Train up a child…

In this month’s article I want to talk to all of you about how important I believe it is to spend time fishing and hunting with your kids. My dad gave me the opportunity to fish and hunt throughout my early years despite his coaching and teaching career taking up much of his time. I think he spent more time with other people’s children than he did me, but I understood this and never thought twice about it. A coach’s life is full of weekend film sessions, basketball tournaments, and track meets. At one point my dad coached all the major sports as well as tennis and also taught Driver’s Education.

When my father passed away at only 60 years of age, my youngest son Ryan was not even born, and he will soon be 37 years old. My mom told me that she was guilty many times of telling my dad that we could not afford the deer lease or the fishing things we did. She said that he always told her, “Frances, we can’t afford to not do these things.”

My parents believed in being present in my life. I loved the outdoors, and they gave me the opportunity to enjoy it. My fondest memories as a child are for the most part connected to fishing and hunting in some way. Throughout my guiding career I have had the opportunity to spend lots of days on the water with fathers, and also mothers and their kids. I have nice memories with many of them and I continue to have some good times with family groups in my present-day guiding adventures.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being able to become a part of such memories is the emails and text messages I receive that convey great appreciation for being a part of a truly memorable experience. For the record, in my younger years and maybe even still today, I am subject to having a tough day in the PR department and there is no excuse for that, but it happens. I try very hard to keep these personality flaws to a minimum these days.

My boys tell people that there is a Dock Jay and a Bay Jay. I don’t like the BS at the dock in the morning because it breaks my routine and my concentration. I don’t want guys helping with the boat, showing up unprepared or under the influence of any substances. Just be ready, be on time, and get in the boat. Once I break out of the harbor and start my run I’ll start talking about the plan for the day and how we are going to use what we have at our disposal to get the results we want.

I have had two specific father-son groups this past year that really stand out. The first group was the Klutts boys. Charlie, the youngest, had reached out to me through social media to see if I would let him interview me for a class project at school. After a few texts and calls we coordinated a time for the interview. Charlie was really prepared and asked some great questions and had a way about his questioning that intrigued me. I could tell he was young, but I could also tell that he had thought about the questions he was asking. I was a little nervous, wanting to do a good job and help land him a good grade.

A few weeks after the interview I noticed a trip request on my online booking calendar from his dad. I was excited to find out that Charlie had made a good grade and that the father wanted to treat Charlie and his older brothers to a day on the water with me. The August air that morning was heavy and the winds were next to non-existent, but tides were higher than normal so we had lots of options. The parents of these young men have done a tremendous job raising them. Totally respectful all day; never once complained about anything, never once failed to display anything but enthusiasm about getting out of the boat when it was time to fish, and all were totally all about the catch and release of our trout. That alone places them in a percentage of young people that in my opinion is growing smaller.

I know it is old school stuff and maybe considered to be unnecessary in today’s world, but I promise you this; Yes Sir and No Sir and Thank You Sir, still opens lots of doors in the business world and positions one in a positive way in the success category in my books. Everyone caught fish and it seemed that everyone was happy for one another even though I know there was competition amongst the brothers.

Clayton, the dad, allowed me to control the day and reinforced my wishes throughout the day. This too is pretty darn rare. We caught a bunch of fish and I believe the boys learned a lot about wade fishing and the need for a certain amount of conservation that we as anglers are responsible for. I think they also learned some life lessons. Fishing is a lot like life, you see; it’s not always easy, it’s not always catching, and it takes a certain amount of self-disciple to become proficient at it. Isn’t the business world somewhat the same?

I have no doubt that the Klutts boys will grow up to be responsible young men and continue to make themselves proud as well as their parents. There is also nothing wrong with this mindset in my books.

My second experience, and second by no means second place. As their guide, both experiences were equal in my book. Frank Lockhart brought his son Malcolm and a couple of his buddies down to fish with me a few weeks back. Malcolm is 20 years old and already a very accomplished angler and outdoorsman. Frank has provided the platform for his son and understands the importance of spending time with his son on the water and also in the field. Again, I was dealing with a respectful young man and a group of guys that support the need for these qualities in a young person.

Malcohm put on a show for us with a lure that many wouldn’t even attempt to throw. The Coastal Brew 8” Dart is a big profile lure and creates what bass anglers refer to as “Draw Power.” And draw it did, for two days in Port Mansfield. What impressed me most with Malcohm was his wading approach to the areas that I placed him in, his ability to establish a line, and the patience to slowly fish and allow the pattern to develop. Frank and I admitted to ourselves that we would have had a difficult time continuing to fish with a lure that we were receiving few bites on, even when the bites were larger fish. It was such a good experience and everyone caught some solid fish throughout the week.              

The weather patterns for each of these groups were tough for the season we were fishing. Little wind on their respective days, clear water, super-hot during August in Rockport and unseasonably warm during December in Port Mansfield. The key to our success was the trust the groups had in the process and the willingness of the younger generation of anglers to listen and learn.

So what’s the real point that I am trying to make here? The importance of teaching our children the value of respect for everyone and the value of spending time with our kids no matter what the environment. My own experiences were fishing and hunting where my parents were able to hold my attention and teach me valuable life lessons. This was the same for my two boys as they were growing up. “You are what you eat,” is another thing my dad would say. He was talking about the mental diet, of course. And he was right. The time we spend with our young ones is time that those who want to influence our children in negative ways don’t get. It’s that simple.

With winter in full swing, it’s Custom Corky and Soft-Dine time, as well as the Texas Customs Double D lures that I have so much confidence in this time of year. In last month’s article I talked about the thought process that I believe makes these types of suspending baits so productive during the winter months. Right now, we are experiencing just that. It’s Corky time!