Feels good doesn't it?
I have a small stream that runs immediately behind our backyard and in less than a block it runs into a major branch of a river. I've seen every kind of panfish, basses, walleye, northern, catfish and even muskies caught here. During the summer months the banks are full of anglers of all ages. Its not unusual for me to wander down to the banks to throw a new color of something or even to try out a new bait and is also usual is that I'll have a small bag full of plastics and my small jigs. Its really something to see a youngster get a free jig/plastic or two and then to watch as they cast and catch a few fish when they thought that nothing other than a worm or minnow would get the catching part done. But when they find out that I make this stuff and live "right there" and can come up to see this tackle being made....well this puts a whole new twist on their fishing. I started tinkering with tackle by tying flies at a very early age largely due to a neighbor who showed me how they were tied and who took time to take me fishing and watched as I caught my first fish on a fly he let me tie. I still have this "pay it forward" mentality and honestly feel that if the kids are in the shop making tackle or on the water fishing it they are way less likely to be on drugs. Someone once told me that a kid will never forget his first fish and his first kiss. That person was right.
Its kind of an irony that you should post this topic just now WW. I spoke with the instructor from our local high school that coordinates the city's three high schools' outdoor biology classes where I go in and help teach the kids the fine art of jig casting, painting and tying and now shooting plastic baits....got an appointment set up to do the scheduling for this fall's classes. This is always an exciting time for me.
As I started out WW....ya done good! My hat's off to you!
