By Ronnie Parris
This story is about the first time I got to take my granddaughter, Kyleigh, on her first fly-fishing trip. At the time, she was 4 years old and I had been busting at the seams to get her in the creek. Her grandmother and I had taken her on the boat fishing for Walleye and Bass, but I had waited to get her in the creek because we would be wading and I didn’t want her to get scared. It was August, so the wet wading was a cool relief from the heat, which we all looked forward to. I guide fishing trips so I have plenty of wading boots on hand, but trying to fit a 4 year old was a bit of a problem. The smallest size I keep in stock is a 4, so that was probably our biggest hurdle. The boots seemed to swallow her tiny feet and when we got in the water, there was so much resistance from the water pushing those over sized boots that, sometimes, I found it easier to carry her from one pool to the next. We didn’t want to make it a long trip, which would exhaust her, so we chose a little hatchery supported stream close to home where we had taken her several times to play in the water.
After parking and sliding down the steep bank into the water, the fun began. On this day, it didn’t seem like fly selection was a matter as the tiny native rainbows were hitting in every pool we fished. I would take Kyleigh and we would sneak, as quietly as possible, and get into position. I would flip my dry fly under the overhanging bushes and on almost every pool, a 5 to 8 inch native rainbow would explode on the surface to take my fly. I would hand the rod to Kyleigh and she was on her own. Her granny was following close behind with the camera capturing every moment of our fun. This was how it went until we reached an old bridge that went to a summer home on the creek’s edge. I didn’t have much room to cast under the bridge, so I did what is known as a “sling shot cast” where you hold the line above the fly about a foot or so and put a bend in the rod, so when you release the line, it shoots the fly under overhanging limbs or other obstructions, such as the bridge. The fly landed perfectly under the bridge and was passing within a foot of the opposite bank when, out of nowhere, a nice brown trout rose up and slurped my royal wolf in. I raised the rod to set the hook and handed the rod to Kyleigh. The fight was on. This fish ran all over that pool, even coming out of the water a couple of times. I don’t know what someone would have thought if they had came along at that time as all three of us were trying to talk at the same time. Kyleigh kept hollering for me to take the rod and help, and I was giving her instructions on what to do while granny was in the back filming the whole thing and cheering her own. In a couple of the most intense minutes I have ever had, she brought her big brown to the net. On all the small rainbows we caught she would hold the fishing line with the fish still hooked and pose for pictures, but this one she insisted on me holding while she peaked over my shoulder at her prize, which we released to fight another day.
There were 3 of us on this trip and I’m not sure who had the most fun. I’ve been on thousands of fishing trips and caught lots of fish. A lot of things fade in my mind as I get older, but I will never forget this trip, that one fish, and a little blonde headed, four year old, that melts her Paw’s heart. If you’re lucky enough to have a child or grandchild in your life, I would strongly urge you to take them fishing or just spend a day on the creek. It’s always fun to catch fish, but sometimes the chase and the discoveries around the stream are just as important. You don’t always catch fish or the fish you set out for, but I guarantee you will have a fun day and make lifelong memories. Some of my kid’s favorite trips were when we just went and fished for Knotty Heads and Silver Sides. It’s not always about the catch, but the time spent with your loved ones.
Be safe and take a kid fishing. The memories you bring home will last a lifetime.
Ronnie Parris is the Owner and Head Guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, North Carolina, heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. (www.smokymountainoutdoorsunlimited.com)
