Go Fish!

Now that summer is here, kids are ready to have some fun.  Keep them off those electronic devices and get them outdoors.  We had a great time this morning meeting friends at a local freshwater pond to go fishing.  The pond is located at Heritage Park in Flower Mound.  In addition to the pond, there are restrooms, a playground, and splash pad at the park.  But we were all about fishing today.

The pond has a large fountain so the water is well aerated for the fish living there. 

I enjoyed sitting by the waterfall because the sound of the rushing water was just so relaxing.

The older boys were great at helping the younger kids change bait and hooks and take the fish off the line once they were reeled in.

But really, all of the kids worked together to help each other.  It was a wonderful display of teamwork.

The kids caught about 18 fish this morning.  Most were sunfish.

But one of the boys caught this baby bass.  Wow!

The kids released everything they caught.  But they had a great time finding and catching them.

And nothing is better than enjoying a beautiful morning outdoors while catching fish too!

What was the most successful bait?  Hot pink Crappie Nibbles were a big hit.  The water is really clear and several kids were able to take off their bobbers and just fish by sight.

Nicholas has been fishing for years and has accumulated quite a nicely stocked tackle box over that time.  

However, if you have a pole, have your kids dig up some worms for bait and your fishing outing can be entirely free!  Kids under 17 years of age don't even need a Texas fishing license.

Fish aren't the only living things to enjoy at the pond though.  I did a mini-nature study on my own while the kids were fishing.  I found some wispy fountain grass growing around the edge of the water.

There were several bees out searching for their morning nectar.

This beautiful widow skimmer dragonfly hovered around and landed on some grass in the pond.

And one side of the pond has a beautiful patch of cattails.

So before the summer heat gets too extreme, find a pond and take your kids fishing.  Savor these days with your little ones and make some great summer memories.  The dishes and laundry and yard work can wait another day.