 Bill Cannan writes: This time every year people everywhere are making resolutions for the new year. We say that we are going to cut back on our spending, spend more time with family, slow down and enjoy life more, and the list goes on and on.
I have been guilty of making resolutions for the new year and not following through with them. Sometimes the goals and resolutions that we set are unreasonable and difficult to follow through with.
However, just the thought of analyzing ourselves once a year and making some simple changes is very constructive.
One change could improve the lives of thousands of youngsters in our society. That change is to take a young person fishing. There are too many youngsters out there in our society who have never experienced a fishing trip. For example, take the children and teenagers who live deep in the heart of some of the big cities around the state and country. We become critics and wonder why some of them cannot stay out of trouble.
Well many of these kids have never spent time in the outdoors. They have never had a real experience with Mother Nature and they are missing something.
Young people have an overwhelming instinct to be interested. They encounter many things these days and have many options when it comes to developing interests.
We can easily tap into this interest by occasionally taking young people out fishing. Give them a new experience that will develop an interest and hopefully be a positive influence.
When I started college in 1989 1 was meeting all different kinds of people from all over the state and country. Many of my fellow classmates had never been fishing. I didn't know what to think of this, I thought that everybody fished, especially men.
This is when I realized how fortunate I was to have a dad who would take me fishing on weekends. But you don't have to be a dad to take someone fishing. My interest would have developed for fishing and the outdoors if my mom, uncle, grandam, or any other adult would have taken me.
It doesn't have to be a big expensive ordeal to take a young person fishing. ~I remember the times we would leave the boat at home and fish off of Mr. Adens pier on Johnson's Bluff. As a kid, I probably had just as much fun doing that as I did going in the big boat. Remember that young people enjoy simple things, they don't have to be impressed to be entertained.
Fishing develops patience, character, and an understanding and respect for the environment.
Well, fishing is not the solution for everything but it is no doubt a positive influence on youngsters. So when you are making those New Year resolutions think about a young person around you and plan on taking them fishing.
Fishing is allowed in designated areas of all the marinas around Lake Conroe and also from Lake Conroe Park on FM 105. For information, fishing consultation, or a fishing trip contact me at (409) 594 7645. Good luck fishing.
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