Take a child fishing, and you'll see the world anew

He would either tickle the bottom of my foot, or just place his hand on my head as the signal to get up at 3 a.m.

The Saturday morning ritual was something I looked forward to every week because I knew my father and I would head for the lakes for a day of fishing.

I continued that tradition with my first two daughters, but because we lived on or close to my favorite lake, I allowed the girls to sleep until 5 a.m.

I am frequently amazed with the e-mails I receive from readers and radio program listeners pertaining to their own exploits with their children and grandchildren.

Mark is an avid outdoorsman from Palatine. He is a construction worker who, thanks to the dearth of jobs, has had more time on his hands than usual. So over the summer, instead of weekend outings with his kids, he invested the family time during the weekdays when the kids were on summer vacation.

"My two boys are 10 and 13, and both of them jump out of bed every time I open their bedroom door," he said. "Their eyes are bright and I can feel their excitement about going fishing. And on our last local trip, my older son shared something with me that just about brought me to tears. He had just caught a small bass when he softly said, 'Dad, we love fishing with you so much we wouldn't think of doing anything else.' That alone is worth a million bucks."

Dell sent a similar e-mail about his experiences with his two daughters. He and his family reside in Mount Prospect.

"Both of my daughters are in college and when they're home for summer break they lay down the law about going fishing," Dell said. He shared with me that his kids look upon their outdoor experiences as adventures and wouldn't trade them for anything else. Both daughters are eager to go on another camping and fishing trip with dad to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

"The oldest one e-mailed me from college one evening that our two trips to the BWCA were spectacular," said Dell, "and she dreams of doing it again - but next time staying longer in order to catch more fish."

When I go to the various outdoors sports show in the area I make a point to stop at the trout ponds and observe the "action" going on. With rods and reels in hand, the kids do their best to tempt a rainbow trout to go after the bait. And when a little 5-year-old manages to succeed, it's right then and there that the seeds of the future are planted.

I first started going to the colossal outdoor show at the old Chicago Stock Yards' Ampitheater. Looking back now, I can say it was somewhat a surreal experience, with the Sheriff of Cochise, John Bromfield, riding in to the center ring on his horse with his six-guns blazing away. John was an avid angler as well as television and motion picture actor.

I stood in line to watch him use a casting rod to make hundred-foot throws across the cavernous hall. He then lectured youngsters (me included) to take advantage of the time with parents, especially when they offer to take you fishing.

If we as parents and grandparents are to ensure the future of angling and hunting, it is our responsibility to step up to the plate and pave the way for youngsters to get a taste of the real outdoors.

As I have noted countless times in this column, fishing is wrapped in excitement and adventure, and it's all about the tug - that large force that pulls us to everything wild - as well as the smaller tension provided by that bluegill on the end of the line.