Get them Wet, Keep them Wet - and Watch them Flourish by Alan Champkins

Get them Wet, Keep them Wet - and Watch them Flourish

It’s been a long winter season and the anticipation of that first day back on the streams, stalking a speckled beauty, is getting too much to bear. Everything’s ready, tackle checked, rechecked and checked again. Fly boxes sorted, flies tied and the mind is alive with questions over what fly will work.

The first day on the stream of the new season arrives, cars have been packed the night before for a quick getaway, you’re up before the alarm clock and there’s a slight pinkish hue in the sky as first light dawns across the neighbourhood. A quick cup of coffee, a snack on the road and in thirty minutes you’ll be at the waters edge.

It’s over the last mouthful of coffee when you hear a muffled voice from the bedroom; “Darling, I promised the boys you would take them with you. They’re really excited about going fishing with their dad for the first time. Won’t you wake them up and get them ready? They’ll be so disappointed if they don’t go. Remember your promise when I agreed to you spending all that money on a new rod.”

Visions of fighting kids, of endless bird nest knots, of hooks stuck in fingers, of bodies complaining because it’s cold or too hot or bored, of stones being thrown in the perfect fish holding eddy and thoughts of needing to go to the doctor to increase the blood pressure meds shatter the imagined perfection of the first fishing day of the new season. Suddenly, just like the morning sun vanishes the mists in the valley, so the anticipation of the day is gone. Or has it? Of course, this is just a hypothetical situation, but those of us who have kids can all imagine it and perhaps some have experienced it.

• Fishing off the harbour wall or estuary bank for batfish with kids? - Easy

• Carp fishing with kids: - Ok

• Bass fishing with kids: - Challenging

• Fishing off coastal rocks with kids: - Dangerous

• Flyfishing with kids: - Dangerously impossible for the parent concerned

I mean, really, fly fishing is an art. It’s not a case of throw and wait, or cast and reel in.

So is it worth the effort and the risk to your sanity?

Shortly after my first son was born a wise lady said to me “Don't worry about all the nappy changing, sleepless nights and crying sessions - it’s all just preparing you for the teenage years”. It’s the same with fly fishing. The effort you put in during the early years pays off in the teenage years. Sure, it requires effort and patience and the humbleness to sacrifice your own fishing for a season or three.

As the father of a son who loves fly fishing, I’ll be the first to say “It's worth it” and it is worth it in more ways than we can imagine. For many of us, ‘worth it’ equates to the number of fish caught, or the value of the experience.

My son recently had the honour of attending the South African Fly Fishing Nationals in Barkley East as part of the Boland C Team. He only joined the Boland squad at the beginning of this year and we never expected him to participate in Nationals but an incredible group of people b e l i e v e d i n h i m ( e v e n w i t h h i s inexperience), saw his passion and took him under their wing to help, mentor and give him the chance.

It’s a big decision to let a fourteen yearold drive away on a bus with people he did not really know to a small town over a thousand kilometres away for eight days of very intensive fishing and competing. It’s even tougher on the soul when he says in the evenings during the competition: “Dad I blanked”; “Dad, my rod broke”; “Dad, a team mate and I are not getting on”; and all you can reply is “Sam, give it your best. Don’t get discouraged. Remember it is your character that counts too.”, knowing that he will have to take responsibility for and sort out his issues himself.

In the end, Sam got one fish! He came back exhausted but beaming from ear-toear. Not so much because of the fishing, but because of what he experienced. I asked him to put it into writing and this is what he said:

“In Barkley I experienced the once in a lifetime chance to see how flyfishing positively benefitted young and older teens.

Flyfishing is a great way for teens to bond, become one as a whole and to help to accept advice, constructive criticism and accept people for who they are. It also teaches them many creative skills, techniques and sportsmanship”

Wow!

I asked other parents for feedback on the changes they have seen in their kids lives as a result of fly fishing.

Here are their stories:

"Last year Paul* was diagnosed with severe OCD. I am not sure if you know anything about this disorder… I didn't at the time (although I could write a book about it now)… but that is a story for another day.

