Sportsman's Blog

Why The Minnesota Fishing Opener Is Such A Big Event

Over the next week or so you’ll be hearing me focus my attention on the 2009 Minnesota Fishing Opener.   If you live in Minnesota, I really don’t have to explain what all the excitement is about.   Now on the other hand, if you live in Texas…or perhaps Florida…or some other state that has open fishing seasons year-round, you might wonder why make such a big deal out of it.

Well, in many regions of North America we don’t get the luxury of year-round seasons for most of our game fish.   Fact is, the seasons generally close for biological reasons to ensure the breeding periods get completed with a minimum of disturbance.   In the case of walleye, for example, this means for about 2 1/2 months each year Minnesota anglers must stow away the fishing gear for most bodies of water.   …And you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Then along comes opening day for Minnesota anglers on the second Saturday of May.   The excitement builds after a long winter and fishermen start getting that uncontrollable itch to once again wet a line.   Supposedly for 61 years the Governor of Minnesota has even helped celebrate the event by taking part in the annual festivities.

The Minnesota Fishing Opener is an event most of our state’s sportsmen have permanently marked on their calendar.   The only other date that comes close to having the same significance on the sportsman’s planner is the opening of firearms deer season in early November.

So yea, it’s a big deal when nearly a million anglers take to the water during one particular weekend when the fishing has been mostly idle for a period of weeks since ice fishing during late winter.   In Minnesota, the Fishing Opener also marks the unofficial beginning of summer in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.   Boats that have been stored since last October suddenly roar back to life carrying scores of hopeful anglers.

Indeed, the Minnesota Fishing Opener weekend has a certain charm about it that only a dedicated fisherman can truly understand.   Oh, but of course it’s not without some controversy as the event more often than not conflicts with Mother’s Day upsetting the harmony in many families.   On the plus side, that’s why most of our state’s florists and jewelers walk around with big smiles on their faces during this time of the year.   Even though their business may not be directly related to fishing, the Minnesota Fishing Opener represents nice cash register sales for them, too.

© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tough Times Sometimes Means Tough Decisions

Yesterday I received one of those e-mails I simply don’t like to read.   It went something like this.   “Due to the fact I got laid off from work last week, it now looks like I won’t be attending Fish Camp next month as I had planned to do.   Instead, I need to save money and start looking for a new job.”

Frustrating, both for my friend…but also for the other fish camp attendees.   The point is when personalities are missing from camp (whether it be fish camp or hunting camp), the overall experience for everyone is bound to suffer.   Problem is, this year I have received several e-mails with perhaps slightly different stories, but similar results — coming to fish camp is not in the cards for this year.

Indeed, my annual Minnesota Fishing Opener Bash (www.MNFishCamp.com) is going on it’s eighth year and typically we have about 25 guys and their kids who attend.   This year, however, due mostly to the current economic conditions, a few fisherman and their families are simply saying…”well, maybe next year.”

Quite honestly my usual camp of around 25 fishermen will likely be reduced to about 15 or 16 folks this year.   I’ve been told, even by some who still have their jobs, that they don’t dare take off the time from work.   Taking a vacation day or two at work might indicate to a supervisor that perhaps play is more important than work.   Understandably, nervous employees don’t want to give any reason for the ax to fall on them next.

Heck, I don’t blame them.   Other “regulars” to camp are likely not as worried about their job, but some have had their spouses lose a job.   The net result is the same…the family budget is being stretched to the max and a fisherman finds it hard to justify taking a personal vacation when the rest of the family may be sacrificing an upcoming summer vacation due to lack of funds.

Yea, times are tough and quite honestly I suspect there are a lot of excruciatingly difficult decisions being made around the kitchen table these days.   Perhaps that big game hunting trip being planned to the Western states this fall has been put on hold for many folks.   Likewise, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if deposits made earlier for Canadian fishing resort vacations are simply forfeited because life situations have drastically changed since making those original commitments.

