Keepin' It Reel: Summer Fishing Season
July 24th, 2026
Fishing: One of summer’s greatest pleasures: to be out on the lake, whether it’s on a boat or a dock, and watching the way the sun hits the water, the waves billowing by. The way the pelicans and ducks fly over, their own agenda in mind; the seaweed floating in the water below, blocking what lives underneath. I’ve always been fascinated with lakes and oceans, and would wonder how fish really breathe underwater. There’s so many things we have yet to learn about them, and it’s so interesting every time I’m out fishing to see what we will catch this time, keeping in mind we are in their world.
I’ve always enjoyed fishing, and it’s one of my dad’s and my favorite traditions. Every year we go fishing at our “top secret” fishing spot, and enjoy spending time out on the dock, reeling in panfish and practicing catch and release. It was always fun to see who could catch the biggest fish or the most fish, and most of the time I won, or was allowed to win. We would always get bait at the same place each year, and set out early on a Saturday morning to start our excursion as father daughter.
When I was little, just being able to spend time with my Dad and enjoy the outdoors was the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning in summer. I’d look forward to it every year! Even though we didn’t have a boat, it was still a blast and we enjoyed just being able to fish and spend time together out on the dock. For my Dad and me, just spending time outdoors next to a lake, catching some rays and some fish was the best day ever.
Some people are serious about fishing and make a life career out of it, but I’d rather look at fishing as a way to connect with nature differently; to be able to really see what lurks underneath those waters. Is is a muskie? Or is it a sunfish? I would ask my Dad when we would go fishing, the mystery of the water always fascinating. But, we would always catch and release as I couldn’t get myself to keep a fish that I once saw alive. I know that is not the case for most fisherman, but that’s what my Dad and I would do; enjoy the thrill of the line being pulled under, yelling, “Fish on!” and reeling in the prize under the water.
My Dad and I always had one rule; we would make sure that whatever fish we would catch and decided to release that we would do everything in our power to make sure that it was put back into its environment unharmed. Sometimes, it’s hard to do as the fish would eat the hook, but we’ve only had a few fish not make it. I’ve learned over the years how to put bait and a hook on, how to unhook a fish, and how to hold a fish properly with its scales down, and I treasure those lessons from my Dad.
Fishing is unique in itself; it can be a sport, a hobby, a way to put food on the table, and way to enjoy the outdoors. It’s one of the few outdoor activities that can boast all these attributes. If you’ve never tried fishing, consider trying it this summer. Summer is the perfect time to fish, with the weather being perfect for enjoying cool lake water, the sun, and the shore. Even if you don’t catch anything, just being by the water is peaceful in itself. There’s something about being by a body of water that is tranquil; mesmerizing; and hard to resist.
Fishing is a great way to learn patience as it is not a quick sport or activity; it takes time and dedication to keep trying, to keep putting bait on after that one fish keeps “taking my bait” as my father would say. Sometimes we felt the fish were “playing with us” and were just having fun taking the worms and swimming away, laughing at us from under the water where we can’t see them. From sunfish to perch to bass, I’ve seen some good fish in my fishing time, but enjoyed the quality time more than the fish themselves. The quiet feel of the lake, the sun shining off the water, the DQ ice cream cone we’d always have after we were done fishing even though our hands smelled “fishy”, the inside jokes that only my Dad and I understand and still laugh about from all our fishing experiences, and the fishing time itself with my Dad is priceless and irreplaceable.
Fishing is one of those activities that can’t be described; from who you go fishing with to the thrill of the bobber going under, it’s magical. Most fisherman would agree, even though there’s always those that come back from their fishing trips saying, “The one that got away” was the biggest fish they’ve ever seen or almost caught. Most fisherman would agree that “A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work”. And that’s saying something. Not all hobbies or activities could go with that. Fishing must be something special, to be able to reach into the water, pull out a creature that is so different from us, admire it, let it swim away, and wonder about the connection between us and them. As Ron Schara on Minnesota Bound would say, “Introduce a kid to the great outdoors.” Consider doing so, and create a lifetime of memories.
~Alyson Winn-Lagergren~
