More than a Fish Fry

I have been blessed with a God-loving, fishing, hunting, slingshot shooting and extremely adventurous outdoors family. Dad was the ringleader and chief instigator of our families love of the north-woods and lakes while mom kept us busy appreciating an acre of garden.

A bent of the family seems to be focused on teaching so it was a natural outcome for me to teach anyone interested this huge passion of mine. I wanted to get some fishing friends together as well as find some new fishing friends in a camp setting so I teamed with COFA (Christian Outdoors Fellowship of America) to put on a small group fishing camp in Northern Minnesota, on and near a great number of great fishing lakes.

Fish Camp: The stated main activity through the day is fishing. I guess I have a lot to learn about people.

In a group of 25 people there will be 25 reasons why each one is drawn to the outdoors. The felt need to feel a huge fish on the end of my line while drifting a deep edge is bigger than my check book. Someone else may just want alone time walking the trails with a camera.

After 5 camps I am amazed at the number of reasons people come to Camp. A recent divorce, sewing time while hubby fishes, A young man looking for a place to be with “real men”(his words), father-daughter time, searching for a deeper relationship with God, learning how to fish, fillet and fry, and the list seems endless.

     Fish camp is much more than a fish fry (and they are great). Some come looking for time alone in creation and find the Creator. Stories of major changes in jobs, marriages, habits, priorities are being told and making their way back to me.

I like stories and telling them but most of all I love being the instigator of making them.

Watch for next years Fish camp in Northern Minnesota. September  11-16, 2015

Funny story about the 28″ walleye. Her husband took the picture and she threw it overboard. He was going to mount it. I had told the whole group not to keep anymore fish because we had enough for the fish fry…A replica would look good on the wall guys.

Gary 

PS: The food is exceptional.