Outdoor Life with Tess: Family casts lifelong memories while fishing at Keystone Lake

For the Barto family, time spent fishing at Keystone Lake is more than just a pastime — it’s a cherished tradition.

“Fishing is one of my favorite things to do,” said 9-year-old Landon Barto, standing on a dock with rod in hand, eagerly waiting for a bite.

“You just get excited that you're about to catch one,” he added.

Landon and his 7-year-old sister Everley make the most of sunny days outdoors with their parents, Lance and Hanna Barto. On a recent outing, the crappie were biting — and so were the giggles.

“I like catching 'em,” Everley said. “It's really fun and really exciting.”

Between reeling in fish, the siblings shared laughs over snacks and sibling banter.

“Want to kiss it?” their mom asked, holding up a freshly caught fish.

“No,” Everley replied, bursting into laughter.

For Lance Barto, these moments are priceless. He grew up learning to fish at Keystone Lake and now finds himself learning from his kids.

“It's just pure joy... seeing them smiling, reeling in and fighting a fish,” he said. “It's something that you can't explain almost.”

Lance said Landon has even given him some tips on how to improve his own technique.

“It's really windy. I'm trying to stay tight in the corners,” he said. “Landon's kind of showed me that it needs to be something coming up slowly.”

But not every family member is only focused on fishing.

“Eating Doritos,” Everley said, giggling. “Cause you can get really hungry.”

“Gotta bring the snacks. Gotta bring the water,” added Hanna Barto. “Have to have patience on untangling and helping them.”

Hanna, a fifth-grade teacher, said the family prioritizes time outdoors to disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other.

“I see firsthand how much kids are on technology and the negative effects of that,” she said. “So we try to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. Honestly, it's the most peaceful time for us, too.”

Whether it’s patience, perseverance, or simply appreciating nature, the Bartos believe the lessons learned lakeside are lasting ones.

“The kids get energy out. They're learning things that we hope they pass down to their kids,” Hanna said. “I hope they learn patience, because you don't catch them every time. And just being outdoors, enjoying God's creation — there's nothing like that. It's so much better than sitting inside.”

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