That’s one of the challenges that always faces a bunch of sportsmen who plan activities together.   As a group, you often pro-rate the costs of the adventure out over several participants, but when folks drop out, even for perfectly understandable reasons, it puts more of a financial burden on those hunters/fishermen who still remain.

As for my 2009 Minnesota Fishing Opener Bash, the tradition will continue on like it has for many years prior to this recession challenged year.   Those of us attending probably will make do with the same old boat and equipment we’ve used in the past.   Sure, it would be nice to sport something new…but I’m sure most of us this year will feel fortunate enough just to be present in camp.

Optimistically speaking, recessions don’t last forever…and, of course, there is always next year to once again renew the spirit of the outdoor tradition being missed.   Rarely are life situations permanent, and with that belief we can forge ahead knowing that we are all currently living in some extraordinary times with better days surely ahead for all of us.

© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Chase The Winter Doldrums By Completing Common Maintenance Tasks

I absolutely hate this time of the year.   Usually by now I’ve had enough of winter and I’m looking forward to some nicer weather ushered in by the spring season.   With all the nasty cold weather we’ve experienced this winter up in Minnesota, this feeling is particularly ringing true for me.   With the exception of predator hunting and some ice fishing, there just isn’t a lot going on that thrills me these days.

Nevertheless, this can be a very busy time of the year for the sportsman.   During the upcoming few weekends I’ve set some time aside for doing those pesky maintenance chores we often neglect or conveniently overlook.   Besides, these are the sort of chores you don’t want to tackle during nice weather…so this just happens to be the perfect time of the year.   Here’s a brief look at what I will be doing during the next several weeks to come:

• Organizing my gun safe and cleaning those firearms that require attention.   This includes inventorying what magazines (clips) I have so I know what additional ones I need to purchase.   Buying new batteries if I have laser sights or scopes that require them.   In essence, checking everything over to make sure that when next fall rolls around I have all the equipment I need in good working order and easily accessible.
• Sharpening my knives and placing them where they belong.   Gather up all your knives (and don’t forget about those inside your tacklebox) and put a fresh edge on them along with some light oil.   If the sheath needs some attention, correct this, as well.   I happen to use this sharpener kit and like it, but if speed and ease is more an issue for you, opt for this one.
• Organizing the tacklebox.   I typically do this late winter when I have open water fishing heavy on my mind, but it can actually be done at any time.   Recycle any old fishing line and take an inventory of what needs replacing.   More importantly, perhaps you are ready to down-size the box like I am this year.   Remove any old lures or equipment that has not been used within the past three seasons.   Chances are good if you’re not using it that “equipment” is simply causing unnecessary clutter.
• Check and charge all batteries.   I devised a personal maintenance chart to help remind me when the trolling motor battery needs charging, when the batteries for the flasher and the fish camera need a little boost.   How about those two-way radios?   A well maintained battery will save the pocketbook in replacement costs…so it’s worth the effort.
• Reload those empty cartridges and shells.   Personally, I don’t do a lot of reloading but with the cost of ammunition these days it often pays to reload those spent rounds.
• Check those waders and hip boots for leaks.   Remember during trapping season last November how your socks always seemed a bit moist?   Remember last summer when you tore your waders trout fishing in the stream and you never got around to fixing them?   Now is the time to do it while things are fresh in your memory.
• Sort those pictures from your outdoor escapades during the previous year.   Regardless whether you are in the digital age or still take film photos, organize those pictures so you know where to find them.   If they are digital, buy an external drive and back them up so if your computer crashes you don’t lose the memories.   If you take film, get those pictures into a photo album so they are organized.   Finally, do you have a fantastic photo of your buddy with his trophy deer?   Get some copies made and give them to him.
• Start planning next year’s hunt.   The deadlines are fast approaching for many hunting opportunities, particularly if you need to apply for a hunt out West.   Get the necessary applications ordered and have a meeting with your buddies so plans can begin being made.
• Maintain the decoys.   If you’re a duck hunter…does your decoys need new line or weights?   If you’re a turkey hunter, do your decoys have all the parts for proper assembly?
• Does your firearm or bow need professional maintenance?   What better time than now to get that unit into the shop.
• Take steps toward securing permission for next year.   Now is the absolute perfect time to begin a relationship with a new or different landowner.   If that landowner is a farmer, chances are good they are not busy this time of the year.   By seeking permission now for next fall it proves to the landowner you take your sport serious AND it gives you an opportunity to offer your services in exchange for that privilege.
• Go to an outdoors show or sportsman’s show (or attend a fundraising banquet).   I had to throw in at least one fun task.   Plan your schedule so you can attend local outdoor shows to not only build anticipation, but also to check out new products that are on the shelf.
• Rent some hunting, fishing or outdoor videos.   Yea, I know, the cable channels are full of outdoor programming these days…but some of the best “how to” educational information is still found in video form.   Polish up those dog handling skills or fine-tune your duck calling by renting some instructional DVDs.
• Write a letter to your elected officials.   Seriously, when is the last time you expressed to your elected officials your opinion?   If they don’t hear from you…you can be sure they will hear from someone else who has views opposing yours.   Gather up their names, addresses and express your opinion.   Now is the perfect time to do so.
• Send out a few deserving Thank You notes.   Maybe it was the local gas station attendant who helped you fix that flat tire in record time so you could still hook up with your hunting buds.   Or how about the bait shop owner who shared his “secret fishing spot” with you and the advice paid off?   Spend a moment and think about the people in your life who deserve some appreciation for their efforts.   And while you’re doing it…don’t forget the family who sacrificed you being gone so much.   They deserve your thanks as much as anybody.

