Fishing with Grandpa

My dad took me and the boys fishing yesterday. Bud was a little anxious the last time when they went in the boat, so this time my dad found a spot where we could fish from the shore. And they just stocked the lake recently, so success was pretty much a given. Perfect.


When we got there, my dad prepared the hook with some irresistible, don't-disappoint-the-kids kind of bait and propped the pole up with some rocks so Big wouldn't have to hold it. Within maybe a minute, the pole was bobbing up and down with a fish and the boys were bobbing up and down yelling excitedly. I helped Big reel the fish in-- it was a pretty good size! 


My dad prepped the hook once again and cast out-- almost immediately the pole began to jump. We turned to Bud to offer him the chance to reel it in. His demeanor quite rapidly went from this:

To this:

Hmm... I guess not. The first fish flopping around madly on the shore might have done a little bit to contribute to Bud's trepidation. He's not exactly an animal type of guy. Bud turned and headed for the hills. Literally.

So, I helped Big land another fish. Not quite as large as the first, but still a nice size. Wow! Within the first 5 minutes we had caught two! Way to go, Big!

Feeling the thrill that comes with success, Big stuck with Grandpa.

Grandpa doing most of the work...

...while the boss supervised and got all the glory.

Bud came down from the rocks every so often to check things out. He was okay as long as he could keep the fish at arm's length. And they were dead and un-floppy.

The bait seemed to start to work a little less effectively after our fantastic start, and Big had a little trouble setting the hook, so he got to experience the part of fishing that requires patience. C'mon, Fishy!

Oh, here's Bud again. Hi, Bud!

Is it just me, or does Big's stance seem a little less patient?

Anyway, lest you think that Bud was just moping around, bored, while all this fishing was going on... let me reassure you. Bud was doing what Bud loves best-- exploring! He has super great balance, and when it comes to exploring he's pretty much fearless. He was having a blast!

Looks like I was right about Big's patience. He was pretty much done with fishing, too.

When Bud noticed that Big was done with fishing he came to invite Big to climb with him. He even helped show Big the best way to climb. What a great big brother.

You made it, Big! Just like your brother, way to go!

We had such a good time, and it's not often I get to go on an outing with just my boys. Thanks for taking us, Dad!