Father’s Day is fast approaching and there is no better time than on that special day to spend it on the water with your dad!

The Early Days

For me, Father’s Day was always a day to spend with my girls, Ashley, Brittany and Lauren. Fishing was always a special time, and we always had a laugh or two. You see, my passion was fishing, but my girl’s passions were dolls, going to the movies and swimming in the ocean. It did not matter though as just spending the day with them was a joy, and provided memories of a lifetime. 

A fat 3 pounder for my daughter Brittany after learning how to fish a Zara Spook while with the author – her dad.

We did however also get some fishing in. On one trip, my daughter Brittany was fishing Pleasure Lake in New York in a row boat with me. She learned how to use a Zara Spook that day and caught her largest bass ever – a fat 3 pounder. She also helped dad row the boat around the entire lake…or should I say she did most of the rowing… 

On another trip to the local Kettle Hole ponds with Ashley, she could not believe that these little ponds could have anything in them but frogs! Well, low and behold, she caught her first bass ever – a nice little 10 inch fish. Not only was she so excited, she made The Fisherman Magazine to show off to her friends at school. 

Then there were the days spent with Lauren – my big girl. Her days were spent on the ocean front surf casting. Or should I say I did the surfcasting and Lauren did the swimming and finding of shells! The days always ended with a Carvel ice cream or Italian Ice from the local vendor on our trek home to mom.

Make It Special 

One thing for sure is that Father’s Day should be a special one for all the dad’s out there – old and young. Sure, fishing is a passion of mine, and of many dad’s in the world. Going fishing with your dad can be rewarding, fulfilling and time well spent, especially in these hectic times where it seems work sometimes is the crucial evil. 

There is a lot of options out there, but nothing beats a day on the water with your dad. A day on the water in a party boat, charter boat, private boat or fishing the shore or dock is something special. It isn’t always about the fishing either. I have had plenty of times where the wildlife made for a more interesting day then the actual fishing. On one trip, in the ocean off Fire Island, we were treated to a wildlife bonanza. First a huge humpback whale breached on a pod of bunker, then off a little distance there was a school of dolphin breaching the surface in a flow that seemed like it was timed to music. 

How about the sighting of a magnificent bald eagle slowly gliding over a lake? A beaver dam where you can teach the kids how and why they build the dam, and show them some of the trees they cut down with precision a tree surgeon would have trouble replicating. The sites can be endless, and the fishing at times can one they will never forget. 

It Will Last a Lifetime 

My grandson with his first day on the water surfcasting. The bond of fishing is one that will last forever.

Spending Father’s Day with your dad is something I guarantee will last a lifetime. It will forever be embedded in the old guy’s heart, and one you will not forget as you grow into a dad, or a mom. There is something about Father’s Day. It evokes love and friendship. It creates a love among father-son or father-daughter. Spending the day on the water is like a dream, but in the end it is real, and the bond is forever. 

This Father’s Day, don’t just pick up a cake or have a barbecue in the backyard. Tell dad you want to go fishing. Tell him you want to relive the early days when it was the normal Father’s Day before all the hustle and bustle of our lives today. Pick a lake, bay, river, stream or ocean. Grab your favorite KastKing rod, reel and tackle. Don’t hesitate – Take dad fishing!