I was out on the river Friday with my 3 yr old son, he was sporting his bright red spider-man rod and I my one and only spinning outfit. We were having a great time, I'd catch them with my rod and he would reel them in. We had caught 2 browns, a rainbow and even a pike. (an epic day for any three yr old.) Then some self righteous pompous a$$ decided to come by, he felt it was necessary to degrade me and tell me how unethical I was for allowing my son to fish with such an under rated rod for the river. He then proceeded to tell my son that his rod was no good and his dad should know better that to let him fish with it and all he was doing was hurting the fish. Now at this point Logan was starting to cry. I calmed my son down and told him to mind his own damn business. He then proceeded to tell me that I'm whats wrong with this river and that they let any idiot with a rod fish it and that they should make it a fly fishing only river so they could thin out the goofs. At this point with a crying son and not really wanting to show him how mad dad can get I chose to pack up and try fishing a different part. unfortunately Logan didn't have any interest in fishing anymore. (can't imagine why)
Now two days later my son still has no interest in fishing. The next day I asked him if he wanted to go to the fly shop and his reply was shocking. "dad i don't want to go there anymore, fishing is bad". So now thanks to the uptight elitist, Logan wont watch fishing shows, go to a shop or even fish. (I just finished asking him). Now this whole thing could have been avoided if he would have opened his damn eyes and noticed that Logan's fancy panther martin wasn't even sporting a hook!!!!! As I said earlier I was catching them with MY ROD and he was reeling them in. Now I have seen it time and time again, Fly fishermen cutting down gear heads and now I think it's to the point that it has become a head hunt for certain people. Well here is my two cents on the subject, using a spinning rod is not illegal, spin fishermen have just as much right to fish as any fly fisherman. They are not all bad people who guzzle beer, wear wife beaters and litter everywhere. Further more if you see a man and his kid on the river with spinning gear, keep your arrogant comments to yourself. Because as far as I'm concerned we should be using any means necessary to keep our kids in the outdoors and if it takes me putting down my fly rod so I can get my son into fishing then so be it, I'll be a PROUD GEAR HEAD.