As fishing guides, we are truly privileged to share in countless outdoor adventures, with people from all walks of life. For me, there is no trip more rewarding than that of the family fishing vacation. Perhaps its the memories that I fondly recall from my own family fishing trips… or perhaps it's that extra excitement and appreciation one gets when a young angler sets into their first trophy fish… whatever the case may be, when this crew arrived at North Star Resort, I knew it was going to be an amazing few days on Knee Lake, with a special group of Wisconsonites.
Fishing with young anglers is an excellent way to avoid taking our priceless resources for granted. It can be all to easy to let some of the wildlife encounters and the quality level of fishing itself, become under appreciated when you are privileged enough to be subsered in it, day in and day out, for months at a time. There is nothing more reinvigorating than seeing a young person catch their first fish of a species, see their first eagle, have their first ever shore lunch… heck, even rocks make for an interesting conversation if you're in the right company. I think Nivia's expression in the picture below explains it better than I ever could with words, as we set off from the lodge for our first morning of fishing together.
The older a person gets, the more set in our own ways we naturally become. In contrast, young anglers act more like sponges, soaking up every ounce of angling data like water to a desert rose. More often than not, they ultimately end up out-fishing their elder counterparts, and the big-fish pictures are that much sweeter for it! Similarly, young anglers just seem to relax more than the of the advanced angler. You may be able to relate to the infinitely fast whizzing of baits as you fan-cast a piece of structure with lightning speed, only to watch a young angler set the hook on an absolute giant while they worked with area with nonchalant patience. I have seen this time and time again over the years, and I love it!
Every good parent wants to see their kids catch the BIG ONE, and Dan was no exception to this rule. Positive, patient, and just a fun guy to fish with, Dan maintained the golden rule of fishing with the family… it's all about having fun and making positive memories with our loved ones.
During our time together, Nivia and I tackled both her first walleye and pike! It wasn't long before she was working the baits like a PRO!!! The next thing you know, SWOOOOOOOSH! A giant boat side top-water hit from this thirty-nine inch Northern, pictured below, had me wielding my net in a ninja-like fashion to subside the freshly fooled, water wolf.
You're never too young to learn, in my opinion, and little Niv's was all smiles at the idea of driving the boat! As Nivia put it herself, she is a, "woman who is not afraid"… You are awesome!!! Don't ever change kiddo!
My adventure with Nivia and her family was one that will not be soon forgotten. It was my fourth and final group of guests during my stay at North Star Resort, at Knee lake, and the perfect way to end my trip before heading back to North Haven Resort to finish off the season. Learning a new lake is always an adventure, and the fishing is a big part of that, but it's people like Nivia, who remind me that the most important aspect of fishing isn't actually the size of the fish you catch, but the people you share it with. We all need a reminder of that… from time to time… Thanks Nivs!