In hindsight, I now realise the signs were there a long time ago, but the catalyst was when he started high school as a boarderwhich he was very keen to do… his older brother went there - and flourished there. A few weeks into the first term, the wheels fell off… I won't go into the details of his OCD - but, in a nutshell, after a few sessions with a psychologist, it was decided it was necessary for him to go onto medication. Under the care of a psychiatrist, he was put onto meds to help him - he still had weekly sessions with a psychologist.

Obviously we took him out of boarding school - and he started attending a local day school. And that is when he started flyfishing… it was the BEST THING EVER… The calmness, the total immersion into nature coupled with the focus, the discipline and the art/skill that goes with fly fishing was what his mind needed. He would go fishing with his mates, and also by himself. He would come home after walking up the river in Lourensford for 5 hours - and be like my 'old Paul'… It was better than any medication. And then there is the fly tying - that too is so therapeutic for him… when he has a rough day, he sits down and ties flies.

It is all he needs to quieten his mind. It has now been one-and-a-half years since his diagnosis - his medication has literally halved, and in February next year, it is going to be reduced even further if all goes well. He himself is adamant that he will be med-free by the end of next year. OCD is something he will always live with, but he is very much in control of it now (mostly). Alan - I know there are many factors that went into his healing, but I can promise you that flyfishing was his saving grace. I will be forever grateful for that - and for us finding the amazing Boland team.”

“It's made a massive difference in David*. He has blossomed. He loves fly fishing and is leaning to becoming a professional fly fishing guide in the Seychelles.”

“Simon* definitely is a happier child! He loves nature and it releases his stress to be able to go do what he loves in a wonderful environment. He loves being part of the bigger picture, team, conservation etc! And we use it as a motivator to get him through school.”

“I think for Eric* the biggest thing is he can be a boy and be outside and feel safe. Fly fishing has given him the opportunity to be outside in a safe environment. He has a permit at Lourensford and spends hours with his friends fishing. He is always so happy when he comes back. The fly tying itself is very good for his focus and arty side, which I never knew he had.”

“I've been involved with teaching kids fly fishing for the last twenty five years. The positives that I’ve seen is that they do not sit in front of a TV for too much time. They will tie flies, fellow flyfishers will come over and can take over a complete dinning table with 3 or 4 or 5 boys tying flies , exchanging ideas etc. I have seen kids with learning difficulties, get more focus when the fishing bug bites. Kids that struggle to concentrate become good anglers if coached properly on how to 'hunt and outwit the fish’ where their concentration improves. Burning up lots of energy when spending a day in the mountains, or on a dam.

What I love is the creative energy and juices that flow when a bunch of young kids are together talking fly tying and fishing. Add to this the excitement from the days leading up to the fishing trip, the preparations, the planning etc done by the kids to get the perfect trip and the energy that flows during the trip. I just love it.” “My kids grew up with flyfishing and regular camping. My wife took them to the river Saturday mornings and read them stories. As they got old enough I taught them to fish. Today I can see how much they respect nature and enjoy fly fishing.”

“I teach a lot of kids how to fly fish. Probably around twenty - thirty a summer. Some kids love it. Some kids just need parents that pull the plug on everything so they can actually get it. It changes them to kids who love the outdoors.”

“I have seen a huge change in my nine year old since he started fly fishing in January. We have gone nearly every weekend since. All his behavioural issues have disappeared because of fly fishing and soccer.”

“I can’t deny the smiles. Any amount of time a kid spends fishing will benefit them in life. Some of our best conversations and quiet teaching moments happen on the water.”

“I think the biggest difference I see in our kids is that they don’t really care that they aren’t on their devices. They are able to

occupy themselves with whatever is around them. BUT back home and they are bored and want screen time all the time.”

“Patience. Learning to sort out problems on his own - hang ups, knots etc.”

“I notice an increased appreciation towards nature, compassion and a love for animals.” “We had a break in one afternoon and John* was home alone. Luckily he was unharmed but he was very traumatised. The flyfishing and fly tying has taken his mind off of that. When the psychologist asked him to try and think about a happy thought in the future, the first thing he said was to catch a big fish a Nationals. Flyfishing is much more to these boys than it seems.”