Gosh, come to think of it…looks like I have more to accomplish during the upcoming weeks than I first imagined.   I better get going on the list.   Hey, leave a comment if you think I missed anything important to be doing during this “slower” time of the year. 

© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Ice Fishing: Discovering Fun On The Frozen Lake

There’s really not a whole lot that needs to be said here…I will let the pictures (below) speak for themselves.   What you see is a grandpa out with his two granddaughters teaching them to have fun ice fishing.   Indeed, these kids are lucky and they probably don’t even realize it yet in their young lives.   The opportunity to spend time outdoors with a grandpa represents a very special moment.   One, I dare say, I never got to experience as a child.

The outdoors should be a family affair, and spending time out on a frozen Minnesota lake in the winter is the perfect venue for generations of families to share quality time with one another.   Thanks to my good buddy, Todd Rost, who supplied me with these pictures of his daughters and his dad.

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On the opposite end of the ice fishing spectrum, this coming weekend I hope to witness ice fishing activity substantially different than what is shown above.   In fact, I will be reporting from the third leg of the North American Ice Fishing Circuit which represents the highest level of competitive ice angling in North America.   Stay tuned as plans are to debut the first Sportsman’s Blog VidCast from this exciting event.

2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Shoot, Cast and Blast

I like competition.   It creates excitement.   It creates intrigue.   It can also help foster a life-long interest in a particular sport.

Back when I was 11–years old I entered a Punt, Pass and Kick competition that was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.   I practiced for days leading up to the event…then on one fall Saturday morning I showed up with many of my school mates vying for one of three trophies in the various age categories.   Accuracy and athletic ability were measured and compared with my peers.   Most years I went home emptyhanded with only the satisfaction of competing.   But on this particular year I took third place in my age bracket and went home with trophy in tow smiling from ear to ear.

All of the kids who competed and took first place then moved on to regional competitions…and subsequently the best of the best used to compete at half-time of the Superbowl.   Of course, times have now changed, the NFL would rather have glitzy rock concerts and where sometimes the performers choose to expose themselves just to draw attention.

Be that as it may…the concept of the Punt, Pass and Kick competition has long been one I’ve kicked around in my head.   What if we transformed this once popular competition for football and turned it into a thriving public relations venture to encourage increased youth participation in the outdoors?   What if we held local competitions during The National Hunting and Fishing Day where youth could compete using the various implements of outdoorsmen?   What if these kids could eventually compete at a national level each year at, say the SHOT Show Media Day, where hundreds of journalists from around the world are looking for story material?

