Try Healthy Living This Summer:
Five Easy Fruits to Grow in Your Backyard
Pick the Right Puppy for the Family
At Last...Guilt-Free Comfort Foods
The Amazing Effects of a Neighborhood Garden
Great Time Get-Together
Accessibility Gardening
Beneficial Biking
On The Road Car Comforts For Family
How to Stay Cool in Summer Heat
Grow A Beanpole Tepee For Your Kids
Establish a Place Just for Leisure
Growing Trend: Food-Sharing Clubs
Sun Shelters Offer the Best of Both Worlds
Summer Living: Asleep Under The Stars
A Garden Designed for First-Time Gardeners
Healthy Living: Kid-Friendly Lawns
Healthy Living: Begin With Breakfast
Healthy Living: Let's Dance
Healthy Living: Find Your Favorite Scent
Healthy Living: Art Smart
Sipping Summer
Summer Living: Casual Make-Ahead Food for the Beach
Farm-Fresh Produce from the Farmer's Market
Summer Living: Host a Block Party
Summer Living: Icy Treats
Screensaver: Beach Scenes
Surefire Ways to Beat the Summer Heat
Family Project: A Weekend Garden Makeover
Host a Progressive Garden Party
Good-For-You Grilling
Jazz up a Plant Stand From a Flea Market
 

 
Gone Fishing: A Relaxing Hobby Worth Catching
Even if you catch only smiles from your family, it's worth the time it takes to cast a line into a nearby lake.
By Karen Lingo
   

Luring my children away from the TV or computer for a little fresh air and exercise has always been a challenge. But mention fishing, and they're out the door before I can grab my sunscreen and keys.

Easy, Inexpensive Fun
I began taking my kids fishing before they were old enough to bait their own hooks. It's a great family pastime as well as a tradition passed down from my grandparents, who always included me in their hobby. Together we learned about patience, relaxing, and how to enjoy nature.

One of the best things about fishing is that you don't need expensive equipment. Purchased as a kit, spin casting rods can cost less than $25 each and include everything you'll need--except bait.

BEFORE YOU FISH

  • Most states require anyone 16 or older to have a license.
  • Contact your state's department of fisheries to find out if the fish in your favorite stream or pond are safe to eat.

  • We've fished mountain streams, public lakes, private ponds, and the Gulf of Mexico. But our favorite spot is Lake Inferior, a pretty little pond owned and named by a friend whose love of fishing is rivaled only by her sense of humor.

    Our latest expedition to LakeInferior was a bust for catching fish but a total success for family fun. The minnows we took along as bait gained something too--their freedom.


    This article is from the June 2005 issue of Southern Living.

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