Let’s face it, the amount of screen time kids these days seem to insist on frustrates all of us in the old fart category. I’ve talked to my kids about how I used to go outside to play as they get lost in Facebook thinking that maybe my long winded lecture will turn things around. I’ve decided it’s futile to talk about the good old days – I need to provide an alternative to modern times and show them some good old days. We’re talking things like skiing, sports, bike riding, running, and, you guessed it, fishing.
Taking a kid fishing in Sitka may be about the best alternative you can offer to get them to log off the computer, rest their texting thumbs, and spend their days amidst a saltwater wilderness. Once we get about 5 miles from the dock the 4G service ends, so you don’t even have to yell at them get their face out of Facebook. It’s not an option. And, they can spend their time spotting whales, bears, sea otters, sea lions, eagles, puffins, seals, and porpoise while fishing for and catching salmon, halibut, rockfish, and lingcod.
The fishing in Sitka is generally plenty fast enough to keep the boredom from the door. Our captains and crew are great with kids. We’ll teach them everything and anything they want like to learn like cutting bait, rigging baits, netting fish, tying knots, cleaning fish, and more. If they want to get involved in the process, we’re happy to make that happen.
So, grant the kids a furlough from Call of Duty and bring them fishing. The reel world trumps the virtual world every time – just give it the chance.