Between fishing and fatherhood, Carlo Conti’s first children’s book

An autobiographical story that intertwines the passion for fishing with the deep relationship built with his son Matteo: Carlo Conti presented his first children’s book in Rome, “Fishing with Dad”published by De Agostini.

“They asked me to write a book for children and I started thinking about what it could be. There is this bond, this complicity between me and my son Matteo that was born since he was little – explained the host – I started fishing as a child because, as I tell in the book, when I went on holiday for those 15 days in Livorno, I found my grandfather on the sea pier and he gave me a piece of fishing line. That was the best gift of the year because it then allowed me to stay all day fishing.” Conti then underlined how the project has transformed into something deeper: “in writing this book we realized that it has become, as we put in the subtitle, a manual of complicity between father and son, because all in all being able to have a passion in common with a son I think is a wealth, whether it is fishing, music, football or any other passion”.

Fishing as an antidote to frenzy

The presenter highlighted how fishing represents the exact opposite of the hectic life of today’s kids: “It’s the opposite of what the life of kids on TikTokwho are used to frenzy, to constantly shaking. Fishing is exactly the opposite: the waiting, the tranquility, the patience, even the sadness of not catching anything, but then in the sun, also being able to hug each other, and the joy of being in contact with nature”.

The anecdote of the fake catch

Among the funniest anecdotes, that of the ‘fake catch’: “Once we hadn’t caught anything and I told him: let’s play a prank on mum. Let’s go to the supermarket, buy a bonito and two mackerel. We get home, look, we caught it, fantastic. My wife was already desperate. Only Saverio, among my friends, had any doubts, because when faced with a fish like that you immediately take a photo on the boat”.

Fishing and life, an educational parallel

One of the most significant passages of the book is the parallel between fishing and life: “We had fun at the end making this parallel card. As I said before, in fishing you need patience, and in life you need patience. In fishing you don’t always catch, you get results, and even in life you can’t always win. In fishing you have to try, try again, change bait, change station, change year, change place. In life, precisely, you have to experiment before getting the result”, he observed, also underlining the importance of respect: “We also talk about how important respect is, because fishing also requires respect for nature. When you have already caught enough fish there is no point in insisting. We do what is called catch and release: catch and then release”.

Resilience as a working method

Psychological resilience, then, as the true driving force of his work: “There you have to bring out all the patience and serenity possible; it’s useful when things aren’t going well”, explained the host, referring in particular to the pressure of the Sanremo event: “I don’t get excited when everything is going well and I don’t get discouraged if something in the work goes like this and like that; the important thing is that you improve”.

Time as a gift to children

Then speaking about the relationship with children in the digital age, Conti sent a strong message to parents: “I believe that the best gift is the time you manage to spend with your children, that must be the best gift”.

The final line on Sanremo

In closing, a joke about the winner of Sanremo who will represent Italy atEurovision: “You know what I can say to Da Vinci Hall? Respect your surname, win!”, joked Conti, playing on the singer-songwriter’s stage name.