Daughter adds to joy of fishing

News-Sun sportwriter Brian Plasters goes fishing at Buck Creek State Park with daughter Kate, 1, on Tuesday, June 16, 2009.

Staff Photo by Barbara J. Perenic News-Sun sportwriter Brian Plasters goes fishing at Buck Creek State Park with daughter Kate, 1, on Tuesday, June 16, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Graphic by Greg DeGroat Old Reid Park is located at 1545 Pumphouse Road.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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Updated 11:56 AM Monday, June 22, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — My daughter is too young to fish.

That’s OK, because on my first Father’s Day in 2008, Katherine Ann Plasters was too young to do anything.

Well, except for the normal stuff 2-month-olds do — fill a diaper and cry.

Now Kate is 14 months old. She can walk, run, wander off, use a spoon, speak her own language and make her dad proud. Plus fill a diaper and cry.

Today, June 21, we celebrate Father’s Day. I accept the recognition, but really Father’s Day is every day at my house.

Every day Kate waddles into the bedroom and wants to see her dad, so I wake up (still a bit groggy). Every day Kate wants to play, so we head to the basement toy cache (so she can play with the pillows on the couch). Every day Kate needs a bedtime story — and my wife, Sarah, takes care of that (as she does most things with Kate. I help).

Kate is the first child for Sarah and me, and I had much to learn as a new father. In Kate’s first year she’s taught me to change a diaper, warm a bottle, read “Goodnight Moon,” the healing power of Orajel, and the fun in laughter.

She taught me this because I needed to know. I think of it as learning as I go.

Now it’s my turn to teach Kate a few things.

I have big dreams for my daughter. I want her to be popular in school and comfortable in a crowd. I want her to go to an Ivy League college, and pay attention in class. Basically, be everything I’m not and do everything I didn’t.

Except when it comes to learning, and respecting what happens in the wilderness.

Just like my father taught me, Kate’s going to learn how to fish. She’s going to learn how to shoot a gun. She’s going to learn how to build a fire, and see what stars look like in the country. She’s going to learn everything I know.

Understand, my 1-year-old won’t be given matches or anything else unsafe for a child. We’re starting small, and learning as we go.

That’s why on Tuesday, June 16, Sarah and I strapped Kate in the car seat and the fishing pole in the truck bed. Old Reid Park, and Buck Creek across Croft Road, was our destination because it has lots of room for our little wanderer to do so.

Maybe when she’s a teenager she won’t remember what I’ve taught her, or won’t want to remember. Someday she can make her own choices.

Right now my daughter is too young to fish, but not too young to go fishing. She went once already; she touched a live crappie and smiled while I reeled a few in.

This time, she eyed the worm container and made it her new favorite toy. She couldn’t figure out how to remove the lid, which was probably a good thing. The rocks lining Buck Creek appealed to her, although most were too large to pick up.

When I could keep Kate in one spot I let her wind the reel. She seemed more impressed in the rocks.

After 30 minutes at Buck Creek and an hour at Reid Park, I couldn’t produce a fish. Kate grew tired of the worms, then found a hill to run up, then down, then up, then down.

It was a good Father’s Day.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.

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