Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 35

by John Allen
photos by the author
sidekick for trout and bass fishing. Then, there is
my son. If he does not have a bite within the first 5
minutes, he gets frustrated. So, I find myself scrambling
to make a bite happen, resulting in a few short outings.
Trout and bass fishing was tough with him. I had
to completely rethink how to fish with my kids in a
manner that would be enjoyable for everyone.
After several failed trout fishing outings that usually
T
here is nothing more rewarding than seeing
your children excited to do something they
enjoy. When it is something that you enjoy
too, it creates a bond that encourages that excitement
to flourish. I always hoped that I would bond with
my kids over fishing. Fishing with my kids has
allowed me to fish in ways that I have not done in
15-plus years.
The most difficult part is finding the happy zone
with two kids who have different patience levels. My
daughter is fine standing there chatting with me and
never catching a single fish, making her an excellent
ended in a meltdown, I went back to my fishing roots.
I bought bobbers, baitholder hooks, and nightcrawlers
for the first time in years and went on the hunt for the
best bank fishing spots in my area. To start, I relied
heavily on the Bluegill spawn. The first outing had us
on the shoreline of Pinchot Lake, York County. Once
we located a pod of spawning Bluegills, it was on. Few
casts didn't result in a bobber diving under the surface
of the water almost immediately, eliciting amazing
excitement. Top of the lungs shouts, " Got one! " with
every fish that hit the bank and giddy laughs came with
each hooked fish. I had found that happy zone.
From there, the outings
became more frequent as we
got to know all the best panfish
spots. Every time we caught a
different species, it was a bonus
to teach about fish and how to
properly hold them. It didn't
matter how many fish caught,
the excitement never faded.
On our tenth outing, we found
ourselves along the banks of
Holman Lake, Perry County.
My son hooked an average-sized
Bluegill. He began shouting with
excitement to the point that a
passing kayaker asked me if it
was his first fish. I just replied,
" No, he gets excited by every
fish. " Even 2 years later, it doesn't
matter how big the fish or how
many others he caught, the giddy
laughter and excitement from
each catch has not subsided.
I have been gaining a new
Quite a catch: the joyful expression on the face of a kid discovering the joys
of fishing.
appreciation for the fight of a
nice-sized Bluegill on ultralight
tackle or the surprise that comes
from catching a non-targeted
species. Fishing for panfish
with my kids has changed
my perspective on fishing
altogether. I now go for species
outside of bass and trout, even
when I am not fishing with my
kids. Opening up to different
styles of fishing makes me feel
like a kid again.
November/December 2022
35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022

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