INTRODUCTING TEENAGES TO FISHING

[merv]

TOOK MY NEW NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR STEPSON (13YRS)BOY FISHING YESTERDAY IN THE BOAT,HE HAD BEEN WAITING TO TRY OUT HIS NEW ROD SINCE CHRISTMAS HE ONLY HAD A OLD EGGBEATER SO I GAVE IT A CLEAN SPOOLED IT WITH SOME NEW LINE .PUT IN AT NUDGEE BEACH WENT OUT IN THE BAY AND OVER AROUND MUD ISLAND ,WELL HE THOUGHT HE HAD DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN ,WE SEEN 2 SHIPS UP CLOSE A POD OF DOLPHINS A COUPLE OF TURTLES. HE CAUGHT A SHOVELNOSE SHARK SO IT MADE HIS DAY LOOKS LIKE I HAVE A NEW BOAT WASHER.I THING IT GIVES US A REALITY CHECK AS WE TEND TO TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.POOR KID COULD NOT THANK ME ENOUGHT SAID HIS DAD HAD NO TIME TO TAKE HIM AS GOING TO THE PUB WAS MORE IMPORTANT.I THINK I SHOULD BE THE ONE THANKING THE KID.

[agnes_jack]

Good on ya Merv
Should be a lot more encouragement given to kids, and its amazing how well they respond. Could save a lot of em getting into trouble if they just got involved in healthy outdoor activities such as fishing. Once they are hooked it gives them a lifetime hobbie and interest.

Give yourself a big pat on the back mate!
Maybe more of us can make a little bit of effort
and reap the benifit of the results
Good on ya, [smiley=thumbsup.gif]Tony

[Brissyguy]

Congrats Merv [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Taking a kid fishing is a wonderful thing.
I love the high you get from teaching, showing and then seeing the pure exhilaration the kid gets when they finally land one.

A lot of people need to realise that todays kids are tomorrows rec fishos and the lessons they learn today equip them for the future.

I would go as far as to say maybe we should have an Ausfish take a kid fishing M&G.
May be pick a good beach and have a land based M&G with members who own boats supporting the land based boys by taking the youngsters out for a few hours...

I'm sure many others have similar views and look forward to the replys.

Once again Merv.... Well done mate.

Cheers,
Rich.

[gif]

we are so far behind the US in these matters. # My wish is to have a similar campaign here - I'd volunteer a lot of hours to this.

[gif]

Take me fishing - so I will always have memories of you

[Sportfish_5]

Great post Merv ;D

I think the greatest times I had as a kid was out fishing with my dad. Sounds like it was just what the young bloke needed. Shame his old man was more interested in the pub !

[nonibbles]

Well done Merv!
I'm sure you do this, but for anyone else thinking "its about time" - Just remember to share the clean up too.
One of my biggest regrets from when I was a kid was that I told my dad that I loved fishing with him but I didn't like coming home to do the cleaning on my own.
He never came fishing with me again.
Other things happened with my parents marraige later and I now don't have any contact with him for various reasons. Unfortunately, attached to my good memories of my childhood with him are things like this that I can't forget.
It at least made me decide not to do the same to my kids. We share the whole experience right down to the cleaning and servicing of reels etc.

[agnes_jack]

One point that we all should realize
is that these kids are the ones who are going to vote for or against fishing in the future.With all the green education happening in the schools, media etc at the moment these kids may well be convinced that fishing is a bad thing if they dont get the opportunity to try it for themselves. If fishing is to continue to be a valued pastime it is crucial that these kids are shown the other side of the coin and allowed to make up there own minds.
Lets fight back against Nemo and his mates!

Regards Tony ;)

[Lucky_Phill]

ONya Merv.

I'm sure we all had that feeling when we first boated a fish.

As you said, maybe we take it for granted now.

Cheers Phill

[rainbear]

About six years ago the local fishing club in Yeppoon had a kids' fishing day. I spent the day sitting on a breakwater with 14 kids catching whiting. Every one of them was a Rex Hunt fan, he has done an amazing amount for kids in this country. There has been one down side though. That day I was blackmailed, conned, whatever into kissing every bloody fish that had to go back. Rex you've got a lot to bloody answer for, it took me days to get the smell of fish out of my beard!!
Well done Merv, I bet it won't be long till the little bugger out fishes you.
Have fun
Ezmay