First off, sorry to mislead anyone... Rainbow trout fishing was awful... fudged on the "lots of fish", but the "Wow" and "Great memories" of a #5 rating were there... in spades! Planned this trip south on the "Free fishing" weekend to get the family together and get the grand-kids fishing. Left after early church service and drove to old "stomping grounds" at Lake Spanaway. Started off with a KFC feast with all the trimmings, plus "Gogurt Push-ups" and "Capri Sun" juice pouches... plus two pounds of freshly smoked trout from your's truly. Then we went to work. Grandpa was furiously tying hooks and leaders on five "Superman", "Spiderman", "Square Bob Sun Pants" (something like that!) and "Little Mermaid" fishing poles. Oldest grand-kids, Claire (age 7 this month), Benjamin (age 6 next month) and Jonathan (age 5) were into casting, so it was cover your ears and duck time. The patience of the kids was amazing... they were really into fishing... but it began to wear off gradually and they were into all sorts of lakeside play. About a half hour in, Benjamin reeled in a 4" Sculpin... it was amazing... first fish ever in a lake (I had taken the kids to Uncle Bob's trout lodge last Spring, so they had caught some before, but this was a first.) The look on Ben's face was priceless... a fisherman was born! A while later my youngest son, Wes reeled in a 5" Smallmouth with five pounds of milfoil... that was all the fish caught, but the day at the lake was awesome. Have six fishermen and one fisherwoman to mentor in the next ten or so years... fantastic!
Oldest son, Matthew brought along the Lund that I mentored my three sons in, so all the older grand-kids got to go onto the lake in the boat. Before long, all the grand-kids were in the shallows chasing "baby lobsters", which gave Grandpa the opportunity to introduce them to the "Crayfish" and begin their lessons in entomology as well.
Over the years I have fished, I have caught all five species of Pacific Salmon (some on flies), Steelhead (some on flies), large Halibut and Ling Cod, all the trouts, and literally dozens of other species... but none made my heart swell as did the 4" Sculpin that Ben caught today... fishing is so much more that the fish that are caught... it is the joy and the promise... the hope that the next generation brings. Fishing is one of the greatest gifts that I can pass along to those coming after me, and I will do everything I can to guide them to love it as I do. PTL!

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