Fishing Adventures with Nama and Pops at Baker Lake
I know as a kid I was very privileged and honestly never really went without and although I had every toy, electronic, newest fashion trend, etc… the amazing memories I have of my childhood are not about what toy I opened on my birthday or Christmas present I received (besides my dog, that memory is vivid)…my memories are of all the experiences with friends and family. The yearly summer camping trips, days out on the lake, snowmobile trips in the mountains, playdates with friends and cousins, sporting events, and some of my favorite of all were “days” with my grandparents!
Now, as a Mom myself, I have the privilege of creating these memories with and for our children. One of the things that lights me up the most as a Mom is watching the love between my children and my parents, there is honestly nothing more pure and real than this connection!
The family adventure in our van this weekend was to Baker Lake to meet up with Nama and Pops (grandma and grandpa), go fishing for Sockeye, and create some more memories!
Our Thursday was a bit busy, we had work meetings, golf practice, and a baseball game…so the plan was to dominate the day, pack up and head out to Baker Lake later in the evening, all in amazing moods with pure love and excitement.
Plans always seem so logical and pleasant while making them, and then real life happens!
- Crazy meetings that run longer than planned.
- Two minutes after meetings we have to leave for golf and no one is prepared.
- Ran out of gas on the way home from golf, had to Uber with three kids to the gas station.
- The ultimate pre-trip comment, ”Mom, why do we always have to clean up before we leave, can’t we do it when we get home?”
- The most common phrase while packing the van. “Mom I looked everywhere, I don’t know where it is!”
- Dad didn’t get home from baseball until 10 pm.
You get it, right, this is ACTUALLY how most days unfold…perfect chaos, minus the amazing moods with pure love and excitement we were planning on.
By this time I was completely over EVERYTHING about Mom life!
We arrived at Kulshan Campground at Baker Lake at 11:15 pm on Thursday night… LOL!
Kulshan Campground is a very nice campground that has approximately 108 sites, some with water and sewer hookups, no electricity, however generators are allowed. Sites are very reasonable $22 a night and only $11 a night for seniors. There are numerous outhouses placed throughout the campground and one main restroom area at the entrance of the park.
With five and a half hours of sleep (yes that includes Cash as well, our three-year-old) we woke up at 5:30 am and headed out fishing with Nama and Pops!
We launched the boat and headed north up the lake to find the sockeye. The lake was absolutely gorgeous, with Mount Baker in the background, the morning was serene.
The very much anticipated time of salmon fishing had finally arrived and the kids were pumped. The engine turned off and Pops was ready to give us the low down on how all of this fishing was about to go down.
It only took about 30min and the first sockeye hit Haley’s pole, and the fishing was on!
Like some fishing days go, hours started to go by without another bite…the kids were starting to get bored and a bit restless, and I may have shared these same feelings with them.
About that time I saw a piece of driftwood floating a bit away from the boat. I told the kids, “it looks like a paddleboard, we should swim and go get it.” They all looked at me like I was nuts, jump out of Pop’s boat while fishing, not a good idea!
They were absolutely right this was probably not a good idea, Pops takes this fishing pretty seriously, and this is exactly why I thought we SHOULD do it.
The benefit of being an adult child, you no longer can be punished…and everyone knows he wouldn’t yell at his grandchildren! I talked Haley into doing it (the least likely grandchild to be yelled at)! She borrowed her old life jacket from Cash and jumped in.
We had an amazing day on the lake, lots of memories were made and I just know one day our kiddos will be sitting around the campfire, with their own kids talking together about “that one day” when Nama and Pops took us fishing and Haley jumped into the lake to get the driftwood.
Life is what you make it, and right now is the perfect time to go enjoy the present moment, go make some memories with those you love!
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