Anyone who has hunted or fished with me knows, I’m a pain in the ass in the morning. Seriously, hear me out. I have a one track mind when it comes to hunting or fishing. Just go, now! When I wake up it’s all business. I don’t want to come up with a plan in the morning. I don’t want to stop for coffee or breakfast. I don’t want to answer a lot of questions, or really even talk. I want to get to the spot and get set up as efficiently as possible. I’m not a morning person even when it comes to hunting. It can be pretty bad. More than once I have hung up on a good friend for asking too many questions before sunrise. Now try having that mindset when taking a 6 year old for his literal First Day of trout.
Saturday morning was the first day of trout season in PA. Not a big deal to a (questionably) seasoned fly fisherman such as myself. But to a 6 year old it can be as good if not better than ::insert meaningful holiday here::. I hadn’t fished the first day of trout for as long as I can remember. Too many people fishing too close, for trout that are too stupid, and too small to put up a fight. That’s too many too’s for me. But it is a great time for a youngster to catch the fishing bug.
I spent many a first day of trout beside my brothers and father on Clarks Creek Children’s section, reeling in my fair share of trout. My father wasn’t interested in going to Clarks anymore, nor was I. Not without at least 3 Bloody Mary’s and a DD. It can be overly crowded to put it nicely.
I made a few phone calls Friday night and reluctantly decided Middletown Reservoir would do. It’s close by, and loaded with fish for the first day. Not having been there for the better part of a decade and a half I opted to swing by that evening and try to find a good spot to spend the morning. I did see a pair of Hooded Mergansers, a Bald Eagle and Red tail hawk looking pleasantly plump from a week of gorging themselves on freshly stocked trout. If find it quite odd that people believe by placing chairs and ropes on public property it reserves their “spot” for opening day, the day or week prior to opening morning. This was not encouraging by any means. I could already see the hundreds of “fishermen” throwing garbage on the bank, and anticipated a heated exchange with 1 or more people in the morning. No less than a dozen people camped out the night before to keep their place along the bank. Amazing.
At 4 am we woke up to head out to hopefully beat the crowd to a decent place on the opposite side of the pond from the parking lots. Knowing the average human refuses to put forth any more effort than absolutely required to catch a fish. It worked out for the best arriving at the parking lot to actually get a spot and made our way around the pond in the dark. Knowing we still had a few hours to kill before we could fish, after getting to our spot I did the only thing a hiker can do. I pulled out 2 hammocks and hung them in the trees. Serving not only as great resting spots but also helping to keep all the other fisherman at bay, it worked. After the hammocks made their debut, we had hot coffee and oatmeal for breakfast. Courtesy of my backpacking stove and the newly upright stump/table. Other fisherman were notably jealous. Explaining how if we would pick up the trash other fisherman left behind it would help is catch more resulted in 2 full bags of trash and plenty of tight lines.
When you’re 6 and your hands are warm in borrowed gloves, but your feet are cold, necessity is the mother of invention.
The novice fisherman and his novice father, who decided 7:55 was a great time to show up and cram in on our spot, got the pleasure of being out fished by a 6 year old. Their humble pie was served cold.
With the total for the day 4 trout to 1(thankfully he was in the hammock warming up), I humbly admitted defeat and made him carry his prizes out himself. Right passed every other fisherman in sight as they all looked on and congratulated him on a great day.
When it comes fishing and kids the only important thing is having fun, and getting them to want to come back. Sometimes it means bringing sleeping bags and hammocks to stay warm in, and even bringing home a fish or 2, or 4. Humility is learned on the banks of the waterways beside a 6 year old, catching trout.
