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The Slice: Reeling in more catch-and-release reader interaction

Before summer becomes a distant memory, The Slice would like to cast its line in hopes of catching a few more readers’ family photos.

The subject this time is children and fishing. The pictures can be from this summer or from 40 years ago. That’s up to you.

The only rule is the child must have caught the fish himself or herself. We’re using the honor system here.

This is not really a contest. But here are the categories.

We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat: Entries would show a small child and a relatively large fish.

The Lake was Angry that Day, My Friends: Picture would show the time a child seemed destined for a career as a George Costanza-esque marine biologist.

The Old Man and the Lake: A grandparent, a grandchild and a grand fish.

A Metaphor Runs Through It: A youth embraces the mytho-poetic magic of fly fishing.

A Happy Kid Holding Up a Fish: This category seems self-explanatory.

I recommend emailing your photo. (See address at end of the column.) I will accept mailed snapshots but cannot guarantee their safe return.

The entry deadline is 6 a.m. this coming Wednesday.

Be sure to include a phone number. Good luck.

Speaking of fishing: A friend invited me to go ice fishing with him this winter. I figured since he was good enough to come to the S-R and pose with me for one of the 100 “Paul’s People” selfies on The Slice Blog, I couldn’t really say no.

But on the chance it’s actually cold enough this winter to create a safe thickness of ice, what do I need to know about ice fishing?

Today’s Slice question: Last Saturday, my wife and I were waiting to be seated at a Spokane diner. The area where we cooled our heels afforded us a clear view of one of the few tables in the mostly-booths restaurant. There was a little girl in a high-chair being fed from both sides by her parents. And placed in front of the kid was a portable electronic device showing a cartoon. The little girl was well-behaved, but perhaps that hasn’t always been the case when the family dined out. Hence the advisability of the video distraction. I just don’t know.

But the scene made me think of a question.

What’s the biggest difference between the pioneer families who came west in covered wagons in the 1800s and current residents of the West?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. If any Slice reader predicted the exact score of the EWU vs. NAU game, I will note it on The Slice Blog this evening.

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