Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be difficult, if you follow the right steps. There is an old Chinese proverb that states:
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". How true that is, teach a kid to enjoy fishing and you will have a lifetime fishing partner! I taught my kids to fish, while pulling out my hair, and now they love it. I will show you how to take the pain out of this task so that they will come to love fishing and the outdoors.
First and foremost you must be patient with your kids as they learn to cast for the first time. They become aggravated when they can't cast as far as you can, then quickly want to move on to another task that they already have an interest in. Out comes the Game boy. I created a game for my kids that we played at home in the yard; you may find this fun and helpful.
Make three targets and set them out in the yard at ten, fifteen, and twenty feet away. Then assign a point value for each target, say ten, fifteen, and twenty points. We always played to a score of fifty. They may only play once or twice a week so let them win some too! Now you have a game they can play to learn the task of casting before you go to the lake.
Now that you have a cast master, it's off to the fishing hole!
Show them how to properly tie a fishing knot by tying on your hook on your line as they follow along, tying on their own hook. This can be done in conjunction with the casting game. In steps frustration, don't let them struggle with this task too long or they will lose interest. Out comes the Game boy. Ask them if they want you to do it, remember it has to be a fun experience.
Now for the prey, be sure to target fish that are easy to catch. Bluegills for example are abundant around most docks and marinas, and are very easy to catch. Use very small hooks and a small piece of worm for bait with a bobber.
Crappies are also easy to catch, and eat; they are located around boat docks with brush piles under them. Check with local marinas to see if they have a crappie house, if you don't have a boat. Using live minnows for bait and a bobber so they can see when they get a bite.
Catfish are also simple to catch. They are bottom feeders and eat minnows, stink bait, and a host of over the counter and home made baits as well. I recommend a sliding weight above the hook. Let the fish take the bait on a free line, if they feel the resistance they will drop the bait. Set the hook while the line is moving and you will catch the fish almost every time.
Don't try to make them a bass pro on the first trip, keep the action fast. I recommend a Zebco 33 spin cast reel. It's very dependable and near indestructible, it will last them for many years. Use a light rod not more than 5'6" long, any longer than that and their casting accuracy goes way down. Also with a light rod that one pound crappie seems to be as big as a whale. I would buy monofilament line not larger than 10 lb test in strength. Heavier line will make it more difficult to cast, and I believe lighter line catches more fish. A small tackle box is a must have for every junior angler!
Don't go out there and set junior up with a crappie rig and you tie on this pretty spinner bait, they will want to use the same bait as you do. Stay away from treble hooks! There are way too many points to stick into too many different places.
As I close be sure to teach them about conservation. Keep only what you will eat. Don't throw your excess bait into the lake, give them to another fisherman. Don't keep them out there all day, if the fish aren't biting try skipping some rocks. You may also consider hiring a fishing guide! They get paid to catch fish.
The Fishing Vacation Guide- All the very best fishing vacation destinations, fishing tips, fish recipes, and so much more!
For those who are interested in speckled trout, you will be happy to know that these fish are some great catches. One of the most interesting features of this fish is the actual speckled trout... Read More
Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish we brought to the boat.It was about 8:30pm and we had been set up for about 45minutes when we had our first bite, the second... Read More
The Newfoundland cod stocks. What has happened to cod fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland? Several centuries ago, John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, found the richest fishing area the world would come... Read More
Did you ever plan that fishing trip to the big lake, then when you got there you realized you had no idea where to start fishing? Too much ground to cover, right? Let's break it... Read More
Six strategies for a good day's fishing(1) Largemouth Bass like plastic worms. Purchase a variety of colours from clear to bright and in varying shades. If fish don't seem to be biting on one colour... Read More
First of all, we need to look at the word ... recreation. When I break it down, it comes out re-creation. What this means to me is a re-creating of myself; a way to... Read More
There is a craze going on that produces big bass, it's called flippin. Flippin puts the lure where the big bass are.....in cover! You will want a 7 1/2 to 8 foot rod with at... Read More
Generally an oceanic species, the swordfish is primarily a midwater fish at depths of 650-1970 feet (200-600 m) and water temperatures of 64 to 71°F (18-22°C). Although mainly a warm-water species, the swordfish has the... Read More
