How to Introduce a Kid to the Joy of Fishing

 

Edited by Salma W.

        
     

If you're looking for a way to spend more time with a child outdoors, consider going fishing together. Taking a child fishing is a great way to pass along your love of the sport and the outdoors in general, as well as providing a way to bond by spending time away from daily distractions. Even if you aren't an experienced angler yourself, there are ways to introduce children to fishing; some of those methods are given below.

Steps

Ways to Introduce Children to Fishing

1. 1
   Attend a kids' fishing event with your child. Many state departments of natural resources or conservation put on kids' fishing events to teach both children and their parents about fishing. These events are held at various locations around the state, feature trained instructors, and usually provide equipment for children to use during their outing. Some events are held in conjunction with free fishing days or weekends, when the state suspends its requirement that fishermen purchase licenses in order to fish. You can find out specific times and places of these events by visiting the website of your state department of conservation or natural resources; some may sponsor special websites devoted to fishing.
   • Kids' fishing events may also be sponsored by private outdoor organizations, youth groups, city police departments, or other organizations. In some cases, the purpose is more than simply introducing children to the joy of fishing, such as building goodwill in the community, but these events feature many of the same activities as fishing events sponsored by state conservation departments.
2. 2
   Go to a sports show. Many outdoor exhibition shows include either tanks that show fish in miniature representations of their aquatic environments or stocked artificial ponds at which the attendees can fish for a small fee in addition to the show's admission fee. These events provide each angler with his or her own rod, usually of the same type and usually all having the same bait or lure.
3. 3
   Tour an aquarium or fish hatchery. Some state conservation departments maintain exhibit aquariums of some of their game fish species or offer tours of their hatcheries to show anglers and their families how those fish are raised. Although there are no actual fishing opportunities associated with these tours, they can provide opportunities for learning about fish habits and habitats � and the excitement of seeing fish boil the surface to compete for morsels of food thrown to them.
4. 4
   Take the child fishing yourself. If you regularly go fishing and have a child eager to tag along with you, this is an excellent opportunity to introduce that child to the joy of fishing. You'll want to take the child's age, ability, interests, and attention span into account in choosing an appropriate place to go fishing and the amount of time to spend. Generally, early trips should be fairly short and gradually get longer as the child's interest and abilities expand. You can also expect to handle such chores as baiting the hook and taking the fish off it when the child is particularly young.
   • Go fishing for species that will provide your child with sufficient excitement without being unduly challenging. Species such as bluegill, black or white crappie, sunfish, perch, and bullhead catfish will all provide a young child with an entertaining experience when they take the bait and the hook is set.
   • You may want to take your child to either a public or private lake that is regularly restocked with fish. Fishing at these lakes usually costs a daily-use fee in addition to the cost of your fishing license and any park fees, but the increased opportunity to catch that first fish may be worth the added cost.
    

Equipping Your Child for Fishing

1. 1
   Choose a suitable rod. Freshwater fishing rods for adults typically run from 5 to 7 1/2 feet (1.5 to 2.45 m) in length. For a young child, however, a rod of 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m), or roughly the length that the child is tall, is a better choice. The rod should have the same type of metal line guides found on an adult rod, not wire loop or plastic guides, which can bend or break easily, and there should be enough guides so that the line follows the arc of the rod when it bends.
   • Be sure the rod matches the type of reel your child will use. Spincasting reels rest on top of the rod, whose reel seat is recessed and features a trigger-like rest for the index finger of the casting hand. Open- and closed-faced spinning reels rest below the rod, which features a straight seat with a retaining clamp; the guide nearest the seat is also larger than that for a spincasting rod.
   • Some anglers choose to start their children out with cane poles, which are usually equipped with only a short length of line. These may be suitable for very small children but may be frustrating for children who see that rods and reels can cast much longer distances.
2. 2
   Choose a suitable reel. Although you may be proficient with either a baitcasting or fly reel, the best type of fishing reel for children and most other first-time anglers to learn to use is the spincasting reel. A spincasting reel is a fixed-spool reel covered by a housing. One or more pickup pins spool the line on the reel when retrieving, and the line is released whenever you push the thumb button on the back of the reel. A spincasting reel goes on top of the rod and is cast roughly the same way as a baitcasting reel, making it easier to transition to the more complex reel when your child is older.
   • If you primarily fish with spinning tackle, however, consider starting your child with a closed-face spinning reel. These reels rest below the rod as do open-faced spinning reels, but they release the line with a lever trigger above the reel instead of cocking back the bail as on an open-faced reel. Closed-face spinning reels are less common than either open-faced spinning reels or spincasting reels, but they are made by most major fishing reel manufacturers.
   • For a first-time fisherman, the reel should be equipped with 8 to 10 pound test (4 to 5 kg class) monofilament fishing line.
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   Equip your child with sufficient tackle. Initially, you may want to let your child share your tackle box, although some anglers prefer to provide their children with their own tackle box before their first outing. A child's tackle box may include any or all of the following equipment, which may be purchased beforehand or as the child develops the skill to use it:
   • Hooks, in sizes 4 and 6. Include single hooks for fishing with worms or minnows and treble hooks for fishing with marshmallows.
   • A package of split-shot sinkers. (One form of package is a plastic "wheel," with a cover that rotates to provide access to sinkers of different sizes. Look for split shot with little nibs at one end to allow for easy removal from the line with pliers when changing sinkers.)
   • A package of bell or dipsey sinkers, in weights from 1/4 to 1/2 ounce (14.15 to 28.35 g).
   • 2 to 3 small bobbers.
   • Stringer for keeping caught fish.
   • Needle-nose pliers, for removing hooks from the fish's mouth. (Some anglers keep 2 pairs, 1 to remove hooks and the other for holding onto the mouths of toothed fish such as pike or walleye or barbed fish such as catfish.)
   • Fingernail clippers, for clipping the end of the line.
   • Rag, for cleaning hands and for gripping fish with when removing hooks.
   • You may also want to include small artificial lures, such as jigs or grubs, with or without spinners.

Tips

• Spend some time teaching your child how to cast and how to use some of the other equipment in the tackle box. Casting can be taught in an open area away from a lake or pond, using a bell or dipsey sinker in place of a bait and hook.
• Also teach your child a few basics about the species of fish you're fishing for and some of the ins and outs of retrieving a lure, and how to set the hook and bring the fish in. Don't get overly technical at first, but be prepared to explain the "why" in terms your child will understand.

Warnings

• Don't be swayed by children's fishing outfits emblazoned with children's characters. Although they may be made by noted fishing tackle manufacturers, some of them may be little more than glorified toys. If the outfit doesn't look to be of sufficient quality for you to use yourself, don't buy it for your child.

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