Teaching Izzy To Fish

Scanning the murky waters of the small pond I hoped- no prayed, to the almighty for a small crappie, perch or bass to bite.  Kneeling  on the left beside little four year old Izzy with my hand gently on her shoulder, I talked her through each step trying to catch her first fish.  

Repeated attempts to cast the tube jig off her pink Barbie fishing rod resulted in entangled in the bushes surrounding the bank.  Teaching a four year old to fish may be seen as a nuisance, or even a chore for parents and other adults who know nothing about fishing.  To me, walking a kid through the steps to catching their first fish is a duty on which I find pure enjoyment.  Knowing the young child will blabber on and on about the  fish they caught is worth the ten minutes it takes to help teach them the ropes.  

But teaching little Izzy on this particular day brought an extra reason I wanted her to catch a fish so badly.

Thankfully Izzy was a patient little girl who did not become frustrated easily and was willing to try as best she could any instruction handed down.   She did her best to “bounce” the silver tube jig in a jerky up and down motion forgetting to reel unless instructed to.  Her quiet demeanor soaked up the experience while I tried to remain as enthusiastic as possible even as we were not catching fish.  

3 Observations to successfully hooking a child on fishing.

Besides the obvious tip of keeping it short and interesting, here are a few things I picked up from working with Izzy.

1) Let them choose the lure or bait:

While we know what the fish are going to be biting on, give the child options within the parameters of what will be most successful for them to choose.  This gets the kids involved on an even deeper level.  With Izzy, we knew the fish in this particular pond were going nuts for small tube jigs.  We had a multi colored tub jig box and by letting Izzy select the color she wanted to fish with, she now has a greater and more involved memory of the experience.  

2) Reeling may not be a bad idea:

We typically think taking young children fishing is most successful with a bobber and worm set up.  In many instances, yes, this is true.  However, from watching Izzy, I realized since she had to reel and work the tube jig by herself, she was far more engaged in the process with little time to become distracted.  This will vary child to child so pay attention to their personality type.

3)Hook Theory:

Young children I’ve helped seem to have an issue grasping the concept of setting the hook.  To combat this issue, if you are using bait, use a hook such as a small circle hook in which the fish essentially catch themselves after taking the bait.  Without having to worry about the precious seconds needed to set the hook, a circle hook will help give you and the child time to practice the concept on a live fish.

Half way around the pond produced several lost fish, I was nervous she would lose interest in the activity.  Her line darted out from the edge of the bank with ferocity.  Thankfully, due to the little fish’s speed combined with the height above the water we were on the bank, the fish hooked itself.  Izzy’s mother relaxing on the other side of the pond shouted her excitement as the small bass was held up for people to see.   I turned to my friend who was walking alongside observing the action and breathed a sigh of relief.  We both smiled and watched little Izzy sprint around the pond to tell her mom.  

Teach your child to fish and they could end up like this.

HAWK Treehooks Review

One of the biggest noise makers as far as new products go this year have been the introduction of HAWK Treestands and Accessories.   Although my internship with the company is over, I still love the gear and will support them in my  writing when I can.   As we approach the middle part of the year and hunting season not all that far off realistically, we need to begin looking at the new gear we want to take with us this fall.  Here is a run down of the new treestand hook accessories launched by HAWK for 2014.

Tactical TreeHook:

Ok, how was HAWK able to improve  the simple tree hook.  A classic yet vital accessory we all depend on while ascending trees has not seen too much improvement until now.  The team at HAWK beefed up the coating on the handle with a durable over molded plastic coating.  Tipped with what they call the Auger Tip, HAWK has designed the tip threads to begin immediately.  Auger Tips come standard on all HAWK hook Accessories.  The benefit is,  during those moments of trying to haul gear into the tree, and get settled, you will not spend extra time having to dig into the tree sine the threads begin cutting through the hardwood immediately.  These tips are extremely sharp, to keep you and your gear safe,  HAWK has equipped the Tactical Tree Hook with a protective covering and carabiner to latch to your pack or belt loop.

Considering the rate that many of us tend to misplace treehooks, it is a good thing these are only $5.99.

JAB’ Handle:

Ergonomically built for direct user comfort, the JAB’ handle is one of the most brilliant hooks designed for the market today.  Leverage for securely drilling tree hooks while in the stand is can be a pain.  One aspect I remember distinctly talking with the HAWK team about endlessly was the ability of the threads to flip back like a pocket knife.  This feature keeps me and my gear safe from being poked by the sharp point.  This also allows you to store and the JAB’ Handle much easier, keeping your overall pack organized.  With a rubber coated surface and an MSRP of $12.99, slide this into your pocket and go.

