This holiday season,
I'm sure your children are asking for the latest and greatest toys
and games (does X-Box ring a bell?). However, now is the chance to
give your
child a gift that he (or she) could enjoy with you and
by himself…for a lifetime. There is something magical when a child catches his
first fish – regardless of size,
it’s a trophy!
There are a wide variety of rod/reel combos available – at every price point.
My advice is to pick a combo from a brand name company, typically priced from
$15 and up. There is no need to buy the latest and greatest big-ticket rod and
reel (your child might want that next year!), just a solid, dependable outfit
that will provide hours of fun... while enjoying nature.
Reel choices for beginners
are usually between spincast (Zebco-type) and spinning. For younger children,
a spincast "zee-bee" is a good choice (most of us grew up with one), since less
mechanical proficiency is needed to cast. For older kids, you can go either way,
but spinning reels
are less prone to snarls (and besides they look "cooler!").
As far as bait choices,
I would stick to live bait for the younger set with small #1 and #2
straight wire hooks, a box of assorted sized pinch-on weights and a
few bobbers. For the
older kids, you can get them some lures – either individual packages (which make
great stocking stuffers) or pre-packaged kits.
Speaking of X-Box, there are multitudes
of fishing-related games out there this holiday season. From fishing
games for small children where they catch fish with magnets to hand-held
games from Radica
(that one that vibrates when you have a fish on). Then there are the
higher-tech video fishing games
for Nintendo, Sega and Sony PlayStation (I’m not sure if Bill Gates has one out
yet for X-box, but it wouldn’t surprise me!).
Books and videos on fishing can
also be a good choice
(especially if you are in the northern climes where "softwater" fishing will
be hard to do). There are a variety of books for both you and your children.
Some book titles I found at Amazon.com include: Gone Fishin' With Kids: How to
Take Your Kid Fishing and Still Be Friends and Cool Fishin' for Kids Age 5 to
85. For the older kids, Outdoor Life has a book entitled Essential Fishing for
Teens, and of course, In-Fisherman has a host of fine books on fishing. And to
get them interested in bass fishing, there are the quintessential videos from
Glen Lau: "Bigmouth" and "Bigmouth Forever."
So, "hook" your kids on fishing
this holiday season. It’s a "keeper: you can both enjoy.
Jeff Morton
Questions? Drop
me a line at jeffmorton@gofishmidwest.com .
Go FISH Midwest, YOUR source
for Midwest fishing information… and more!
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