My concept of the Shoot, Cast & Blast is really quite simple.   Youth of similar age get to shoot three arrows for score, get to cast a weighted sinker with points for accuracy, and get to fire three pellets from an air rifle also for score.   The point is these kids are getting to see activities commonly done by sportsmen as fun.   The adults helping to coordinate the event are also there to help assist those youth who need a little help.   But more importantly, these children have a reason (albeit in the form of a competition) to get excited about the outdoors rather than just sitting home in front of the tube on a Saturday morning.

I see this also as a way for local sportsman’s clubs to offer up their facilities and perhaps to help sponsor the event.   The bottom line is if our sportsman heritage is going to survive and thrive long into this new Century it’s up to us to find a way to make it happen.   We can bemoan the participation attrition numbers that seem to be connected to our ranks or we can be more pro-active and find ways to turn the tide.

Look, kids are attracted to fun and this fact hasn’t ever changed throughout the ages.   Problem is kids nowadays have way too many options to get their fun fix.   In many ways, the opportunity cost for a kid to develop the hunting or fishing lifestyle is often giving up sports or other after school activities.   This choice won’t be made unless the option competes on a level playing field.

Imagine the sight of kids bragging about taking first place in their age bracket for simply being a good sportsman with demonstrated, honed outdoor skills.   Wouldn’t such a sight make the effort all worth it?   I think so, that’s why the concept you’ve just read about is being proposed by me to The National Shooting Sports Foundation for their consideration and possible support.   We’ll see what happens.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Punt+Pass+Kick, Shoot+Cast+Blast

Are Hunters Being Driven Away From Our Sport By Too Many Regulations?

Recently a well-known outdoors writer from Minnesota lamented how the deer hunting regulations were getting so cumbersome that it took several hours of reading through them the night before deer season began just to understand them.   Others in attendance at the meeting were quick to point out that it was probably foolish for him to wait until the night before the season opened to finally start looking them over.   Yet, the point remains why is it necessary for the game laws and regulations to be so damn confusing.

When I started hunting deer in Minnesota back in the 1970’s the rules and regulations were contained in just small pamphlets.   Oh sure, to be fair, big game, small game, waterfowl and trapping regulations were contained separately in small pamphlets no more than about 12 pages long each.   Today, however, everything is combined into one book and for 2008 it just so happens to be 130 pages long.

I’m sure this problem is not isolated to Minnesota, either.   Around the country I hear sportsmen complain how things just aren’t as simple as they used to be.   Is it possible we’ve regulated our hunting, fishing and trapping seasons so aggressively that you need to be a 2^nd year law student just to interpret them?   Some folks would likely think so.

Recently about 50 goose hunters from Minnesota had their records expunged and fines that were paid returned due to a misinterpretation of the migratory waterfowl law during the early goose season (read more HERE).   They were improperly cited due to a loophole in the law that allowed unplugged shotguns and electronic calls during part of the season the past three years.   In other words, here’s proof that even those charged to enforce the game laws can make mistakes through improper interpretation.

Early last spring the Minnesota DNR announced it was going to make some of the most dramatic changes to the big game hunting regulations seen in several decades.   Why?   In one word…to “simplify” them.   The licensing menu had taken on too many options.   Certain seasons existed in zones that made little sense to wildlife managers.   Certain tagging and game validation requirements were ripe for change.   So change was instituted even though many hunting traditionalists resisted the radical deer season changes.

So, here we have the 2008 hunting regulations book (you can see a copy by clicking HERE).   All 130 pages of rules, regulations and advertisements (of course in the download version those pages show up as intentionally left blank).   At first glance there isn’t much to it that strikes me as being simplified.   I predict it will take me even longer this fall to acquaint myself with all the new rules and changes I must learn as a hunter and trapper.

