of bread on the hook. Now there were 6 koi in that pond and I fished for hours catching fish after fish. Each one seemed bigger than the last. Truth be told, I was probably just catching the 2 or 3 dumbest fish over and over again. It didn’t matter to me, I was smokin’ hot at my new past time.
Over the years my passion grew to include deep sea fishing and when I was in my early 20’s, fly fishing, which become somewhat of an obsession. It’s taken me to some of the most beautiful places in the country, limestone streams in England and Wales and tumbling turquoise streams deep in the Bavarian alps.
So take your kids fishing during national fishing week, June 1 through June 9. Virginia’s designated Free Fishing Days are June 7,8 and 9 – no license necessary! Have a ton of fun with them and you never know, it just might lead to adventures and fish tales.
About Christa Donohue