MAHFS photo by Mac Arnold
Zac, 7, and Erin, 9, look like little angels here fishing away along the Black River on March 20 but pictures can be deceiving.

By Mac Arnold
MAHFS editor

Can't really think of a better way to kick off the first fishing gig ever on this blog than with one I spent with my kids.

Two weekends ago Erin, Zac and I headed down to the mouth of the Black River in Port Huron to see if we couldn't haul in a jumbo steelhead or two or three.

Anyway, didn't happen. The fishing did but we did not slay ourselves a trout dinner.

It was cold.

When I woke up the afternoon of Sunday, March 20, the temperature readings were barely climbing out of the 20s.

Not really what I was hoping for but it was one of those things where once you get a plan for an outing in your craw, you're doing it regardless of conditions. A practice that has occasionally left me with great regret over the years, trust me.

The original plan was for me to meet with a friend and head to a dam in Oakland County, I believe it was the Yates Cider Mill.

But those plans went down in flames after Michigan advanced to meet Duke (and lost, as I expected) in the men's NCAA tournament. Walt is a huge Wolverines fan.

So I thought rather than waste a couple hours of my life watching that game, why not bring the kids along for some fresh air and get 'em out of mama's hair for a few hours.

Which was welcomed and encouraged on her part but not so much on my part later after they lasted only 10 minutes along the chilly riprap. They then begged off for the warmth of the truck where they proceeded to tear apart the dash, mainly an overhead light, which now is merely decorative in nature, while I unknowingly cast spoons and spawn bags into the murky black-blue river.

I guess there's a price involved with taking the youngsters out into the great outdoors.