Summer signals school vacation and fishing rodeos. Whether it is a rodeo or
just a weekend trip, taking a kid fishing is a rewarding experience. Besides
introducing the tradition of fishing to a prospective angler, fishing with
a youngster is a simple way to spend time with your kids.
Fishing with young children has a few simple rules. Fishing should be simple,
fun, and any fish will do. First, complicated rigs, poles, and tactics are
out of the grasp of the young angler. A child who has to deal with so much
information at once will not enjoy the trip. Second, fishing is supposed to
be fun. At least that is what you tell your wife or friends every time you
spend the weekend on the water. Try to make a game out of fishing. Finally,
fishing to a child means catching. If you are not catching fish, any fish,
boredom has a rapid onset.
Fishing trip that are short, sometimes under an hour, are good starting points
for beginners. Ponds are excellent places to go on a first trip. As the angler
ages, longer trips can be planned. Brim and catfish are easy to catch which
makes them great targets for youngsters. We all started with bobbers and worms.
The simpler the better will catch fish and start the child off with pleasurable
beginning.
When trips are longer than an hour or so, be sure to be prepared for breaks
in the action. Snacks and drinks will help energize the angler. A favorite
video game may help prevent a bad trip. Emphasize to the young angler that
fishing is not a guaranteed thing. Instruct the child about all the natural
creatures in the water. Dip nets are often a good substitute for fishing. Teaching
the kids about the outdoors is the goal not an ice chest full of fish.
License sales for outdoors activities have decreased over the last few years.
Educating our children on the fun and importance of fishing will secure that
the sport will last past our grandkids. The first fishing trip should be as
much an education as a fun experience. Adding safety such as wearing your life
jacket is another part of the learning. Combining fishing with beliefs of the
outdoors sends the message to the young angler that nature is part of us and
we are part of nature.
Equipment is dictated by the age of the child. For anglers under ten years
of age, an Abu Garcia Abumatic 275 spincast reel is a terrific reel for beginners.
This reel is easy to use and will handle most fishing situations. A small rod,
five feet or less in length, is a good size for shorter anglers. For older
anglers move up to an Ambassadeur Anti Backlash model. This reel teaches the
angler how to use a bait-casting reel without all the backlashes.
Baits and lures are another part of the equipment puzzle. Worms, crickets,
and shiners attract all species of fish. These make them great for the beginner
because the goal is to catch fish. From bass to brim, a cork and hook rig is
the best for beginners. When the kids get the handle of fishing with a bobber,
advance to artificial baits like Texas rigged worms with weed less hooks, grubs
or soft plastics under a cork, or other single hook lures.
Another important tip to instruct young anglers about is practice. Like any
sport or endeavor in life, the more experience or practice you have, the better
you will be at the sport. We tell this same excuse to our wives a few days
before the tournament that we must practice to win. Let the young angler know
that fishing is fun but a sport as difficult as baseball or soccer. A simple
practice plug pitched in the backyard will help all participants master the
art of casting.
Remember the goal when taking a kid fishing is fun. Incorporate the outdoors,
spending time together, and a picnic into the learning process. Short trips
and simple equipment is the norm for young anglers. Take the attitude that
fishing with a kid is more important than what you catch. What the child brings
home from the trip in the way of love and bonding is far more important than
how many fish you catch.
Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.
