Ok, first a disclaimer or two...My daughter Rachel (age 16) has been in training to learn to jig fish. This is her second jig fishing trip. I have been fishing a lot of late and know that green is working well. So I tied on a Jigum Halo Magic, knowing full well that Okiebob would approve of my selection and since Rachel picked it...I used whatever was tied on my jig pole, and changed several times through out the day. She did not change her jig the entire day.

We leave the boat ramp about 12 noon or so, ready to do battle with war painted males and egg laden females, busily chatting about her UIL Debate Competition trip...I fully intend to start by side scanning some of the deeper water trees for crappie...well, about then I realize I forgot to put my sonar unit on the boat...sigh. So I pull up to a tree that usually holds crappie, needing a little help from my trolling motor for placement. Drop the trolling motor...OH NO, where is my wireless remote?? Darn, I hope Lone Star Cat has it in his pocket (loaned him my boat yesterday), otherwise I have to buy another one. Well, now out comes the paddle and get to the tree to tie up. This day isn't starting so well.

I have some left over minnows donated by by Lone Star Cat, so I drop a couple minnow poles. One for me and one for Rachel. Then I grab my jig pole and start jigging. Rachel instantly says, dad where is my jig pole? It is right here honey, what type of jig would you like to fish with? She picks a Halo Magic (ok I gave her several green type choices) and I tie it on. About then my minnow pole bends over, dink. Then my jig pole bends and I got my first keeper of the day. Bam another succumbs to my jig...So I look over at Rachel and then it happens, her jig pole bends almost to the water and i say lift it up to eleven o'clock and reel it in...so she reels a 13 incher up to the top of the water..Uh oh, the drag is set too light....so i instruct, now lift it into the boat...about two seconds later, I get a thump on my chest. Her first jigged crappie!! Some pics are taken, the smile is hard not to love. She looks at me and says, I got one, and you got two. I'm thinking yea right, keep counting honey....but I say, you are behind so you better get to fishing if you want to catch me! She assures me that she will catch plenty before this day is out...After all daddy, I just won second place in UIL Regional Debate Competition yesterday, qualified for State competition, so I'm on a winning streak...you will see. Ok, I give, should I bow now or later? Later will be fine, Dad, she says with a grin.

So we catch one more apiece, and I notice a couple fishing just off the bank catching them shallow. I tell Rachel to pull them up. We drag ourselves through the stick-ups to the bank. I say get your jig pole, no minnows on the bank. So I catch one instantly on a stump just off the boat, another picture. Then Rachel gets one on the next stump, then another, then another...then we get a double, Pics, Pics, Pics...so on and so forth.

Well, after about 5 minutes, Rachel has gotten possessive over HER Rock and Stump, so I wander down the bank looking for another nest stump...I see Rachel catch one, then another...each time she dutifully brings her phone for a picture. So when I catch one, I say hey come put this one in the cooler. Man, I LIKE THIS DEAL, she is working like a champ. I come back down and drop into "her" spot. Next thing I know, I am looking at her Ugly Stick about 3 inches from my nose with a stern warning...Dad, this is MY SPOT....Ok, I get the point (I know how strong those uglies are) so I wander the other way down the bank, picking up a few. Each time Rachel dutifully comes down gets my fish an puts it in the cooler. Thats X fish for you XX for me...I look up as she is walking off...I swear she is doing the Saturday Snoopy dance...I get a grin from ear to ear...man, this is the meaning of life...seeing the passion to learn, then seeing the excitement of the first fish, then seeing the sense of accomplishment of jigging on her own, then seeing the glee of kicking ole dad's tail around some. Well, I look up and see her walking down my way, stating matter of factly, well my spot slowed down, guess I got them all...thought I would come down here and see if I can get on a few.

As we walk on down the bank, we visit with the couple in the boat and fish on past them. I notice she is getting tired, losing focus, yet she hasn't complained one bit, I'm amazed. I tell her its 6:30pm, I am ready to head to the boat to see if we can get a few from the tree top. Rachel tells me, Dad I want try my spot one more time, before we get in the boat. So we fish HER spot for a few minutes, nothing. Ok, Dad time to move. Hmmm, I think, she must be figuring this jigging thing out.

