Fly Fishing and Father's Day

[Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer]

From my article this week:

As far back as I can remember, my dad and I went fishing together. Once every few weeks in the summer months, we would get up before sunrise. My dad and I would drive the hour or so to Busch’s Wildlife, a fishing preserve near my hometown of St. Louis Missouri. We would buy worms in a white Styrofoam cup, spherical bobbers which were half white and half read, and lead weights and sharp hooks. After a short drive to one of the numbered lakes, I would take out my Zebco fishing rod, put on the bobber and worm, and cast out from the dock.

My father and I probably went to Busch’s Wildlife a couple dozen times in my childhood, and I cannot remember catching that many fish. Maybe we caught a six inch bass a few times. We were not very good fishermen. But even if the fishing was not so successful, something else important happened on those early morning fishing trips, I was able to spend time with my dad.

My fishing trips with my father might best be understood by that famous proverb attributed to the Chinese: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” My father taught me how to fish, but I did not learn enough to feed myself. A few six inch bass will only go so far! However, those hours spent fishing with my dad provided me with sustenance in a different sort of way. It was my relationship with my dad that grew and developed on those fishing trips. By taking me fishing, my dad did feed me for life, not with fish, but with memories, advice and love that I will carry with me all the rest of my days.

Father’s Day is this Sunday. I am going to give my dad a call and remind him of our fishing trips to Busch’s Wildlife together. I might be obnoxious and tell him how much better of a fisherman I am now that I use a fly rod. I will also remember to thank him for those precious mornings we spent together casting worms into the clear Missouri lakes.

What are your favorite stories of fishing with your father?

[Terry Beeson]

Hmmmm... watching my father fishing and catching a big stringer of bluegill while I ran the tractor and bush hog in the field next to the creek he was fishing?

My fonder memories are of my grandfather who would get in his lawn chair, teach me how to tie knots and bait the hook, then keep an eye on my bobber and yell "JERK" when it would go under and then laugh while I fought and held up a nice bluegill, bass, or crappie...

Both men, sadly, are gone... but not forgotten...

[davekeim]

Dad is now 73! Every day I wonder when it will cease. He's always on the go. Golf twice a week, smokes, beer and whiskey a couple times a week, works part time for my company, at the casino and active at church.

Best fish story. BSSP. I think I was about 10. We were fishing at the start of the stream where all the big rocks are. A lady slipped off a rock and fell in the water. My dad pointed and laughed his butt off! LOL! She was miserable.

Wasn't twenty minutes later, The lady was back. Dad slipped off a rock and fell in the water. I and the lady pointed and laughed our asses off. LOL! What a great Day!

Signed,

Cardiac

[trout fanatic]

My Dad passed away in 1997 and I miss him terribly. I keep his old Cleveland Indians Ball cap in plastic on the head of my bed and everytime I watch a ball game I look at that hat and I swear I can hear him laugh. Way too many memories goin thru my head right now, but threads like this make for a nice stroll down memory lane. Thanks