Family fishing isn’t about catching big fish; but it’s great when it happens, enhancing
memories and promoting the tradition. (Photo by Terry Madewell)
Continuing the Legacy
By Terry Madewell
Continuing family fishing traditions is important to the future of fishing in general, and is a core component to ensuring the legacy of fishing continues within our families.
Fishing with family has always been at the heart of my catfishing experiences. As a youth, catfish were king because they were available in so many waters that I could access by foot, bicycle or vehicle.
I had fishing mentors who helped mold a passion for the sport. Fortunately, I also had family fishing partners who didn’t care about improving their skills; they were simply in it for the fun and joy of catching fish. Catching catfish made it more fun, but these family fun trips provided a different view of fishing, one that’s now crucial to my fishing style when taking my kids and grandkids.
It’s about having fun with family while sharing a passion. Building fishing traditions and continuing a fishing legacy are core values.
My maternal grandfather, Papaw Payne, was a primary fishing mentor, and we had our traditions. Blessed with the intuitive ability to understand the importance of why we caught a fish where we did, Papaw used that knowledge to replicate a fish-catching event by catching more fish. With Papaw, learning was fun. Looking back, I never felt any pressure to learn; it was a simple by-product of fishing with him.
The fruit didn’t fall far from Papaw’s parental tree, although it rolled a bit down the slope. Papaw’s two daughters—my mom, Louise Madewell, and my Aunt Ruth—paired as strong adult fishing partners during my youth and well into my early adult life. They didn’t give a rip why a catfish was caught in a specific spot. They relished the opportunity to catch it and to have family around to share that experience.
For us, a favored target was below Nickajack Dam, the headwaters of Guntersville Lake, on the mighty Tennessee River.
This location became home to a cherished family fishing tradition for many years, specifically the day after Thanksgiving. The core group was mom, Aunt Ruth, her son (my cousin David, a year older than me) and me. These trips were not just about catching fish but about strengthening our family bond and creating lasting memories. We fished this location throughout the year, but this day was a set-in-stone tradition.
We learned new things about fishing on every trip, including that not all riprap areas are equal for catching fish. For instance, a straight line of riprap may produce occasional bites, but an area where more rocks tumbled into the water, creating a point, was more productive. Conversely, a turn or bend in the riprap seemed to be a gathering place for fish. Areas where different-sized rocks met were attractive to catfish and bream.
We fished the slack-water side of the Nickajack tailwater, away from the heavy current. I realize the more tranquil waters may not be the best target for hooking giant catfish, but armed with Zebco 202s and a few high-end (for us) Zebco 33s, we weren’t prepared to fight the giants that I now know roam those waters.
Yet it was perfect for family traditions. Channel and blue catfish, mingled with occasional flatheads and bream, were the targets. We did catch some moderate-sized blues, which became the “hero” stories replayed when we got home and shared with other family members. We occasionally had encounters of the third kind with tackle-busting big catfish, likely blues or flatheads. Using live bait, hand-scratched nightcrawlers from Aunt Ruth’s yard beneath leaf-littered oaks and store-bought redworms and minnows ensured the occasional big catfish would bite.
These Zebco-busting catfish created treasured memories, but they were not the reason the tradition flourished. It was more about the peace and tranquility of fishing for the sake of fishing and to talk, chat and be a family.
Catching fish is not what I remember most about our trips. It was building relationships, learning about our family and each other’s values, beliefs and that adults do have a sense of humor.
We usually went home with stringers of catfish and assorted sunfish, but learning about what family and life meant to my mom and aunt was eye-opening. The ability to share my thoughts, the give-and-take of good-natured ribbing with adults when they lost a big fish and the quick-wit, humorous exchanges made the time pass too quickly. These were impactful memories about Mom and Aunt Ruth I’ve always treasured.
The key was the sense of family camaraderie. When we began in my mid-teenage years, I was accepted into adult conversations about family. Mom and Aunt Ruth erased the hierarchy of power on these adventures, making me feel like a valued and integral part of the trip.
I fished a lot on my own, and my fishing input was valued—a novel concept for a teenager in the 1960s. David and I were the young and eager scouts, free to roam the rocks, searching for a better fishing place. When we guessed right, we’d soon have Mom huddled on one side and Aunt Ruth on the other.
These trips were about family fun, but they were much more. The sharing of thoughts and plans and enjoying the adventures prepared me to understand that the true spirit of fishing is never about catching the most or biggest fish.
The spirit of fishing together trumps the catching. It’s about people who go fishing together, to simply be together. For us, catfishing created a perfect opportunity for a tradition to begin. Family values ensured the legacy would continue.
It remains the same now when I take kids and grandkids fishing. We’re developing our own unique traditions, and, while I hope to catch fish on these trips, it’s enough to be fishing with family, sharing their passion, having fun and building a strong tradition.
The foundation for family fishing traditions is simply going fishing and layering memories. It’s a family legacy we can all pay forward.
(Terry Madewell of Ridgeway, South Carolina has been an outdoor communicator for nearly 50 years. He holds a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management and has a long career as a professional wildlife biologist/natural resources manager. He’s passionate about sharing outdoor adventures with others.)