But let’s step back from the specifics and look at things more generally speaking.   Put yourself in the shoes of a new hunter.   Back 30 years ago most of the laws and regulations one had to learn were basic and made sense.   Contrast that to what we have now.   There’s actually a section in the rules explaining “HOW TO BUY A FIREARMS DEER LICENSE.”   That’s right.   Thirty years ago the pamphlet would have simply listed the price for the deer license.   Today, the DNR finds it necessary to issue a lengthy explanation as to how to buy the right license.

Let’s shift gears here for just a bit.   Last week I attended a District 8 meeting for the Minnesota Trappers Association where the discussion focused on Minnesota’s mandatory youth trapper education requirement.   All persons born after Dec. 31, 1989 who have never purchased a trapping license must attend a free class before they are validated and can purchase a trapping license.   Problem is the program relies on volunteer instructors and finding a class has been a problem for some youth.   End result…NO class taken…NO trapping is allowed (in MN).

Now don’t get me wrong, I think the concept of trapper education is a wonderful one.   I wish they had it back when I started trapping at the age of 12.   I had to learn on my own.   I made mistakes.   I had nobody to teach me.   Problem is if I would have had to take one of these mandatory classes back in 1975 I would have probably abandoned the sport altogether.   A 12–year old can’t drive.   My mother who was then recently widowed wouldn’t have taken me to an all-day class 20 or 30 miles away.   It just wouldn’t have happened.   Bottom line…I would have never taken up trapping…hence I probably wouldn’t have developed a keen interest in the outdoor world…and right now I would be blogging about (heaven forbid) movies or some other mundane topic like that.

In closing, I just want to say that I think it’s time our state game departments get back to the basics before it’s too late.   As sportsmen we have enough attrition and general decline in our participation numbers we don’t need to find further ways to turn people off to our sport.   It shouldn’t take all night to read the regulation book just to comply with how we need to legally conduct ourselves afield.   Besides being confusing, it can downright take some of the fun out of the sport.

I pride myself on knowing the game and fish laws and following them very closely.   It’s the way I chose to live outdoors AND how I chose to pass that ethic on to the next generation around me.   I’ve grown accustomed to hunting and fishing regulations being increasingly burdensome to us sportsmen.   Yet, I think it’s time some big changes need to occur before it’s simply too late and more sportsmen quit out of utter frustration.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Hunting+regulations, fishing+regulations

Change, Change, Change...

That’s all we seem to hear our politicians talking about these days.   They seem to think the concept of doing something “new” is what it will take to get them elected.   Out with the old policies…let’s bring in some fresh ideas.   Admittedly, when people feel like they’re in a rut, the prospect of doing something different has a certain exciting appeal.   And why not, if something isn’t working it only seems quite logical to move on to try something different.

Yet, that’s not how all sportsmen approach the sort of things they do outdoors.   Take, for instance, the deer hunter who has sat in the same tree the past several years and doesn’t see squat.   He spends the next several months after the deer hunting season whining about his bad luck, but somehow the concept of moving to try something different doesn’t always seem logical.

Or how about the fisherman who last year on this very same weekend caught his limit of fish in one basic spot using a tried and true technique.   Yet, the following summer when he returns to that very same spot he can’t seem to figure out why the scenario is not repeating itself.

Then, of course, we have the trapper who starts to feel he’s getting pretty good at trapping coyote as the furs seem to be piling up back in the fur shed.   But alas, something eventually goes haywire.   Those same sure-fire techniques that have worked the past two weeks have suddenly hit the proverbial brick wall.   It’s as if the coyotes have figured the trapper out.

The point I’m trying to make here is occasionally as sportsmen we find ourselves getting caught up in a rut and that is not always good.   Remember, those smart politicians tell us change is good.   We must heed their advice.   After all, they are only trying to help us improve our hunting, fishing and trapping success.

One of the worst things that can happen to us as sportsmen is experiencing success.   I’m serious.   Take the deer hunter who shot the trophy buck.   He figures because that particular tree stand scored three years ago it must be a prime spot.   Hasn’t seen many deer since, but he’s too stubborn to incorporate a little change into his game plan.

