I figured Sunday's outdoors column in the Sun-Times considering the place of Bass Pro Shops: The Strike in the world of outdoors would draw some opposing thoughts.
I wasn't wrong.
Frank Mason, a retiree now in Round Lake Beach and one of my favorite e-mailers, sent this under the heading ``Nunchuk? Fishing rod controller? Social arcade games?":
You lost me at the first Wii.
Our nighthawks are flying now. They come from the southeast to the
northwest. Somebody, maybe you, told me where they come from & go, but
I don't remember.Must have been over 100 came over yesterday evening.
He makes his point well.
Another regular e-mailer said he much prefered the actual outdoors and that Wii stuff isn't related to outdoors.
My short response to him is where I am at on this:
I am torn. My heart is with you, but head sees four kids and how they respond. Thanks for the note.
As a dad and an outdoors guy, that's the bottom line I can't escape or evade.
That's my daughter Sara, who caught that fish in The Strike, from her ``hot spot'' while jigging with a realistic style she somehow figured out worked. All on her own.
That works for me.
I used a virtual fishing machine several years ago at a work related convention. It featured an actual rod, reel and fishing line connected to the machine. You would select the species (LM, Tarpon, Marlin or Salmon), cast, reel and set the hook. If hooked, the fish would start to run, bending the rod in realistic bursts. Break-offs were common, especially on the Tarpon. (depending on the skill of the angler.
I suggestedd that the IMA rent this machine for use by the Chicago Urban Fishing Program. Chairman Rol Steinhouser workred for the program with Mike Jones at the time and Rol used it at several schools to educate urban kids on fishing.
I think that on todays world, tools such as this can be useful in introducing kids into the fishing world.
Since I seldom fish, but have fond childhood memories I am very tempted to buy The Strike and the whole Wii game machine. Thanks for the tip!