Family Outing

With the ice getting thicker on certain lakes, I decided it was time to start looking to get groups out again before my bigger group outings start happening next month. One of my friends at work and I are always trying to see when her and her family can get trips lined up, which does not happen much owing to our days off not matching up much. But such an opportunity was available on a recent weekend, so I arrange for her and her family to meet me up at Deerfield since the ice was thick enough where I felt it was safe to bring others on.

While my initial drops to check and see what was around did not yield the best results, I was still hoping they would be able to catch something. So, after setting up my Clam C-560 Thermal hub and getting my new Buddy Flex heater turned on, I drilled more holes and got other lines rigged up as they arrived.

Kim and James set out fishing initially, each armed with a Vexilar, while the two kids did their own thing. Kim caught her first (and only) fish within the first 10 minutes but enjoyed being outside and inside the hub when she got cold. Her daughter, Sienna, got to reel in a couple of fish on the Arctic Warriors while she was taking photographs for a class. And James caught the best fish of the morning right before I was starting to pack up. While I was disappointed that a normally reliable spot did not produce, the family had fun and they got some much-needed fresh air and relaxing in.

Sometimes that is more important than anything else, especially these days. With more and more people wanting to get out of their houses while adhering to CDC recommendations, the outdoors offers a retreat and seasoned anglers across the Midwest have noticed. More people are trying outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, and hiking. This boom in outdoor activity is a great opportunity for those of us who enjoy the outdoors to get more people involved. So, if you have a chance to take your family or a friend's family out, take advantage of that, especially if there's kids involved. You may inspire a new passion in someone for the outdoors.