Taking your kid on his very first boat ride and watching him catch his first bass on his first cast.

My son turned 4 two weeks ago so I gave him a life jacket as one of his B-day gifts. This evening, the wife and I took him out for his first boat ride (and the wife's second, she hates fishing and is affraid to get on the boat with me ).

My son had a blast helping me drive the boat. He had an even bigger blast when he hooked into his first bass (actually he caught one from shore about a year ago but doesn't remember).

I casted out a LC pointer minnow and handed him the rod. I showed him how to position his hand around the rod and how to turn the handle. There he was, jerking the rod every which way and cranking the handle. I'll be a sob if the rod didn't start bending and drag start singing. He brought the fish in all on his own. I unhooked it and had him pose for the pic's.

Driving the boat

Reeling the fish in

Almost holding the fish

Holding the fish and freaking out because the bass gave him his first "Bass Thumb," LMAO.

He cried and had tears coming down his cheeks for about 10 minutes. He ran to mama saying the bass ate his finger, lol.

I caught a few more and eventually had him touching the tails and side of the fish, but he wouldn't go near the mouth.

Great story.

Will remember the bass thumb when I take my grandson fishing in the future.

Thanks for sharing.

Man what a day! Ya'll will look back on these pictures and laugh for years to come! Enjoy!

Jeff

That's a hoot! Bass thumb. Wait for his first catfish thumb...

You're a great Dad and the photos are terrific! Keep'em fishing with you and in time he'll find all of the other activities and adventures irresistible... as all of us do

Big O

www.ragetail.com

Sam- Yea, I told him how to hold the fish. He rubbed his finger across the sandpaper lip and wanted nothing to do with the bass, saying it had teeth. I held his thumb against the lip with my thumb and assured him it wouldn't hurt but he acted like he had ZERO trust in what I was telling him.

Darren- No catfish for me, I caught enough of them as a youngster. Besides, I doubt I'll ever get him past the whiskers, lol.

Big-O- I came home one nite after a tournament and told him I won 1st place. Now everytime I go fishing, even non-tournament days, he always asks "did you get 1st place?" Kids, especially at his age, are a pistol. I'm never going to be able to leave to go fishing without him holding onto my shirt tail wanting to go. But you know what? I'm ready for him- just wish he could drive.

WHOO-HOO!

Great day for both of you.

Great outing. Careful they grow up quick. Teach him how to run the trolling motor & sit back & relax.

Great outing. Careful they grow up quick. Teach him how to run the trolling motor & sit back & relax.

Haha, don't kid yourself. He discovered the trolling motor yesterday, too. You ever see that commercial with KVD where he and the NASCAR driver keep going in circles? Well, that was us.

Great post.Congrat's.

Your a blessed man to be able to fish with your son.......

You need to make one of the photos your avatar. That's what life is all about .

Congrats..

Very cool stuff.

Today all I have are the memories of fishing with Pa. Cherish them memories. Good job Dad!!!!

Today all I have are the memories of fishing with Pa. Cherish them memories. Good job Dad!!!!

WOW!

Where have you been?

Are you and Grouchy coming to Guntersville?

Very cool! Congrats.

Thats awesome man, My son just caught his first boat bass this year as well. Good job dad!

WOW!

Where have you been?

Are you and Grouchy coming to Guntersville?

Been a tough year, reinventing myself, will not make it as I might be relocating to Tulsa for a job soon.

If you move to Tulsa you and Mike will be going to Lake Fork every weekend.

Kelley

Been a tough year, reinventing myself, will not make it as I might be relocating to Tulsa for a job soon.

You're not making yourself into a girl are you? HAHAHAHAHA

Thanks for all the replies.

I look so forward to fishing with my "munchkin" that I can hardly wait till he gets a little older. But, on the other hand, I wish he wouldn't grow up so darn fast. Kids his age say and do the darndest things that make me smile from ear to ear.

Way to go BB. I am now going through the process with my grandkids. As has been said, time passes quickly...I will now sing a few bars of 'Sunrise, Sunset' from Fiddler on the Roof.

They do grow up too fast, but that's why we had 4 of 'em! I still remember all their first fish, and first bass. My oldest got his first bass last year, a 3lb spot, and he got it on a cricket and 1/2 a cane pole. I was on the other end of the dock videoing my 5 y/o catch his first fish, you can hear the commotion in the background. It was almost too much! My 8 y/o girl got her first bass last month, with the added bonus of it being in the NOLA City Park lagoon. Plus, I still have the 5 yet to get his first bass, and a girl not yet 2 who hasn't caught anything yet. It's like hitting the lottery over and over.