The Way to Bring Up a Child

I don't often tell people this, but when I was five years old I had my first experience at catching a fish...and I haven't been the same since! It was about a five inch bluegill, and I thought I had caught the biggest fish in the world!

Caden 'long-arms' a decent bluegill for the camera.

Bluegills and kids...ha-ha! Makes sense, doesn't it? You bait a hook, watch the bobber go under, set the hook! You never know what the next fish is gonna' be! Big, small, bass, bluegill...or, perhaps a pumpkinseed sunfish! Pumpkinseeds? What are they?

Pumpkinseeds are among the most brilliantly colored of all the sunfish...like slow moving creeks or ponds, but do well in larger, clear lakes. Taste great and put up a good fight. Eight to ten inchers are considered whoppers. My friend Pete and his young sons, Ryder and Caden and I enjoyed some 'super seed' fishing recently at a local pond on a pleasant August evening. Check out some of the action...

Pete and his son Caden with a decent bluegill!

Ryder shows off a high-quality seed for the camera!

Here Ryder and Caden 'double-up' on bluegills at the local panfish factory. They wore Pete and I out with their Huck Finn style of fishing!

Magnum pumpkinseed sunfish more than fills the hand!

My biggest 'seed' in a long time...9.25 inches.

Caden shows off the top 'gill of the trip...a fine 9 1/2 incher!

Spunky bluegill splattered Ryder with mud-flappin' fins on the release!

Does this look good or what?

What a great bunch of fun and a great evening of fishing! We caught maybe 30 gills and seeds and maybe a dozen bass. Top gills went 9 1/2 inches and we had some seeds that were almost as big! And the pond was just loaded with great looking structure! I gotta' go back, and soon!

Teaching kids to fish...it just makes sense. Like teaching them about the Bible and about Gods Word and His Grace, Glory and Kindness. We were blessed that night, but we are far more blessed with a gracious and loving Savior as Jesus Christ. In 3 John:5, it says ' I have no greater joy than to know my children are walking in the truth' . Wow! Can we all say that? If not, don't we wish we could?

As I watched Pete patiently assist and counsel and guide his two sons on a fishing trip, I could not help but imagine the same love and care that goes into every aspect of child rearing...and how important it is to instil Gods incredible qualities to our children. I wish I had payed attention to those who tried to instilled a Christ-centered walk in me during my days of youth.. Instead, I struggled, and eventually found it, with the aid of precious ones whom God put in my path. THANK YOU LORD!

                                                  NO GREATER JOY!

BACKYYARD BASSIN'

During a rain shower I got this lunker on a stick worm.

I have been in wonderment of all the latest and greatest TV shows that are tracking every type of freshwater bass fishing competition in the nation. Lot's of things going on out there...A-Rigs with multiple catches, new scents for new soft-plastics, multi-imaging sonar for greater structure and detail, and better and bigger sunglasses. New boats, new motors and new places to go. But me...I have to stay close to home if I want to enjoy bass fishing. No tournaments, no weigh-ins, no bragging rights...just get out somewhere and fish!

Not all the fish are big, but all the fish are fun! Most of what we have been catching are smaller guys, 10 to 14 inches, but they are rod-benders on the light stuff nonetheless. Most are taking stickworms like Travis Crosmans 4.25 inch Stix in camo or bluegilla colors. This is a great bait, better than the 'big-name' stick baits, and his Stank X Baits can be found on- line along with a host of other fish killers. I like helping out the small guy...you should, too!

Nice 17 incher from the local park pond, 5 minutes from home.

Some of our better spots have been in small, public ponds that just about everyone ignores and just jogs around or walks the dog. Early and late in the day, or during cloud cover, has produced the most fish for us recently. Plus, you don't have to put up with the blazing mid-day heat. Easy on the gas mileage and easy on the body...that's how I like it!

Another nice one in the rain!

I must admit to fortune, as I have no fewer than a dozen private ponds near me that have excellent bass fishing. But believe me...they are not always biting! Today I caught 14 bass in two different ponds, but didn't have a fish over 13 inches. Last Friday, my wife Linda caught 6 bass to my none on the Stick Baits. That's right...I made her walk home!

Backyard bassin' isn't for everyone...some tournament anglers claim big pond bass 'don't count' for bragging rights or lunker catches. I think some of them are just jealous...I didn't drive a couple hundred miles, hire a guide or invest in a $40,000 bass rig with all the trimmins'. I didn't have to pay for a hotel or meals out. I just went down the road a little bit a caught some nice fish...the kind of bass we drive by everyday of our lives. Every bass in this blog was caught within 20 miles of my home, and some much closer. Yes, I am blessed.

Blessed mostly because of a Creator God who is the only one who can paint a picture like the one above. On a day when we traveled far and caught no fish, we were rewarded abundantly more by catching this glimpse of Gods' meticulous handiwork and detail. I love what it says in the opening of Psalm 8...

'OH LORD, OH LORD...HOW MAJESTIC IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE EARTH'

This, my friend, is a true and wonderful 'trophy'. Indeed, the heavens declare Your Greatness!