Same with the fisherman who experienced a once-in-a-lifetime catch last year near this particular structure.   He’s convinced himself all year that his fishing savvy has stumbled onto something that apparently none of the other fishermen on the lake have figured out.   By returning to the same spot, using the very same technique just a year later…it simply has to work.   Don’t you agree?

Of course our successful trapper didn’t take into account that although he’s been riding high catching lots of fur, the critters in the area might eventually figure out that something is up with those particular smells.   As the coyotes adapt, they begin to associate his good fortune with their potential misfortune…thus, they stay away.

Change, change, change…don’t forget the concept.   If politicians can preach it for their own success maybe us sportsmen should take a closer look at their message.   Not from a political perspective, mind you, but rather from an outdoor technique point of view.

Beginning this fall if you start getting frustrated with your lack of success, no matter what it is you’re doing…STOP DOING IT!!!   Try something different.   Be flexible and get out of the routine.   Don’t fall victim to getting caught in a rut and being unwilling to embrace a new strategy.   Often times we stick with what has worked in the past because human nature makes us lazy by default.   Our mind convinces us that we should continue to stick something out even if change might do us good.

This fall one man running on change is going to become the new President of The United States.   I contend there is a lesson to be learned from this political message that we get bombarded with daily.   As sportsmen, we often have the same choice for change in our outdoor strategies and technique.   Do you want to stick with the same old worn out hunting and fishing methods of the past…or is this the year you finally vote for trying something new?

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

"Openers" Are A Time To Create Outdoor Traditions

Another “opener” has come and gone.   Fishing opener, that is.   In Minnesota there are basically two outdoor events that shadow all others by comparison.   Those would be the Minnesota walleye season opener, which most piscatorial fools around these parts just refer to as “the fishing opener.”   The other event occurs almost six months later and is affectionately called the “deer [hunting] opener.”

Oh, sure, there are other openers in Minnesota such as the “bass opener,” “stream trout opener,” “the muskie opener,” “the pheasant opener,” and so on.   Heck, we even have a “crow season opener,” but I challenge most MN sportsmen to even tell me when that is without looking it up in the game regulations synopsis.

Indeed, like in many other states, the Minnesota sportsman’s calendar reads like a family calendar full of birthdays.   In the outdoors there are all sorts of exciting events worth celebrating going on throughout the calendar year.

But today I am paying tribute to the Minnesota fishing opener that just recently was held here in cold Minnesota.   In fact, where my group fished around Bemidji, Minnesota it was SO COLD that several of the big lakes in that region had still not yielded their ice to spring during the opener.   Yea, mention global warming in our fish camp this year and you would have been encouraging someone to whip you silly with a frost-covered casting rod.

It’s certainly not encouraging when you drive by a lake en-route to your fishing destination and see it still mostly covered with ice.   In this picture it shows Leech Lake (near Walker, MN) almost completely still covered with ice (except near the shore).

Indeed, what will be most remembered about the 2008 Minnesota Fishing Opener for me will be the cold, the rain…then turning to snow, and the few quality walleyes our group caught.   For the third consecutive year we had our annual Saturday evening fish fry which is sort of our benchmark for achieving fishing success on opening weekend.

To me fish camp is much more than fishing.   It’s about good food, good friends, and, of course, good fishing.   But it’s the combination of the three that is really important.   Some might add a fourth criteria in “good beer,” but I’ll leave that one to your imagination.   The bottom line is fish camp is about the fun those in attendance make of the event.

Granted, with gas pushing $4.00/gallon it’s not easy (or cheap) to trek 5 hours north for a weekend experience of any sorts these days.   Still, the camaraderie of fish camp is important and should not be underestimated.   Some might wonder why we spend so much and put as much effort into a weekend of fishing as we do.   Well, for me it’s the tradition.   To not attend fish camp is like starting your summer off on the wrong foot.

