A few months ago we lost my 33 year old cousin. Wayne and I spent many days and nights wandering my grandparents farm together. It started with BB guns and cane poles and blossomed to rod and reel and shotguns. My earliest memories of fishing are with Wayne and my grandmother. She would sit between us on a old wooden chair, spacing us out the length of a cane pole so we could swing fish, or unbaited hook to her for service work.

These incredibly fond memories from my childhood have given me reason recently to do some deep pondering about life. Specifically about how I grew up as compared to how many of my generations kids are growing up. What’s been troubling me is so many of today’s kids are missing a parent, specifically a dad, at home to walk with them through the early years of life, and to share so many things with them. I believe that when you take a parent out of the child’s everyday life the parent at home is so busy trying to pay bills and keep up with all of life’s little problems that quality time is really hard to come by. I lost my dad in 1983 but by then he had instilled in me so many things, and given me so many memories, that he’ll always be with me.

Right and wrong aside many of these kids never get the chance to experience the outdoors and the wonderful lessons it can teach us. At the ripe old age of 32 I’ve never been married and therefore have no kids of my own. But on occasion I get a guide trip where a father brings his son, and even once a daughter, out to fish. It amazes me to see these kids when they get in the boat. They are mature and good natured, and always mind. There are no distractions, no phone calls, just us guys out having a great time. My point is that the kids may act like terrorist at home but when you get them out and spend good uninterrupted time together, well it’s just not something you can describe.

I don’t want this to appear as a sales pitch but I do want to see more of these kind of trips, so my offer is this. Bring any kid under age 18 on a guide trip with me in the next 30 days and I’ll cut my rate by 20%. If you are a single mother (nobody scream discrimination please) I’ll cut it by 50%. Let’s do our part to get our kids outdoors and show them the thrills the good Lord gave us. I guarantee it will be one of the best and most memorable days you ever spend on the water. – Lake Havasu

– Lake Havasu