She’s a keeper! This Idaho dad’s new fishing buddy is already hooked
I’m a glass-half-full person, and the silver lining of this COVID-19 situation has been the opportunity to spend more time at home with my wife and our 2-year-old daughter, Quinn. While working from home and keeping an intrepid toddler busy can be a tall task, it has been a blessing to watch, teach and play with Quinn far more often than was possible in “the before times.”
Of course, our options for entertainment have changed, too. Trips to the zoo, the bouncy house and even the local playground are out the window for now. We are basically down to two options for getting out of the house: runs and bike rides through our neighborhood, and outdoor adventures to places we can reach while safely social distancing.
For a dad who could hardly wait to teach his kids how to fish, it has been a thrill spending extra time with Quinn in the outdoors. Here are some of my favorite moments and lessons learned during our two months (and counting) of quarantine adventures:
Panfish Derby. When it comes to fishing with kids, there’s nothing better than a hungry school of panfish. I’ve been lucky enough to find a few, and Quinn has enjoyed nearly non-stop action catching crappie, bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish. Impressively, she can tell the difference between the species and knows not to touch their “spikey back.” Fresh fried crappie is also one of her favorite meals.
Our Little Zoologist. I’ve always loved animals, and Quinn seems to have inherited the same interest. While many of our trips include some fishing, she is just as excited to spot lizards, turtles, rabbits, ducklings and other critters on our adventures. She was less enthusiastic about seeing a snake (“I don’t like em”) and perhaps the funniest moment was when we spotted a coyote and she began howling (which I didn’t even know that she knew).
Baby’s First Boat Ride. Quinn has been asking about going on a trip in daddy’s boat, so for her birthday weekend, we took a spin. When I asked if she wanted to go faster, she nervously shook her head no. But as I slowly throttled up, a grin spread across her face and she cried “Faster, please!” Later, she got a chance to steer the trolling motor and catch a couple nice bass. Just about every day since, she’s mentioned the boat and that she wants to “do it again sometime.”
That One Got Away? It was bound to happen eventually, but Quinn had her first experience losing a nice fish when a bass leapt and spit our lure with a violent head shake. She still asks me about it. “Daddy, that fish got away?” Yes, sweetie. That one got away. I’m hoping she’ll forget about it, but fearing it might haunt her for the rest of her days.
A Big, Big Bass. One of the funnier things that’s happened is watching Quinn dub any sizable bass a “big, big bass” (small ones are just plain bass). When we catch one, she loves to look at its “dark eyes” and pet its “big cheeks” before lowering the net back into the water and watching it swim away.
Fishing with Quinn has been even more fun than I could have imagined. There’s nothing better than having her ask “Daddy, are the fish sleeping? Let’s wake em up!” and then watching her excitedly reel them in and shout “One, two, three!” as she tosses them back in the water. Just like her, I can hardly wait to do it again sometime. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 7:00 AM.