Cutthroat Trout: Cutthroat Trout are generally found only in high alpine lakes or in some selected areas of the Pacific Northwest.The Cutthroat Trout is the original trout of the Rocky Mountains. Unlike Brown Trout which... Read More
As Forrest Gump would say, you never know what you're going to get.Not too many things get me more excited than the prospect of hooking and landing big fish. The mere thought of setting the... Read More
Meanwhile back at the Yurt...Having been humbled by "Hank's" famous trout, it was time for a little change of scenery.My little girl, and kids in general, don't seem to understand catch and release. Granted, I... Read More
Method 2The second method that works really well for me is drift fishing. Lets start by explaining how drifting works. It's really pretty simple: you cast out bait and drag it behind or from the... Read More
Fishing Gem #1 ? When Is Best?If you are in a boat and plan to anchor and bottom fish, get out there before the sun goes down and set up .Over many years, it has... Read More
We have a problem in our fish farms, especially Salmon. You see for 500 plus million years the Salmon spawn up river and then swim down to the ocean grow real big and swim all... Read More
Want to see what's really going on under the water or ice? You can eliminate some of the mystery beneath the water or ice and expand your knowledge by using an underwater fishing camera. An... Read More
Everyone's an Expert, So Who Has The Right Answers?Have you ever been stuck in a conversation with a fisherman who thinks they know everything there is to know about night fishing?I know I have. After... Read More
Talk to a professional angler like Kevin Schweder(2003 PWT Rookie of the Year), and you will quickly find out that organization is a major part of their game plan. Keeping rods and equipment organized provides... Read More
A big buzz within the fishing community that is spreading like wildfire is deep jigging with the new "butterfly" jig. Deep jigging has always been a very productive way of catching fish at all levels... Read More
Whether it's the peaceful and serene beauty of being on the ocean, the excitement of a Sailfish or Dolphin erupting from the water, the brute strength of a Tuna or the drag-searing run of a... Read More
Dry fly angling is at the top of any fly fisherman's list of fun fishing. The visual dry fly catch continues to excite many anglers as the best way to angle the fly. Many anglers... Read More
Fishing on your pontoon boat can be both a relaxing and fun experience. Fishing from a pontoon boat can much more enjoyable than fishing on other smaller vessels. While fishing on a pontoon boat, you... Read More
Often lake fish will gather in schools and cruise around looking for food, but often it is the small fish that rise to take surface insects while the bigger ones feed in deeper water.Where the... Read More
Fish is one of earth's natural wonders and has satisfied our palates since the beginning of man. Their flesh is light and delicate, lean and is packed with protein, the anti-oxidant vitamin E and omega-3... Read More
Many anglers who are new to fly fishing consider dry fly fishing the "traditional" way of catching trout. Well, that's not entirely true. Wet fly fishing dates back hundreds of years, well before dry fly... Read More
I started keeping a fishing calendar this past year. My thinking was that I would somehow get to fish more. I was applying the business proverb of "that which gets measured gets done". Apparently this... Read More
Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety of beautiful natural surroundings in which anglers often find themselves; a secluded stream up in the mountains, a peaceful meandering river deep in the... Read More
The ubiquitous Woolly Bugger, never quite spelled correctly to my eyes, appeals to the eyes of every gamefish imaginable. If I had one pattern to fish the rest of my life, no matter what the... Read More
The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the actual species of this incredible fish that is actually not a trout at all, but a char. The Lake Trout resides in some of the... Read More
Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?We're proud of our... Read More
I have to admit this subject bores me to tears. Amazingly, the simple fact is that every time I interviewed a fisherman about night fishing tips he mentioned preparation at the top of the list.As... Read More
I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and he was talking about concentration. I thought well this is going to be a boring show but of course, it wasn't. Matter of fact it... Read More
My young stepson and I was fishing at Rush Creek in Ohio and using the same rod and reel, line and lure. Everything was exactly the same, the problem was I had caught about a... Read More
For those of you that don't know this, fishermen by nature are a frugal lot.Being penny wise and pound foolish is standard fare, and I am no different.I recently noticed that the felt soles on... Read More
Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition.After buying or making the fishing lures there is still... Read More
Take a kid fishing and they will learn to be successful in life. As an avid fisherman for over 30 years I have to look back on my life and consider it a success. I... Read More
Fishing Fishing |