Fishing Season Opens

Hiking Fishergirl
Originally uploaded by cratliff.

The girls and I had been planning to go our on opening day for some time now. Bright and early on Saturday morning (read: 5:30am) they jostled me awake and dragged me off to fish. I probably should have gone to bed earlier the night before, but a players party is a players party, right? Reinvigorated with a large cup of CTC Assam, tea snobs know what I am talking about here, I was ready to face the day by 5:45am!

Since we had not planned to pick up Grampy (aka Tom Atwell, The Maine Gardener) until 7am, we made for the Spurwink River and the Rachel Carson Conservation area. This beautiful tidal river is right off of Route 77 on the Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough line (where is ECA, when I need it?). It is open to fishing and a great place to wander around looking at the natural beauty of Maine. My youngest fished a bit while my oldest went hiking around the area looking at birds and plants and just having a great time.

Soon enough, 7am rolled around and we went back to get Grampy and obtain doughnuts and more caffeine at Dunkin Donuts. Then we went to Hinkley Pond to their U16 fishing area. There was one interested fish, but my youngest had converted to hiking by this point. She and her sister and Grampy played "Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea," bushwhacking through the still denuded woods. I fished in the Upper Pond, open to all ages, but had no luck either. After a bit of playing, the girls were ready to head for home.

It was a great time and a perfect first day of fishing. A little time on the water and a little time wandering through the woods. At the end of the day, that is what it is about. Teaching kids to enjoy nature.

As a side note, my youngest is firmly convinced that there is a "Big Fat Fish" which nibbles the bait off of her hook and teases her. It is far to smart to get caught. Not too suprisingly, that is the image most people who fish have of their aquatic opponent.