OT: Fishing with "Tornado"

[86er]

This afternoon I took my youngest (3 yo) fishing. We started off great. I pulled up to where two other boats were and talked to them. They had each been there about 2 hours and had 2 and 3 keepers respectively. I asked if they'd mind me about 30 yards away tied to structure and dropping on a ledge. They told me to go ahead and that there was no ledge there. Well the little guy dropped the line and as soon as it hit bottom he hooked one and brought it in. A keeper crappie in the cooler. He proceeded to catch about 15 throwback sand bass, crappie and a LMB. The ladies in the other boats whooped and cheered for him and he loved the attention. I was trying to get a few of my own. We managed to land 25 and kept 6. I was very proud of him. I know a thing or two about fishing and boats, having gotten my first boat for my 7th birthday and living on or near the water my whole life. You guys probably wouldn't figure it but I'd rather fish than hunt. I had a few tricks up my sleeve and they were paying off handsomely. But, it didn't last long before Justin lived up to his nickname - Tornado. First he decided to release 2/3 the bait since they were "small and not keepers". Now with no live bait we switched to jigs and lures. He promptly broke about 3 inches off a new $25 fishing pole. I got another ready and after one fish he managed to tangle it beyond undoing. Reluctantly I gave him my $250 pole. He hooked a fish and I told him to lift the tip up while I got the net. Well he stuck the tip in the water and the fish swam under the boat, breaking about 6 inches off the tip of the rod. I broke out another pole. After less than a dozen casts he jammed up the reel and it wouldn't give line. Then I caught a big one. I told him to just hold the net in the water and I'd pull the fish into it. Nooooooo, he hits the fish in the head with the net and it breaks off the line! He took a break and suddenly there were cookies all over the boat, shoes off, jumping on and off the seats. Time to go home. We get back and I let him help back the trailer into the water. We then get the boat and drive up on the trailer. I take him out of the boat and put him in his car seat. In the few seconds it took me to walk around to the drivers side and get in Tornado is sound asleep. Wouldn't you know it, the da** running lights on the trailer are not coming on and its dark out now. Back home I fix the lights and put away the gear while someone snores in his car seat. Mom comes home and puts him to bed after he won't wake up to pose for photos. He's tucked in and I'm cleaning the boat, fixing the gear he broke and cleaning the fish. Got to love it! It was a great trip! Here's Tornado's share of the keep, some 12" sandies, a 14+ crappie and another fish:

[pokey]

wow, what a day.

enough to try your patience, huh?

but wouldn't trade it for the world.

[bsaride]

A perfect day with a 3yo

[huntress]

What a perfect day! Gotta love the little ones! I especially like the part where he went to sleep and made you do all of the work! LOL Seriously, sounds like he did a great job. He is a better fisherman than I am. What a great memory for you both. Cherish it, they grow too fast!

Sandy

[dr walker]

Yep, what Sandy said, cherish these days. Tornado sound like a perfect nick-name.

[bdhold]

good eats there and better memories.

my 10-y-o caught her first fish when she was 2.
We started off in the morning catching grasshoppers in the back yard, and loading them into a plastic coke bottle (and she kept me randomly catching grasshoppers for her until just a few years ago -it stuck with her).
But when we went to the river, she played and her sister fished out most of the grasshoppers. And that's OK, smart fishing with kids is taking them to a place where they can play and fish when they choose. When she finally took her turn, she caught a pretty respectable bluegill, and was delighted with the whole process.
Then she saw me baiting the hook with the next to the last hopper, and her eyes got big as saucers.
She ran with the bottle and the last grasshopper, "Daddy, don't - I love him."
We took the grasshopper home and kept it in a little terrarium for a few days until it was forgotten.


her older sister's first fish at 4 was an equally amusing story.
We were fishing off a lighted dock at South Padre, catching nursery trout in the channel. She caught her first fish, and my camera was upstairs. So I left the fish on the hook in the water and told her to hold the pole while I ran for the camera. We got her photo and when I tried to release the trout it was belly up. Didn't make sense. Well, it was a calm evening and we started with Cutter to keep the mosquitoes away.
She told me she didn't want the mosquitoes to get the little trout either, so she sprayed it with Cutter while I was gone...

[rjohns94]

awesome day for you all. well done.

[J Miller]

Hmmm, I wonder if that's why my dad always told me to go away while he was fishing. I simply could not sit still when I was little.
Don't think I broke any of his poles, but then you never know.

Joe

[243dave]

86er, So why do you call him Tornado ??

[Rusty]

I think he deserves his own hat or T shirt or sumptin...

THEY CALL ME TORNANO!!

Kind of has a ring to it. Like they call the wind Mariah.

Tornado's the name- trashin's the game

I wonder what side of the family that came from?

[Blaine]

Strange...my Uncle called me Cyclone....I have no idea why

[piller]

Both boys do seem to have a lot of energy and curiosity. I have seen them a couple of times and they are certainly active. Good kids, but all boy.