Moscow-Pullman Daily News Blogs

The Staszkows spent several hours last Saturday at Spring Valley Reservoir outside Troy.

The weather was fine and the fish were biting. With two children and a wife who doesn’t touch worms, you need both to make the day a success.

I’ve spent the past few years trying to get the family into fishing. It hasn’t been easy, and part of that is my fault.

I’m realizing quickly that I don’t have the patience and creativity my father did. He always made fishing fun. We played word games. He told stories. He tried to catch bluegill with gum wrappers. We ate licorice.

For my fishing family, Saturday was a watershed day. And here’s why:

1. The kids helped rig the poles: Instead of organizing the gear myself, getting everything just right (in those blessed, quiet hours after the kids go to bed), I threw open the tackle box after dinner and let the kids dig in. We played with slimy things and rolled power bait between our fingers. We discussed barbs. We counted bobbers and sliding sinkers. My daughter had the honor of slipping a pencil through the spool of new line as a reloaded a reel with silky, 6-pound test. She thought that was cool.

2. We set a family goal: Even at age 7 and 4, my children can be competitive. So we made fishing a team goal. Dad and kids (with assists from Mom) would try to catch five trout in two hours. Every fish to hit the dock was cheered. My youngest became “Net-Boy,” fishing’s first Superhero. My daughter kept close count as the stringer began to fill. We caught 10 trout in two hours - double the goal and worthy a fine reward.

3. We finished with a flourish: Making our family goal meant a special family treat - a trip to the nearby White Pine Cafe (in Troy) for lunch. The Palouse is littered with places like the White Pine, cozy diners with small-town charm, great service and plenty of wood paneling. We should all go to those places more often.

Craig