The exclusive Auger Tip

Xtendible Bow Arm:  

The aircraft grade aluminum body is the traveling hunters new best friend.  Easy on weight and on your wallet, weighing in at, 6.5 oz. bowarm extends from 8.75 inches to 16.5 inches with a suggested retail price of $17.99.  This arm fits perfectly in cargo pockets for those who need to hike into areas with as little gear as possible.  Also highly user friendly, the actually tree attachment is quickly disconnected from the bow arm for easy tree installation.  Like the JAB’ handle, the detached part allows for excellent leverage.  Snap the arm back onto the bracket , find your preferred length, nock an arrow and start hunting.  I had the chance to help test this arm while hunting big parcels of woodland state forests.  I refused to leave my apartment without it in the bag, it quickly became one of my favorite accessories.

GoGadget: 

To top off the already impressive line of new tree hooks, HAWK sends hunters into the field with the GoGadget Bow Arm. Using two axis’ instead of the traditional one horizontal rotating axis, the beauty of having two axis’ is, being able to truly customize where you place your bow.  A  360 degree rotating over molded hook, the GoGadget silently moves to fit how you want to be set up in the tree.   No longer will you have to lean out away from your tree to grab your bow.  Leaning away from your tree exposes your profile and increases your chance of possibly falling out of the stand.  HAWKalso included three accessory knobs to be able to hang your optics and calls.   Built from aluminum, the GoGadget is easily transportable in your pack to and from the truck.  The GoGadget retails for $34.99

One of the best locking systems there is.

Horizontal and vertical adjustment.

Customize your set up.

HAWK Tree Hook Accessories combine user efficiency with affordability for the hard working hunter refusing to give up reliability.  All HAWK gear is built on these principles which makes the young company  a new force to be reckoned with.   This gear allows you to hunt further with greater efficiency.  HAWK helps you Push The Wild Limits.

Connect with HAWK on their Facebook Page here.

https://www.facebook.com/HAWKgear

Push Yourself – Find Your Destiny.

Connect with us on social media #PWL.

Jason

Alps OutdoorZ, Pursuit Bow Pack Review

As the spring grows into the dog days of summer, we begin thinking about the new gear we want to acquire for our hunting, fishing, hiking and backpacking adventures.  Over the next several weeks we will look closely at different equipment possibilities.

This is what we envision. Loaded down with fresh meat and if possible, a decent trophy.

ALPS OutdoorZ Pursuit Bow Pack, First Take:

Strapping my brother’s bow into the Pursuit bow holder and just walking to the backyard made me feel giddy.  Although mid spring, the feeling of having a bow and pack on my back sent shockwaves of primal bowhunting desires through every synapse in my brain.   Whether you are heading out back behind the barn for a quick evening hunt, are gearing up for a long day trek,  or just heading out for a recreational hike, the Alps Outdoors Pursuit Bow Pack  provides space, ample pockets and compartments with a handy way to secure your gun or bow for the duration of the hike.

Hanging off of the HAWK™ GoGadget™ here, it it easy to envision this same scene in late fall in the deer woods.

Specs:

With 2700 cubic inches, the Pursuit allows one to store key day trip essentials.  Included in the Pursuit Pack is  a water bladder compartment and port to snake a bladder hose non-intrusively out the top and clip onto the shoulder strap. 

Food, clothing and other supplies store pack comfortably.  Extra clothing, portable cooking stove, game bags, and other accessories fit well in the main compartment.

The front compartment is slightly smaller yet contains several mesh pockets perfect for storing and transporting small accessories.  There are six total individual pockets in the front pack including an elastic gear holder like you see in a turkey vest.  Use these to keep your pack organized by storing small flashlights, knives, ammo, food, calls and optics.

 Treestand hunters will also appreciate the adjustable straps in the front pack.  These straps allow you to create an open and flat surface for ease of storing and reaching gear in the stand.  Instead of digging around and making noise, this essentially allows you to have a small table in the tree with you.  

Having my key in stand gear readily accessible without having to dig around is save on time, frustration, and noise.

For those needing to hike long distances to their areas, the Pursuit Pack comes with a bow and gun holder.  Straps attached to an elastic protective covering, tighten to secure your gun or bow. The bottom cam or butt stock of the gun are secured in an adjustable lower pocket. The adjustable lower pocket is one of the elements of this pack I love since it keeps dirt out of my bow cams increasing the lifespan of my bow cams and strings.     Even fishermen wishing to hike into remote locations can benefit from this system. 

The Pursuit preformed well on a deep woodland trout fishing trip. I was able to store extra gear and secure my flyrod in the bow holder for long hikes.

Who isn’t looking forward to this?

While the majority of the time I spent with the bow in the holder, I realized that this could also be useful for hiking in after turkeys.   Not every big gobbler is converniently located right in your neighbors field.  It is easy to envision filling the pack with gear, strapping a shotgun into the holder and hiking into deep woodland hollows and distant mountain draws after weary old toms.

