Local Moron Spends $1700 To Take Kid Fishing

Take a kid fishing! The rewards are many and it perpetuates our sport. This past summer I had the opportunity to take an eight-year old boy fishing on Lake Pepin in southern Minnesota. Known for quality walleye, sauger, and smallmouth bass fishing, I was confident that I would get the kid on fish.

The day began at 6:00 am. Nathaniel was up and excited. We had a huge breakfast, stopped for snacks and hit the water about 8:00am. We started with a bang - the sound of my hull bouncing off the concrete ramp. After hundreds of trips launching my boat alone and with assistance, I put the lad in the boat, unhooked the straps, the trailer and backed her in. Did you know a boat at a 10% incline will slide off your trailer before you get to the water? After cranking the boat back onto the trailer, we started again - this time with a successful launch.

Floating on the water, we discovered that my main battery was dead. After switching my trolling battery with my starter battery we headed to the nearest marina to purchase gas, oil and a new charged battery - total bill $168.00.

Finally we were off. We rigged two poles for trolling. My favorite St. Croix Legend 7' spinning rig with a Abu Garcia center drag spinning reel rigged with a worm harness with a florescent yellow propeller on and a fat night crawler. I added a large split- shot at about 24" and let out about 50' of line. Nathaniel was in heaven, eating sunflower seeds, drinking pop, telling jokes. While I was busy rigging the second pole, a custom G. Loomis spinning rig with a fat head and a plain hook, Nathaniel's rod bent. I instructed him to set the hook. He set it like a pro, then set the rod down and asked me what he should do next.

If you where invested in Lucent Technologies in 2000, and did not sell you know how I felt in the next few moments. As I watched my favorite rod and reel go over the side of the boat, my stomach sank as low as it did when I got that first margin call on Lucent. My favorite rod and reel were gone - total cost $189.00.

The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Nathaniel caught a baker's dozen of sheephead, a beautiful 3 pound smallie, and 5 saugers. After a successful catch, we loaded up and headed home.

Monday morning I took the boat to the shop for an estimate to repair the dented stern, smashed plug, and my bruised ego - total cost $1,300.00. Total cost of a day fishing with a kid, $1,657.00, but the memories are priceless.

Scott McKay, Fishwrench.com Guest Contributor