There are many people in the fishing industry who continue to impress me with their knowledge, drive and passion. However, something that is less common in this everyday life is the realization of how children are naturally drawn to fishing. Perhaps it’s the wonder of the environment and being somewhere that is unfamiliar. Maybe it’s the excitement of seeing a fish in real life and not just from a picture book. But to me, I think it’s the sheer joy that children bring to us. They light up our lives, and even in the darkest of nights, a child’s giggle awakens the human soul.
As adults, particularly those who are professionally engaged in the fishing lifestyle itself, we can get somewhat jaded by it. We see it—and live it—every day, and what once was true admiration and wanderlust becomes less impressive and even a chore at times. This is why we need children in our lives and in our sport. We need them to remind us that innocence does still exist, and for us to remember what we once felt. And while