Making Memories

One of the most influential factors in our kids desires to become anglers, would be their childhood memories. Syd Pallister (President of Gibbs / Nortac) wrote of one of his such memories for the Island Fisherman Magazine in 2000. Below is his article. Special Thanks to Larry Stephanyk.

If you have a childhood memory you'd like to share, please feel free to send it in.

TAKE A KID FISHING!

I suppose you could say that I was born to fish. Fishing has always been in my blood - I come from a family of fishing lure manufacturers. My Grandpa loved fishing so much that he developed his own lure in 1929 in Saskatchewan. He created classic colour patterns, including the Five of Diamonds, and a shape that he insisted were the key to attracting walleye, pike and trout. Thousands of fishermen still agree with him today. You might even say that my grandpa was a legend. I should probably tell you that my Grandpa was Len Thompson of Len Thompson Lures - "The Lure of the North."

I was very lucky to grow up with a grandfather that enjoyed taking kids out fishing and hunting. Not every kid gets that opportunity. Grandpa taught me how to cast and shoot. We’d go out on Saturday afternoon trips and 2-week holidays. I loved every minute of it. Grandpa and Grandma were really good at spoiling kids and for that I was very grateful. I smile to myself anytime I reflect on those trips.

One trip I remember well was my first visit to Spences Bridge. I was about 10 at the time. Grandpa was pretty serious about hooking up with a Chinook salmon and I was pretty serious about the climbing opportunities afforded by the abandoned railroad bridge foundation. I made my way to the top of the concrete "tower" while Grandpa worked the Nicola Bar. I heaved my trusty Len Thompson spoon into the mouth of the Nicola and as I was contemplating whether a person in my position should be known as a "King", as in King of the Castle, something large almost jerked me from my lofty perch. The good news for me was that the line broke and I stayed out of the water. The bad news was I lost a very good fish and I didn’t remember what I had done to hook him. I still remember Grandpa pleading with me. "What colour were you using?" I absolutely had no idea. In spite of that mental lapse he still took me fishing in the future.

I vividly recall watching my Grandpa, Dad and friends leave on their annual pilgrimage to Terrace to go Coho and Steelhead fishing. I could not wait until I was old enough that I could go with them. I was not disappointed when I finally was able to join them on those trips. I loved the days I spent fishing with my Grandpa, Dad and family. There are many wonderful memories and laughs. They are memories I wish for all families.

Perhaps my greatest memories today are those of fishing with my own kids. I remember my oldest son, Thomas, walking across a log boom and almost falling in the water in his quest to land a 15-pound Cabezone. I remember my daughter, Angela, fighting a Tyee Salmon in Tahsis that took 45 minutes to land. That battle included many trips around the boat, through hatches, around props, etc. I remember taking my youngest son, Sean, on his first trip to catch Northern Pike when he was about 3 years old. I was trying to teach him how to cast with an open face reel. On his first cast he caught something big. Imagine his surprise - he caught a Toyota 4X4 truck behind him. (He couldn’t believe his luck!)

My brothers Rick and Greg run the Len Thompson and True North Smoker factory in Alberta, and I now run Gibbs Fishing Tackle in British Columbia. Our parents and kids are involved and working in one way or another. Of course, we all enjoy testing the new product and colours! Mind you, I have never forgotten that Grandpa Thompson was able to out fish anyone using only plain Brass. When I am getting skunked today, I still will rifle through my tackle box looking for something in Brass. I find myself still trying to mimic the way he methodically worked a pool to cover all the water or the way he retrieved the lure to get what he thought was the best action out of the spoon.

I wanted a way to foster the tradition of families fishing. It seems we are so busy this day and age not many kids are getting the chance to go fishing, unless we encourage parents or other adult relatives or friends to take them. Thus, we created the Gibbs "Take A Kid Fishing" derby. All kids have to do to enter is bring in a photo of themselves with their catch to participating dealers and have their adult fishing partner sign the entry form. There is no entry fee, although a small donation to the Sport Fishing Institute is encouraged.

We are now in our 4th year of running this derby, and it continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The entry photos we receive each year are outstanding. It’s not the size of the fish that the kid’s caught - it’s the smiles on their faces! The best part is that kids are getting the chance to get out and get fishing!

Please do your part as a parent, grandparent, relative or friend to give some kid a lifetime of memories. You will find it’s nice being someone’s hero.