Kids just gotta have fun, right? And what could be more fun than stepping onto a boat, taking a line in hand and setting out on a nice river for a bit of fishing?
I just picked up a copy of a new book for youngsters by Jim Arnosky -- Hook, Line, & Seeker - A Beginner's Guide to Fishing, Boating, and Watching Water Wildlife. (Whew! With the extra long titles on books these days, you could almost make an article just out of the title.) Since it's for beginners, I guess it'll do for ANY youngster, no matter what the age, so if you're an adult who hasn't discovered the joys of hanging around a body of water, pretending to fish, just watching for critters, then you're in for a treat, too.
The Scoop on Fishing
Jim's conveniently divided his book into three parts: Fishing, Boating, and Watching Water Wildlife (this is getting a bit repetitive, isn't it?) In Part I, he discusses the different kinds of tackle to use for bait-casting, spin fishing or fly fishing. He talks about freshwater fish/fishing and moves on to saltwater fish/fishing, and throws in an ample supply of beautiful pictures of the fish you might find on your excursions. Oh, he also talks about the differences between fishing down deep and fishing on top. Then he takes us to lakes, ponds, streams and into the surf. It's all here, with a few photographs but mostly scrumptious drawings.
Boating For Fun and Safety
Moving onto boating in Part II, Jim wants to make sure we don't end up upside down, so he talks about how to properly paddle a canoe, row a boat, use an outboard motor and boating safety. The inflatable rafts look about my speed, since I do like to just float around as much as possible. Which brings us to "gunkholing." As Jim explains, "Gunkholing is simply drifting in a small boat over shallow water and peering down at the life below." YAY! Let's go!
Watching and Watching Out!
In Part III, we've moved into my territory. Jim discusses the proper use of a binocular, then talks about feathered companions we'll meet when fishing (some birds like to hang around to see if they can get a fish or two from a friendly fisher). He talks about the differences between fins and tails on our watery friends, and takes us on a tour of the area where land meets water, where we might see a few semiaquatic animals as opposed to true aquatic animals. Oh, he does throw in a warning about keeping an eyeout for danger while we're watching the flora and fauna. Some of those critters have teeth and can't tell the difference between the snack we're giving them and our hand, so best not forget where we are.
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