Practice Makes Perfect

Yesterday when I pulled into the driveway Drew came running up to me and asked "Daddy can we go kayaking?" It was too cold, so we did the next best thing- practice fishing. I put bobbers on their rods, set up a few targets in the yard, and tell them that the grass is the water, so they have to stay on the driveway so they don't get wet. I really don't know why, but they just love this. They will stand and cast for 20-30 minutes at a time, which is about as long as they do anything.



















Drew's rod is much bigger and nicer than Nick's, so of course they both fight over who gets to use Nick's cheap junk rod...

Both of them have completely mastered the standard overhead cast. Drew is starting to get pretty accurate left to right, but still can't figure out how to cast specific distances. Nick just heaves it as far as he can every time, just like Drew did at his age.



Now that they are cooperating, with Drew getting to the point where he can give Nick helpful casting tips (see video below where Drew says "you're letting go too soon"), the fish in the Patapsco are in big trouble once the water warms up...



At the end of the video, Nick pulls a classic Naylor move. He tries to cast, but his bobber ends up next to Drew with the line over Drew's head. Nick doesn't see his bobber fall, but when Drew gives him the advice, and he realizes what happens he stands up straight and just drops his rod out of frustration. I see so much of myself in this it's embarrassing. True to form though, he bent right down a second later, picked the rod up, and tried again.