A friend of mine recently organised a flyfishing day out at a local venue for youngsters with autism. He wanted to see if his daughter and others would benefit from it and it turned out to be such a success that he wants to run another one.

I know of another person who organises fly fishing days for people in wheelchairs.

Flyfishing took a young man from rural KZN with little hope for a future to being an international fly fishing guide and his dedication to the sport helped conserve the river that flows through their community by turning it into a fishing venue that benefited the people in the area. One person’s passion created a value chain that affects hundreds of other lives, and who’s story impacts and inspires many.

There are organisations across the globe that use fly fishing as a tool for recovery and healing from post traumatic stress disorders, cancer survivors, and youth development. It’s a phenomenal tool for improving lives.

Sure, every sport has the ability to change a person’s life, but fly fishing in particular is unique in that it offers physical, mental, social and psychological advantages to those who participate. It’s a therapeutic prescription with no side effects (except for time and money) and lots of benefits. Consider these points:

It provides “Outdoor Therapy” - Getting outside is vitally important for our minds. Time in nature clears the mind and enhances our thinking. It gives inspiration to creativity, restores mental energy, enhances our attention span and concentration and improves our short term memory. Nature in itself has numerous healing properties including improved eye sight, improved mental health, improved levels of activity, lower stress and fun, all of which leads to an improved quality of life.

It’s mostly a low impact "Physical Activity” - Flyfishing offers venues that are suitable for every body type and even those with low mobility from hiking in to remote mountain streams to fishing in a wheelchair. It may involve walking, wading, rowing or tubing all of which build core muscle strength and get the blood flowing. Casting improves circulation and gives the upper body a low strain work out. It improves dexterity and balance and regular exercise lowers obesity.

Flyfishing provides “Stress Relief” - Have you ever heard it said that flyfishing is a form of meditation? Think about it. The rhythm of casting and the focus on the aspects of flyfishing enables one to let go of the world, its worries and its attachments by becoming focussed on the present. Flyfishing normally occurs in the most stunning natural settings and exposure to the beauty around us lowers our stress hormones and raises our mood elevating hormones in our body. Aren’t you a happy person when you come back from fishing?

✓ It creates the opportunities to "Meet new people and create new community”- Flyfishing takes you away from the TV and gaming world and places you on a stream or dam with like-minded friends and family. It creates family time and special moments for parents to interact with their children. Generally the flyfishing community is made up of people who are kind, generous and want to see others grow in the sport and as such are often willing to invest above and beyond in the lives of youngsters who have a passion for the sport. It’s fantastic to see flyfishers mentoring and investing time and resources in to youngsters. And of course there are the friends that share a common interest and passion and legend stories. It’s an incredible community.

“Exposure to nature” enables us to see the natural world as being interconnected with everything around us and therefore of importance. We learn to respect the wilderness and treat it with care. It creates a value chain to look after the wild places and everything that is left in them so they may be both preserved for wilderness’ sake and for our children's benefit. Exposure to the wilderness creates opportunities for us to learn by experience about eco systems and habitats and environmental education and the importance of conservation. It also teaches us to be responsible for our environment.

Flyfishing gives us the opportunity to “Help others”. When we share our knowledge and passions and skills with others by hosting flyfishing and fly tying workshops, volunteering on river cleanups, mentoring youngsters, running healing and recovery programs and even running Regional and National competitions it enables others to find a way out of their own situations and at the same time raise up the next generation who are willing to selflessly invest in others.

It is “Character Building” - Flyfishing is a new experience almost every time you’re out on the water and teaches us to adapt and learn new skills. It humbly teaches us that no matter how much we know or how skilled we are that there is always something new to learn, so it promotes a culture of life long learning. Time on the water teaches us to focus, to have patience and self-discipline, to learn to problem solve and face challenges (and difficult circumstances) with the right attitudes. Flyfishing teaches us to be responsible for our safety, for ourselves, others, our equipment, the environment and the fish. It also is a teacher of consequences when a rod, or worse, breaks. It promotes independence, critical thinking, goal setting, personal achievement, a sense of progress and confidence through the development and realisation of potential. It teaches us to be still and appreciate what’s around us. These are all vital life skills.

