As another holiday season fades, it’s not the gifts or the rush that stay with us — it’s the moments. The quiet ones on the water, the laughter shared after a long day, the stories told around the table long after the sun has set.

For our family, that’s always been what matters most. Whether it’s snowmobiling, ice fishing, or planning the next open-water season, we’ve learned that the best gifts don’t come wrapped. They come in the form of time — time together, outdoors, doing what we love.

Some of our strongest memories were made with rods in hand and lines in the water. There’s something about a calm morning on the lake, the sound of the reel, or the moment a fish breaks the surface that draws people together. Those experiences have a way of lasting long after the trip is over.

That’s why stories like Ty Slodjin’s Father-and-Son Tradition strike such a chord. They remind us that fishing isn’t only about the catch — it’s about connection. The laughter in the boat, the shared excitement of a big fish, the quiet talks that happen between casts. Those are the real trophies.

As we look ahead to a new year, it’s a good time to plan the next adventure. Maybe it’s a return to a favourite lake, or maybe it’s discovering somewhere new. Because the greatest gifts aren’t found under a tree — they’re found out on the water, in the moments we share, and the memories that stay.