My life fishing with my dad, addiction acquired, advice not required (but welcome)

[thyer]

Growing up in NJ my memories of fishing were about asking my dad to go fishing which he never said no to. Waking up very early, which now I understand was a huge thing to ask of him in order to get out there and fish for the pure excitement of hooking something in that very moment of time as a child. I now realize as an adult and possibly a parent, which I have yet to experience children of my own, you have many other responsibilities and hours of driving/ fishing sometimes doesn't fit into the busy schedule of adult life. Most of my memories are good but there was a time when my fathers temper and frustration for the little things like line snags, bottom snags, wind knots, litter bugs (which I can't tolerate today), etc, turned me off for the sport of fishing. College came along and fishing was a distant memory. I moved out of state for work and still had no interest in fishing until one day, 6 years later, my sister asked me to help her move and her fiancee offered me a tackle box and fishing pole that he didn't want. With that I go out and buy a kayak which renews my interest in fishing and brings it to a whole new level. I rediscover why I enjoyed fishing as a child and realize what I had missed out on fishing from the shore with my dad. Kayak is stealthy and portable and you catch more fish. Now before I moved away my father bought a canoe which didn't see much water because I was in school and he couldn't lift it himself without me around. After 10 years away I move back to NJ to see the canoe still sitting in my father's backyard aged from sun and not water. I'm now 4 years back in NJ, he just sold the canoe which made me think that maybe I should have made a better effort to go fishing with him beforehand. I fish now in ways that my father can't do, single person kayak, float tube, wading is even questionable, even sitting in a small inflatable dingy may not work for him but I still wonder what I can do to enjoy the fishing experience I had when I was a child with him as payback. Short of going out on the bigger lakes on my sisters fiancee boat in NJ which brings stress onto itself what can I do to experience the calm fishing experience that I enjoy today? I want to bring him out and want him to enjoy the calm relaxing fishing experience I have learned to enjoy before we can't. Almost like reversing roles, me as the teacher, him as the student. I was thinking a Canada lodge excursion with boats or something with amenities that someone in there 70's can do physically but looking for thoughts and ideas.

Thanks for reading.

[AndyS]

Drift boat fishing on the upper Delaware river.

[crewchief2]

Interesting story, but one i think many of us have experienced in some form or another. My dad just turned 80, and is still in pretty decent shape for his age, but i can see that the years of physical labor have taken it;s toll. While he still enjoys fishing, the physical aspect of it is tough on him, an obvious case of the mind is willing but the body is not. One thing i have made up my mind to do is to go with him as often as i can, because you never know which trip will be your last. A few years back we were fluking off Sandy hook and he suffered a heart attack on the boat, so this has really given me reason to get out with him when i can, and that can be a tall order, i work crazy hours, i coach two hockey teams, so my time is very limited. Now days we fish local areas more often and the trips are shorter, but i enjoy every one of them. I do all the physical labor of launching the boat , etc. While i think your idea of a lodge is a great idea, it could possibly be too much when you consider the travelling, and the hours kept while on those type of trips. As for advice? well, like i said , you never know which trip will be the last, so get him out there when ever you can, even if just some worm dunking at the local pond, i assure you, you wont have any regrets. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Reelron]

Why not just sit down & talk with your Dad? Tell him how much you appreciated his taking you fishing and how much it meant to you. Tell him you would like to repay the favor and ask him what type of fishing he would like to do.

You never know he may just say he never liked it and only did it for you. Maybe he would just as soon take a ferry ride, or a dinner cruise, share some old memories and spend the day with his son. What ever you deccide, do it soon.

[Walleyed]

I don't know your financial situation, but there are no shortage of charter boats, both fresh and salt, that provide a very easy and stress-free fishing experience. I fished my whole life with my Dad and also have a mix of the good and bad memories....but I cherish them all. Here's my post from the "Best Catches of 2013" thread from a couple years ago.

Last Fishing Trip with my Dad (http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=333226#post333226)