Flyfishing enables “Professional Development” For most the sport is a hobby, but it is also recognised as a Provincial, National, International and Olympic sport. Flyfishing has produced many people who have gone on to become professional guides, professional fly tiers, outfitters and specialist retailers. Great books and movies have been written and produced about the sport. Fisherman have taken their knowledge of the outdoors and become top conservationists and environmental lobbyists. Some spend their time helping others because the sport has given them compassion, purpose and a tool to heal the broken. Some have used it as a means to benefit local communities through tourism projects. The days of fly fishing being a dead-end hobby are long gone. Today your skills can take you as far as your passion is able and for many it has been the answer to life that they needed.

Add these together and it is not hard to see why it makes such a positive impact on so many people lives! But for these amazing testimonies of changed lives and the list of benefits to happen one has to start somewhere.

Start - by getting the misconception out of your head that taking the kids fishing is a waste of your fishing time. See it as an investment in their future, in their character and in health and in the environment.

Start small - my boys would spent hours fishing for klipvis, small bass and tilapia while I went after the big fish. Kids want numbers and to be kept busy, so find venues that offer just that. Taking them dry fly fishing on a Cape stream while they are young you will ruin it for them. Taking them to a local bass dam where you can cast for a bucket mouth while they nail the small fish in the reeds is the perfect way to start. Don’t despise small beginnings. Keep the enthusiasm going and the rest will take care of itself.

Start them young - and give them time to grow. Bend the rules if you have to. My son caught his first trout when he was three years old. Yes, I cast and hooked it but I handed the rod to him and he 'walked it’ up the bank. Eleven years later and he’s caught more species of fish than I have, he’s caught a bigger fish than I have and he’s the only Champkins to ever get provincial colours for anything.

Start by connecting - with others. There are amazing flyfishing communities on social media with people willing to share knowledge and resources, but probably not their secret venues. Join a Flyfishing Club - there are a number in every province and not every one is focussed just on trout. Being part of Boland Flyfishing has been a tremendous blessing for Sam and it’s been an absolute privilege to see how people invest in others.

Start simple - you can still catch fish on basic equipment and there is no need to start with designer rods and reels. Work within your budget and keep an eye open on social media for second hand (and even free) equipment. It’s a sport that does require some financial investment but it also does not need to break the bank.

Start safe - go where others recommend. Some rivers are no longer clean so don’t put yourself at unnecessary health risks. Likewise, b e a w a r e o f y o u r c i r c u m s t a n c e s , surroundings and the people around you. Don’t fish alone, especially if you’re in the mountains. Wear a lifejacket if there is a risk of drowning.

Start inspiring - watch movies and read books on flyfishing with your kids. Let them help you with your own equipment and when you are tying flies let them tie with you.

But above all else - start!

So the next time you’re heading out the door and you hear a mumble from the room “Darling, I promised the kids that you would take them” realise that it’s not a dangerously impossible task, but rather you’re creating the opportunity of a life time and that opportunity could lead to an amazing testimony of a changed life, of incalculable health benefits, of a better world for others and an opportunity to connect at a deeper level. All because you took the opportunity.

Get them wet, keep them wet and watch them flourish.

Carpe Diem! It is worth it.

Thank you to all those who have invested and continue to invest in others. The fly fishing community and the world as a whole is better because of people like you. (* names changed)

About the author:

Alan Champkins is an Outdoor Experiential Learning Professional. He has a passion for seeing young people gain the personal and communal soft skills they need to develop their characters in order to overcome the challenges they may face. It has been his fulltime job for the last sixteen years.

He is currently working as the Program Manager for a school and church camp venue outside Stellenbosch where he is able to both fulfill his passion for people and throw the odd dry fly on a Cape stream.

"Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

May you find what you’re looking for on the waters edge.