My parents belonged to the greatest generation, although no one ever told them until late in their lives. I’m pretty sure they didn’t realize it when they were my age and definitely not at my kids age. They never realized how great they were; they simply returned from the war, got married, got jobs and raised families. Since then, we’ve had baby boomers, Generations X, Y and Z, millennials and probably several others along the way.
One thing has remained constant across the generations, however, at least in my family; each generation invests in the next, not necessarily in a material sense but by passing down wisdom, values and passions. My love of the outdoors was learned from my dad, which I in turn, have passed down to my children and their spouses. I learned to fish standing by my father’s side. At first he tied the knots and baited the looks, but soon taught me to do it myself. I not only learned to fish, but also to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. I gained respect for the fish I caught and other animals I hunted. My dad was my role model, hero as well as mentor.
I learned fly fishing as an adult, partially from my father but also from other mentors. With a sport as complex as fly fishing, mentorship serves a vital role to a fledgling angler. Some of my fly fishing mentors are well known like Lefty Kreh and Ed Jaworowski, but many others are less famous but still just as important. Each planted the seeds or nurtured my growth, helping me to develop as an angler and man. I honor my father and all my other mentors when I share with others what was taught to me.
Now my kids are sharing this passion and wisdom with their children. In our family, this begins at an early age. On a recent family trip to the Driftless Streams in Northeast Iowa, we introduced my grandson, Gage and granddaughter Emma to fly fishing. My wife, Jo took photos of Gage on Evan’s back as he fished. Michelle made sure he was warm and snug. Clay carried Emma in a chest pack.
Even though Gage and Emma were far too young to fish or even walk along the stream banks, we enjoyed the outdoors as a family, laughed a lot and even caught some pretty nice fish. But I stood back at one point and simply took it all in, admittedly a little choked up on that beautiful morning. I sensed the warmth of my dad’s smile. He would have been delighted. And Lefty too; as my daughter Erin held the rod and I place my hand over hers, Lefty’s hand was there too, guiding us through the casting stroke.
Written by TFO National Advisor Jason Randall
*All Photos Provided By Jo Randall*
