Do we still have time to fish with our Dads?

PRENEIL

New member
Hi Guys

Recently I have moved from the KZN south coast to the Bluff with my wife and I miss fishing with my Dad.

My dad is quite a distance away from us and now and then I make the odd trip down just to spend some time fishing with my dad because that what makes him happy, fishing with his son.

In his younger days, he used to tell me stories in which they should walk long distances to rivers and dams and even to the beach just to fish. His famous story was stealing his fathers rod while sleeping on the beach with a nice crayfish tail as bait, casting and missing the fish, and as he left the rod his dad woke up, but instead of scolding him, tied another crayfish tail and let him try again, catching a Galjoen.

My dad never get to do much fishing after he got married and had to take care of us. Once I started going fishing with friends and other family members, I never thought of asking my dad once if he would like to go fishing, I kept thinking he would never go because he never went so I never asked.

But about 5 years now I have been taking my dad fishing during weekends and holidays, and every time I take him fishing, its not about how many fish we catch, its how we bond as father and son,When he does catch a fish, his words are always, as long as I caught one for you I am happy, now that I am far away,I still make time to visit him once a month just to go fishing with my dad and every time my mum says, your father asked if you going fishing.Yes fishing tackle is expensive, so when my dad loses my tackle or misplaces something or damages something, I do not rant and rave about it, I tell him its okay and don't worry


My father is 57 and I am 29 now and he still loves fishing, and I will still make time for him even when he is old and unable to fish, I will still take him.

How many of us still love their dads and still take them fishing? How many of you, if your dad loses any of your tackle, swear them? did you forget when you was a lytie, who took care of you?

The reason I am saying this is don't neglect your dad because he is old and your too big now, Make him happy, spend time with him, maybe that what he needs.

Oh and yes this weekend I will be doing some fishing with my dad at our favorite spot.
I will post some pics of the area and if we do get some fish.
 

jonathanw

Member
Great Post,

I have always been in love with fishing since I was small, unfortunately my dad was not a fisherman, he prefers flying small planes regardless if i wanted to go fishing, he would get me a pick and pay combo fishing pack, take me to the venue and fetch me when i was done, i learnt to fish by myself, for my birthdays he would take me to the fishing store and let me choose my present, any holiday we went on he would make sure there is fishing available, he always supported me fishing! As i grew older there was less time for fishing but, i always told him we need to plan more trips together, we did a few small trips just fishing and was awesome, i taught him the basics and we would catch fish, priceless memories for me.
My dad travels all over Africa bundu bashing, so i would ask where he was going and start packing tackle for him, ,for his birthdays i only bought fishing tackle for him. i remember the one year he was going to Namibia for a month, so i packed my surf rod and reel for him, pre tied traces and gave him instruction on what to do, on that trip his friends who were pretty good anglers , he said he took the trace i tied put on a sardine and tried to cast it far he said it landed no further than 30 meters away from him, his friends were laughing.... no sooner his rod tip was pulled flat and landed a nice cob of 6 kgs, his friends were silent that was the only fish for this trip, as a reward he brought me back a nice cob fillet.
For his next trip to caprivi i bought him a nice tiger fish set up with all the basic lures, he caught plenty tigers his biggest being 5 kg, and i still have not caught a tiger fish in my life. Seem like he enjoys fishing now when he has the chance.
I am 30 years old now and have a 2 year old son, i cannot wait for the day he pulls in his own fish, i already bought him his rods and reels before he was born, i always catch him trying to get into my fishing room, once inside he stares at my photos on the wall and say Dada, Fish!
Cant wait for the day when he takes me!!!

Best regards Jonathan
((goodp_
 

SPFOldTimer

New member
PRENEIL wrote:
_seal1_

I am sure you can't wait for that day, when your son says 'Dad lets go fishing'

I want to turn this around a bit as well. I am a grandfather and over 60 and is fortunate to be in the position to still take my son and grandson fishing. Let us as fathers and grandfathers not always wait for the younger ones to take us fishing. Turn it around and show them the love of the sport, although we are old not all of us grew up killing everything we caught. I tagged my first fish in 1986 already. Teach your children and grandchildren the correct ways and yes the will look after you when you are old. To me there is nothing as rewarding to teach someone and then to see the pleasure in the eyes of the angler if the do as told and catch a decent size fish.
 

rbacht

Sealiner
It's so easy to say I don't have time. That counts for everything in life. If that activity or person is important to you, then you make time, it's as easy as that.

Fishing with my old man was great. He's the one that got me into this amazing lifestyle. He might not be around for fishing trips anymore, but I can tell you one thing. I know he is there, standing next to me cast after cast. And more often than not I ask the old man to arrange a bite, because he's now connected up there.

Make sure you take the time to spend with your toppies while you can.
 

playa

New member
I only read this now and its killing me. My dad passed in 2014 and i mish all the fishing trips we had together. I have two daughters (4 and 1) but they will fish with their daddy as i have not fished since they were born, so i am itching like one cannot believe. My father inlaw 60+ has decided to buy his three son in laws a fishing boat this year so hopefully the fishing will pick up and my daughters will follow suite. Such an awesome first post thank you for posting this it really brought back some very good memories of my old man whom I miss dearly.
 
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