Take a look at the photo gallery of the fish camp where I attend.   Click HERE.   You’ll see a bunch of kids with fishing poles ranging in age from 10 years old up to youngsters in their late 80’s.   Isn’t that what fishing is really all about?   Participating in an outdoor sport where “old-timers” can sit side-by-side with fishermen still learning what makes the outdoors such a wonderful place to be.

I encourage you to find and make your own outdoor traditions.   For me, it revolves around Minnesota’s fishing and deer hunting “openers.”   Events both vital to keeping my outdoor spirit alive and invigorated.   Yet, traditions are also important occasions to pass along the passion to the younger generation.   I guarantee the positive experiences passed along on “the opener,” no matter what it is, can make an indelible impression in the minds of both youngsters and oldsters, alike.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Minnesota+Fishing+Opener, walleye, outdoor+traditions

Playing Hooky To...Well, Play "Hooky" This Weekend

To some people I’m doing a bad thing on Friday.   I’m forcing my child to miss a day of school.   It wouldn’t be so bad, but so far this year he’s had perfect school attendance.   One of just six or seven students in his small school who can still claim they’ve had no blemishes on their attendance record.   And to make matters even worse, to reward the students with perfect attendance at the end of the year, the school is giving away two bikes as prizes drawn from a hat.

Wow…his odds of winning a new bike would be quite impressive.   Still, I’m not allowing him to go to school on Friday.   I am such a terrible stepfather.   What am I doing with him instead, you might ask?   Hell, we’re going fishing.   That’s right!   This weekend marks the official Minnesota fishing opener and this year Fish Camp is once again seductively calling out both of our names.

For those readers who might be new to this blog let me say that for some of us opening day of fishing in Minnesota is a BIG thing.   It usually happens the second Saturday of May, which means most times the boys are gone over Mother’s Day weekend, but the tradition has lived on for some of us so long a part of our soul would simply die if we just didn’t head north to the lake.

This happens to be Luke’s first time heading north with the gang.   Oh, his mother was not real keen on letting her little boy join the “men” in camp at the ripe old age of only 11 years, but I finally convinced her it was time.   Indeed, there comes a time in the maturation of all sportsmen when they must join “the club,” so to speak.

Needless to say Luke is excited…and I am excited for him, as well.   The experiences he’s going to discover this weekend will truly last him a lifetime.   And I dare say the life lessons he’s about to learn while in camp will far surpass any opportunity cost of what he would have learned while in school for that one day.   Suffice it to say, no matter how you want to look at it, this IS an excused absence from school for what I like to call “a little home schooling.”

Luke won’t be the only youngster in fish camp this spring.   There will be other kids approximately his age also skipping school.   Sure, there are the nay-sayers who will tell me that it is utterly foolish to take a young child away when he should be in school learning with his peers.   To that statement I simply say HOG-WASH.   On one day each year Luke is learning that sacrificing studies is acceptable when it comes to going fishing with the guys on opening weekend.   What do you think that tells a young boy?   Maybe that fishing is not only fun…but the activity is serious enough that a first day missed from school is perfectly acceptable?

Hey, I’m one who normally advocates perfect school attendance as being critical in the development of good future career skills in most children.   Still, I am not faulting Luke for wanting to miss school and break his current perfect attendance record.   More importantly, what message will be sent to his classmates as to why he will be gone.   “Oh, Luke’s dad took him fishing.”   Absolutely perfect.   I want all of his cohorts in school to realize that Luke is one lucky kid getting to go fishing rather than learn geometry, social studies, and so forth on that day.

Yup, I’m just a terrible dad enabling my stepson to do something ordinarily frowned upon by most parents.   In the end, I am also extremely confident that my actions will someday reap great rewards as I fuel the intrigue of another young person’s soul for the importance of living life as a sportsman.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: youth+fishing, hooky+from+school, Minnesota+Fishing+Opener

Ice Fishing...The Way It Was Meant To Be

Recently a good friend of mine sent me these photos of his two young daughters and their Grandpa out doing some ice fishing on a frozen Minnesota lake.   There’s really not much explanation needed…I hope you enjoy!

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Ice+fishing, teaching+kids+to+ice+fish