Reflections look back to the good times that provide context for the opportunities that stretch out in front of us as the new year draws near.

While many are chronicling the highlights of the past 12 months as a first history of 2024, my time of reflection is my initial look-see at the 12 months yet to come. During my time on the water, I gaze in real time at the surface of the lake in front of my boat and see endless sky. My mind today is my mirror as I reflect to see fun times and fulfilling experiences in 2025.

Reflecting back to last summer, I remember several outings with young anglers so eager and delighted about their time on the water. They are my inspiration for 2025, to again experience the newness of it all out on the water and to relive the thrills that came with every new cast and catch.

My young angler friends’ enthusiasm is contagious even for people like me with many decades of fishing experience. Their joy reverberates in my fishing soul today and helps pull me forward to the day when I will again share my boat with young people who want to learn the game I so thoroughly enjoy.

It was my pleasure to share the Bass Cat in 2024 with six teenagers participating in the Student Fishing League events operated by East Liverpool angler and father, Harry Emmerling. The students were Leo Wilkes and Eddie McNicol of Beaver Local, Garrett Tinsley of Avon Lake, Grace Wheeler of Southeast Local, Kinsley Clower of Clear Fork and Chris Bergum of Revere High School.

The SFL outings I shared with the young anglers rivaled my days of big numbers and big fish in terms of fun and fulfillment last summer. As I reflect back today, I look forward to new opportunities to help introduce another generation of fishers to the joys of our sport.

I encourage my reader friends who have the means and experience to share with young people. I have witnessed their determination, grins and glee as they prepared to embark on a day aboard a boat with an adult happy to coach and assist.

Many of the Student Fishing League anglers are children of men and women who are anglers themselves, but many are not. Some have access to boats; most do not. Emmerling welcomes adults with boats and the willingness to be patient with inexperienced fishers and share tips and tactics on which the teens can build their own fishing resume.

The kids are impressive. Based on my experience and from what other “coaches” have shared, what the students lack in knowledge they make up for in enthusiasm. They are eager to learn knots, lure choices, casting tips and other details.

Like many young anglers, they tend to prefer Senkos and other stick worms on drop-shot and wacky rigs. But they also know about bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, square-bill cranks and more. Most are excited to try new lures and tactics, especially topwater fishing.

Student Fishing League outings are much more than coaching sessions. I speak from experience when I say the kids have something to share with us adults.

It may not be immediately obvious on the drive home after an SFL event, but it will dawn on you soon enough that your fishing life was enriched thanks to the time you shared. Their pure joy to be fishing is a good reminder about why we fell in love with the sport ourselves.

If you’d like to help kids jumpstart their fishing lives, call Emmerling at 3303831194.

Happy New Year and, of course, happy fishing in 2025.

Jack Wollitz has celebrated the holiday season with readers of this column since 1988. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com