After about 15 unsuccessful minutes on a treetop..I look over and she is sleeping with her pole across her lap. I softly say, well we should call it a day, I'm tired. Really, you too?...I hear from the back of the boat...Dad, I almost sacked out back here. You know what dad? What? I like jigging more than I do minnow fishing. Hmmm, why is that? Because it is easier. Really? Yes, it is easier to catch them, to remove the hooks, plus its just fun when that fish pulls on your line...Yes, honey...I believe you are right.

So we arrive at the boat ramp, I tell her I'll back it down...and she interrupts and I will pull it out when you load the boat, like before, RIGHT DAD...Sounds good to me, honey. I load the boat, and she pulls it up the ramp seamlessly. Dang, no racing engine or burning rubber smell like before, I muse. As we are driving toward Dairy Queen for dinner (winner picks, loser pays), I mention that maybe we need to go over to Navarro Mills sometime so i can teach her to back the boat down the ramp...rachel's eyes lite up, REALLY, thats cool...you know MOM can't do that...yes, thats true, honey.

Anyway, I walk in the house first and tell Sandra (my wife) she kicked my rear end today. Sandra looks me over and says you look mad?!! Nope, one of the best days of my life...I say matter of factly. Are you SURE, cause you look MAD. So, I say, well I have been practicing my MAD look ALL DAY, because I don't want Rachel to know how happy I really am. I have had one of the all time best days of my life, thanks to our daughter!! Thats my girl, she says with a big old grin. Just then Rachel walks in, gives me a hug, a kiss and says thanks for the wonderful day DAD, I will NEVER FORGET IT....Oh and I love you too..........As a single tear rolls down my cheek, I turn away...I got a story to write.

As I sit here thinking maybe my mother is looking down at me smiling, and maybe there is more to this divine intervention thing than I can even imagine.

Thank you Lord!

Great write up Dale! THAT is what it's all about!

Very good read

One tear is all you had? I beat that and I wasn't even there...
I don't know you from Adam, But it is plan to see you are a good person, and a great Dad!!! Keep up the good work my friend!

I can't wait for my Granddaughters to get just a couple years older. Good report Dale.

Congrats Rachel,
UIL Regional Champ.. Go Gett'em at State!

Oh! Great job on handing Dad the Silver (2nd place) at the Crappie Competition...
Jigum

Dale, thanks for sharing that. If you were to fish every day for the rest of your life you may never have a better trip than the one you just described.

Ok OK OK....thanks for the shoutout Matthew, (Per Rachel)...you MUST have talked to Sandra on the phone or via text...cause that was her EXACT comment....yeeeeeee

Okiebob, Piscatur, Dutch, and others...heart felt thanks...being on this forum has forced me to slow down and take my kids fishing more...I would take them this fishing and that fishing from time to time...but never really crappie fishing that much...so I just decided that kids can catch crappie too, so I waited for the shallow bite...now it looks like Rachel got the deep bite thing going...Alan, not so much...but I got a story to tell fishing with him last week, if we can ever get the pics out of the phone.

Greasebath is kindly assisting me with the pics, and should have some posted this afternoon or evening...It was almost midnight before I finished the story.

At the time, yes...as I was writing this story, I cried like a baby....Sandra kept asking me...whats wrong, your alergies acting up....NOT REAL SURE BUT SOMETHING IS REALLY GETTING TO ME RIGHT NOW....every time I proofread this thing...another picture of our outing would pop into my head and here we go again....I NEVER thought I would be this lucky to be telling this fishing story, but I am grateful that I am....CAUSE IT DON'T GET NO BETTER THAN TODAY...

Great job all the way around.

It don't get any better!

good job....dad

Awesome Crapicat. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime that I hope you get to repeat often! Share some pics

Congratulations on a great day. Just wanted to say I think you should be a contributing writer to the magazine Texas Parks and Wildlife, great article.

Awesome story! I had a few tears cause I just took my kiddoes fishing for the first time in about a yr and a half yesterday, was overseas for a yr, and had some great success! Thanks for the read!