Don’t let distance stay between you and the gobbler of your dreams. Pack in and tag out..

This feature allows your  hands to stay  free for glassing and keeping balance while traipsing over terra firma.   For hunters, especially archers, the waist belt supports a pocket compartment compatible with many of today’s range finders.  

Materials:

Knocking into objects will no longer result in extra noise.  The material of the Pursuit is a soft, almost fleece like material.  For those whose adventures take them into the thickest haunts of the animals they chase, this material will improve your stealth.  

Excellent padding, especially on the lower lumbar area.

Since the best days to hunt are often times during periods of weather, the Pursuit comes with a blaze orange rain cover.  The blaze cover can be used during survival situations to alert rescuers and is also key during firearms seasons.  

But everything else aside, what makes or breaks a backpack?  The way it feels on your back.  The Alps team has designed this pack with luxurious padding as well as an aluminum stay for back support.  This small piece of aluminum helps keep the pack from sagging and putting extra pressure on your shoulders- one of the best unspoken aspects of the Alps Pursuit.  

The Pursuit is also built with excellent padding.  I love how comfortable it feels while sitting on my back, especially the extra padding built into the lower lumbar area.

This flexible aluminum stay not only relieves pressure off your shoulders, but gives support to the overall pack keeping it upright while in the stand allowing you to keep your gear organized.

With the Alps OutdoorZ Pursuit Pack, you are placing ingenuity, convenience, stealth,  and support on your back.  The Pursuit has an MSRP of $129.99 and can be purchased at major retail locations.

Read more about the Pursuit Pack and all of Alps OutdoorZ fine products here.

http://www.alpsoutdoorz.com/outdoorz/products/packs/pursuit

Pushing The Wild Limits,

Jason

Graduated, Time To Move On.

“You have wandered in this mountain region for a time, turn north.”

 

This steep canyon wall in Oregon describes the climb to the collegiate summit.

God spoke these words to Moses in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.  This verse was also quoted over the past weekend during proceedings for the graduation of the Houghton College Class of 2014- my class.  It hit a cord in my heart.

Graduating college is like clawing by the skin of your teeth and the depths of your fingernails to the summit of a substantial mountain.  This mountain pushes, grinds and forms your work ethic, resolve, and personality.  The mountain of  collegiate academics is no easy climb, but when you get to the summit, there is no downward slope to descend.  Actually, it feels more like a cliff, you jump off, free falling down until you can spread the wings of your gliding suit and begin steering.  While it is easy to want to cling onto the past as hard as possible, not wanting to make the jump, the verse has wisdom.

Houghton creates bonds for life.

Sweating under a cap and gown surrounded by fellow classmates, this verse spoke to my heart.  It was time to move on.  Time to make room at Houghton for the next generation of students to experience the magic of Houghton.  Time to take what has been taught and apply it.  Time to reflect on the memories and lessons, but to not waste what has been learned and impact those searching for something larger and greater in life.

Houghton, I will never forget.  It is in the moments of decision that destiny is shaped.  I can remember distinctly the moment I told my parents I’d give Houghton a shot.  Houghton allowed me to be who I am without the worry of scrutiny.  If not for Houghton, the people God had me meet, I would have never met and been able to learn from.  If not from Houghton, I would have never met one of my closest friends Austin Groff.  If not for Houghton, this journey of writing may have never taken place.

Me with my collegiate hunting partner and one of my best friends, Austin Groff

Pushing The Wild Limits started after writing an essay for a class about one of my heroes, Cameron Hanes.  I had so much fun writing that essay, a few days later I found myself wanting to get that charge out of writing again.  And in my 8 AM. Social Media and Society class, Pushing The Wild Limits was born.

Beast Mode Graduation

If not for Houghton, I would have never met some of the legends of the outdoor industry. If not for Houghton, I would have never been able to have the understanding of my friends and professors to work as hard as I did for  HAWK™.  Thank you Scott Lee for giving me that chance. Thank you Professors for your understanding and support.   If not for Houghton, I would never have had a chance to benefit from the direct care and teaching of the professors I now call friends.

While I could spend ample time describing how Houghton changed my life,  it is time to move on.  Not to forget those lessons, but to put them into action.

Thanks Mom & Dad.

 

Thank you Houghton for changing my life.  Thank you God for your presence and favor of Houghton College.  For it is through Christ’s presence at that school that is what really changes people.

In the weeks to come while I am searching for a full time job, I will be revamping this website.  New looks, new purpose and mission will be set into motion.  In the mean time, I will be doing gear reviews on items you may want to consider for your future adventures.

 

To the Houghton class of 2014, good luck, God Bless, and Push The Wild Limits.

In Christ,

Jason Reid