By Sarah Amblard
E lbow-deep in chum, soaking wet from rain, and reeking of fish– it’s not how most mothers and daughters imagine spending Mother’s Day, but that’s how my mother and I spent it last year.
While I drag my whole family on occasional fishing trips, my mom is always the one who enjoys it the most. My dad spends most of his time hurling over the bow of the boat, while my sister laughs at my dad while she sits on the bench texting and complaining. I, of course, spend the four hours casting line after line in hopes of catching as many fish as I possibly can, and my mom stands right there beside me patiently waiting hours for a single nibble.
Last year, my mom received an email from the Celtic Quest advertising their Mother’s Day trip where moms fish for free. Jokingly, she asked if I would take her, and I, although recognizing sarcastic tone of voice, took advantage of the opportunity to go fishing and told her I’d be more than happy to. Despite the forecast of inclement weather, my mom rather reluctantly came along with me. For the first few hours, we patiently stood at the railing in our oversized rain ponchos while the fish ate our bait but avoided our hooks! But then, our luck changed and we hit the jack pot! We started getting fish on left and right and we’re having a blast. To our surprise my mom caught the biggest fluke on the boat and won the pool that was worth almost $200, which she shared with me, her favorite daughter! I was so glad we were able to spend the day together doing something we both enjoyed.
Unfortunately, this year we were away on Mother’s Day so we didn’t get to go on our mother-daughter trip together. We were really disappointed — even my mom complained about not being able to go fishing. But I know we won’t have to wait until next Mother’s Day to go fishing and maybe this time I’ll win the pool.
All of us at Coastal Angler are committed to sharing the sport we love with the next generation. We are especially grateful when we find young folks like Sarah Amblard who can share her passion for fishing through stories, or teacher/leader Bob Wilson who puts his time and resources to work for the kids 24/7.
The Ward Melville HS Fishing Club will be sharing their stories and photos through a monthly column for us, sharing their fish tales and passion for fishing on Long Island.
For information on how to start your own high school fishing club, or to submit a teen article for this column please contact me at LisaD@coastalanglermagazine.com
If you would like to reach out to Bob with ‘atta boys for him or his fishing club you can reach him at:
Ward Melville High School Fishing Club
Bob Wilson
380 Old Town Road
wmhsfishingclub@gmail.com / rwilson2@3villagecsd.kl2.ny.us
