Father & Son Bonding Through Fishing

Good morning brothers.

It’s Monday, and there is a YouTubes I’d like to show you.

First, a quick story: when I sat down at my computer to edit this video, that’s all it was supposed to be: a fishing video. With fish in it. And baits. And fishy stuff. And fishing tips.

The end.

But… it’s not just a fishing video…

While playing the clips back over and over and over, I found myself smiling ear to ear whenever my son would catch a fish. The excitement and adrenaline, followed by his enthusiastic laughter – how could I NOT smile!? He’s so excited! He’s happy. He’s proud. He took on a task and succeeded.

So why does this matter?

4 years ago when I started The Minimalist Fisherman, I didn’t know what it would become, but I did feel a strong pull. Just go. Write stuff. Record stuff. Publish stuff. See what happens. Even with all that uncertainty, helping my boys become better anglers was a priority. We’ve talked before about how I struggled to put them on fish. My skills needed to improve, so that they could have more fun.

So that was the focus. Fun. As I gained more and more experience it paid off in terms of many, many more fish for everyone in my tribe… but… guess what the added (unexpected) benefit has been?

Real, genuine, father / son bonding.

I had completely missed it. Bonding was an afterthought, not a priority! Catching more fish, THAT was the goal. But through the development of this skill, something truly special has happened. My boys ASK me to go fishing all the time. I get to take them outside, away from screens, away from news, away from distractions and work in unison with them towards a common goal. We climb a mountain together, and God willing – we celebrate VICTORY.

It’s a beautiful thing, and I want that for you as well.

If you’re looking for a way to bond with your son or daughter – yes, even your wife – then fishing can be an extremely valuable asset in the relationship building toolbox. Keep this in mind during trips so you can do whatever possible to help them have fun and achieve success. On days like this it’s not about you, Dad – it’s far more important they catch fish!

But I promise… by focusing on them, you’ll walk away from the lake with something way more valuable than a couple of bites…

Make a plan. Set some goals. Engage with family. Build those bonds.

It’s worth it.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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