Christian Rocha: Angler
I don’t get many Letters to the Editor.
Mainly because I’m a columnist for the paper and not the Editor. Also, because I work from home rather than in office (Actually, I work out of Tabak Haus. What?! Don’t judge. I’m a writer and writers write in bars.) So, I was surprised when I received the following:
“Dear Editor,
As someone who recently started to like fishing, I think there should be more public recreational fishing spots in Fredericksburg. Many people in Fredericksburg like to be outdoors, and there are plenty of places for hunting, camping, and hiking, but only one place to fish, Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.
Fishing is growing in popularity. When I was at the 2023 Kid Fish Day, there were families fishing shoulder-to-shoulder on both banks of the creek. According to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation’s 2023 Special Report on Fishing, 54.5 million people went fishing in 2022, which was an increase of 2.1 million people from 2021. Of those, 4.1 million were first time fishing participants. Moreover, there were 12.7 million youths (ages 6-12) who fished in 2022, a 2.7% increase from 2021.
Since recreational fishing is growing in popularity, Fredericksburg should respond to that growth, and as the city begins to debate and decide on a City of Fredericksburg Comprehensive Plan, maybe it is time to add another place to fish for the Fredericksburg community.
Christian Rocha”
First of all, I think that’s a great letter. Especially after I found out that Christian is just 12 years old and wrote the letter as one of the requirements for the Boy Scout Communications Merit Badge. Christian’s letter is articulate, well thought out, and uses factual evidence well. I also agree with him that fishing is a great way to spend time afield and that more opportunities to do such in the area would be great. I was so impressed and in agreement with this letter that I contacted Christian to learn more about him and his request.
Christian attends Heritage School and has been fishing seriously for more than a year. Although he had been fishing prior to this, it was roughly a year ago when he took a genuine interest in the sport. “I came across some fishing videos on You Tube and thought, ‘Hey, that looks pretty fun. I want to try that.” This interest led to Christian watching even more You Tube videos in order to learn the ins and outs of fishing. After extensive study he ventured to Lady Bird Park to try his hand at fishing. He caught nothing. And he pretty much continued catching nothing for five or six months. Then, one day, he landed a small bass on a soft plastic worm and…he was really hooked. “Bass are fun. They really are the most fun to catch. Not a lot of waiting. You can work your lure.”
This led to more success and to trips to other fishing destinations. Although Lady Bird is still his go to spot, the past six months has seen him fish the Guadalupe River, Pedernales Falls and Gardner State Park, Port Aransas, and the lake at the new Aggie Park on Texas A&M University campus in College Station. “That’s where I landed my biggest bass to date. He was maybe a pound and a half. I got him on a soft plastic creature bait.”
Christian’s father Javier is proud of his son’s new pastime. “While Christian has always enjoyed the outdoors, since finding a passion for fishing he would rather spend time outdoors then playing computer games. I feel like Christian has become more responsible since he found fishing. He’s better at thinking ahead and figuring out what rods, reels, and bait he needs for a particular body of water and fish. Since he can't drive, he is also more responsible around the house...so we can take him fishing.”
Take note parents! An interest in fishing not only gets your kids outside and off their phones but makes them more responsible.
In addition to seeing more fishing opportunities, Christian would like to see Heritage develop a fishing team such as the one at Fredericksburg High School.
Giving all the benefits of fishing, I agree with Christian that it’d be great to have more opportunities to do such locally. What do you think? Does FBG and the surrounding area need more fishing opportunities? Let me know at the email address below. I’d love to hear what you think. Christian would too.
This piece first appeared in the Fredericksburg Standard.
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