A couple of times every year the kids and I go fishing with Grandpa Jack. They love it for the first 15 minutes and as long as they're catching fish. This poses a bit of a challenge for me and any other right-minded person that wants to go fishing. See... the reason it's called "fishing" and not "catching" is that you don't always catch fish. Sometimes you just paddle around on a lake or wade in a stream while you hold a fishing rod and that's ok.
Unless you're my kids. If you're my kids you want nonstop action and entertainment and snacks and whatever other thing can't possibly be provided while out fishing.
Even more fun on this trip was Lilly's immobile knee. She could certainly sit in the belly boat and float along with her brace on under her waders, but kicking wasn't really feasible. So I got to be a tug boat. Then Clara wanted a ride, too. And Henry. Soon I was kicking for all I was worth while the three of them floated along behind me as happy and relaxed as anything. And I was trying to fish.
Remarkably, I did manage to land a few fish. So did unencumbered Grandpa Jack. The kids all had bites while they were actually fishing, but didn't do even that well once they had put their rods away. (Funny thing about fishing. You won't be doing any catching if your fly isn't in the water.)
As with so many of the fishing trips I've had lately, it was better last time. Or it hasn't been fishing particularly well, but it'll pick up tomorrow. Or you should have been here yesterday! You wouldn't believe the fish!
What can I say? Not every trip is a success. We tried. I got the kids on the water, I caught a handful of fish, and I got one heck of a workout. Not a bad adventure even if they didn't knock 'em dead.
