by Theresa Johnston Editor's Note: This is the first installment in a new feature for our Friday paper called Kids' Day Out. Our goal for this monthly feature by Palo Alto writer Theresa Johnston is to provide parents of young children ideas for excursions with their family. The destinations will be within an hour or so from home. If you have ideas for future topics, drop us a line at Palo Alto Weekly, Kids' Day Out, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Kids' Day Out will appear on the first Friday of every month.
Perhaps it's a longing for simpler times, when children didn't have back-to-back lessons in swimming, piano and gymnastics. Maybe it's a vision from the old Andy Griffith Show--Opie walking down a dusty country lane, bringin' home a catfish for Aunt Bea. Whatever the reason, most of the suburban youngsters I know are fascinated with the idea of fishing. Fortunately for them, Palo Alto has two small stocked lakes where the small fry can try their luck: Boronda Lake in Foothills Park, which is open only to Palo Alto residents and their accompanied guests, and a smaller lake at the Arastradero Preserve, open to everyone. Both are an easy drive from town, and unlike the Bay, contain fish that can be consumed without worries over contamination.
Of course, thinking about fishing and actually going fishing are two different things. Sitting beside a lake with a pole for an hour or two requires real patience--I wouldn't try taking a child younger than four. It requires a willingness to put "icky" things on a hook. And there's no guarantee that at the end of the day you'll go home with a catch. I should know. I've taken my two young sons fishing several times at Boronda Lake, and we've never caught a thing; not even a nibble.
So what's the secret? Timing, for one thing. According to Foothills Park Ranger Steve Fitzpatrick, the fish that were put in these small lakes--catfish, red-eared sunfish and black bass--tend to be dormant in winter.
The best time to catch them is in the spring and early summer, preferably before the morning sun hits the lake (fish don't like direct light). If you go later in the day, try working the shady side. Boronda Lake has a small public dock where you can cast your line. It also allows fishing from small boats, provided they are hand-launched and the occupants wear life jackets. Adult supervision is required at all times.
Since we're not talking 600-pound swordfish here, the fishing equipment for these small lakes can be as simple as a hook, line and sinker. For bait, Mike Mullins of the Mountain View Ice Company recommends night crawlers, red worms or crickets. If you want to buy real fishing tackle for your children, make sure it's kid-sized and easy to operate. Pay Less sells kits that include rod, reel and a small tackle box for about $15. Pay Less also sells fishing licenses (required for anyone over 16), and has free booklets outlining all the California fish and game laws, including rules about how many fish you can keep and the minimum size you can keep for each species.
To avoid frustration while you're sloshing about in the mud, read the instructions for the fishing tackle beforehand and practice casting in the backyard with your child before heading out. Better yet, if you're not an experienced angler, enlist the help of people who know what they're doing. Grandparents can be great for this, or you can go to one of the Saturday morning fishing clinics held at Foothills Park in April and May. Other essentials for the trip include a bucket for holding your catch, a pair of needle-nosed pliers for attaching sinkers and cutting tangled fishing lines, picnic food, sunscreen, camera and a small ball or Frisbee to toss around on the lawn when the fishing's done.
Most important, take along a good attitude. "Simply stated, don't get upset when things go wrong--and they will go wrong," says Ken Albert in the Complete Guide to Fishing in Northern California. "Just try to solve each problem as it comes along, and provide tons of encouragement. And by all means, when a little guy or gal gets a fish on, don't grab the rod and land it yourself. This advice seems stupid, but in the excitement of the moment, many well-meaning parents do this very thing."
Fortified by this advice, the boys and I headed out fishing yet again on Memorial Day weekend, this time to Arastradero Lake, a beautifully camouflaged, jade-colored pond about a half mile in from Arastradero Road. I was surprised by how many families were fishing that morning, mostly from a small cleared bank at one end of the lake. Hoping for a more exclusive fishing spot, we set up camp on the more thickly wooded opposite shore--and promptly got our line snagged in some overhanging branches.
The bank was slippery, too, and before long I found myself ankle deep in water, cursing the tangled line while my sons wandered off somewhere, eating Doritos.
There was a happy ending, though--for us, not the fish. Once we got the line straightened out and had mastered the trick of putting the worms (very) firmly on the hook, the fish repeatedly nibbled, until at last my eldest son pulled out a glistening, small but legally-sized sunfish. It was a bonding moment for us--until I realized that it would be my job to clean and fillet it. That required another reference book, magnifying glass and tweezers, but the resulting pan fry was worth it.
We may be suburbanites, but Aunt Bea would have been proud. Terry Johnston is a Palo Alto freelance writer and the mother of two sons, ages 6 and 9. Her column on local family outings will appear monthly in the Weekend Edition of the Palo Alto Weekly.
Where, When and How: Boronda Lake is located just inside the main entrance to Foothills Park, 3300 Page Mill Road. Open only to Palo Alto residents and their accompanied guests. Park entrance fee is $2 per vehicle; special yearly passes are available. Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset. All California Department of Fish and Game rules apply. Boating permitted. For more information call 329-2423.
Arastradero Lake is a 20-minute walk from the Arastradero Preserve parking lot (about a half mile west of the Page Mill/Arastradero Road intersection). Follow the main trail and signs to the lake. Admission is free, and the park is open to everyone, Palo Alto resident or not. Hours are from 8 a.m. until sunset. All California Department of Fish and Game rules apply. Boating is not permitted. For more information call 329-2423.
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