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Do Fish Like Dead Worms?

I guess it’s a bit of a morbid question, but one you might soon find yourself asking if you head off fishing on a hot day and forget your cooler. Do fish like dead worms? Can you fish with dead worms for fishing? Or how about, why on earth do fish like worms in the first place?

Dead worms do work for fishing, and while you can use them, I think you’ll wish you kept the worms alive. Granted, there are some species, like bullhead, that enjoy really stinky bait and probably won’t care if the worms are dead, but I’ve found that I catch more fish and use less bait when the worms are alive and well.

Let’s explore this topic a little further to understand why it’s better to fish with live worms, troubleshoot why your worms keep dying, and then discuss what you can do about it. I’ll also touch base a bit on what worms are best for fishing, and share a few resources that will help you rig them correctly.

Why You Should Fish With Worms

Before we go any further, let’s just spend a moment and talk about why you should fish with worms in the first place. My website primarily deals with helping families learn to fish, and one of the maxims I live by is that you want to pursue quantity over quality when you’re getting started. This helps keep kids interested and engaged.

The bottom line is that fish really like worms. They can’t keep their lips off of them. So if you want to catch a lot of fish with your kids, nightcrawlers and other worms are a great choice.

Another great reason to fish with worms is that they help keep fishing inexpensive. I wrote an article where I tried to help people keep their new fishing hobby affordable. One of the main arguments I made was that bait, and specifically worms, can be free. All you have to do is go dig them up!

If you’re just getting started, or are trying to help a young child get started, I suggest that you bring some nightcrawlers along for your trip. Nighcrawlers are inexpensive, easy to use, and don’t bite. They’re the perfect bait for kids.

What Fish Bite Nightcrawlers?

I’m convinced you could catch any carnivorous fish in the world with a nightcrawler. Everything from largemouth bass to mud fish bite nightcrawlers routinely on my fishing trips. I’ve caught brown trout with a spinner and worm, sucker fish, northern pike, chain pickerel and everything in-between on a nightcrawler. Catfish and bullhead especially are great fish to go for with nightcrawlers, as they’ll bit them single or in giant clusters on the same hook. And of course, all the kid favorites like bluegill, yellow perch, pumpkinseeds, rockbass, and crappie love eating worms. In short, every fish in the sea will bite a nightcrawler – you can’t go wrong!

But Why Do Fish LIKE Worms?

In a sea full of artificial lures and danger, worms are the real thing. To fish, worms smell good, taste good, feel good, and look good. They have a natural smell that is better than any fish attractant. Their taste, apparently, is better than plastic or wood (I’ll have to take the fish’s word on this). They have a natural feeling that lets a fish know they’ve hit the real deal and not some imitation. Finally, they have enticing little wriggles that work better than any twitch of a jerkbait. When a fish sees a worm, they know that they’re staring at a nutritious meal, so if nothing spooks them, they’re more apt to bite.

Why You Should Use Live Worms vs. Dead Worms

I’m not going to tell you that dead worms never work, as many fish will eat them, but I will say that they don’t seem to work as well as live ones for many species that you might target with your kids (chiefly panfish and bass).

First, let’s define what exactly I mean by “dead worms.” I’m not suggesting that you take a pulse, but you do need to understand that nightcrawlers go through a few stages during a fishing trip: (1) Alive; (2) Possibly Alive but in Poor Condition and; (3) Dead.

Stage 1: Fully Alive Worms

When you first open up a box of nightcrawlers that has been properly stored in a fridge, you will notice that they are plump and juicy. If you touch them, they quickly pull back and try to escape. These night crawlers are fully alive. They have several advantages:

  • They are durable. If you tried to break them into pieces, it would be difficult without a pair of scissors. Worms that are alive stand up better to panfish pecking away at them.
  • They are more appealing to fish. When you put them on your hook, you’ll find that they squirm about and put up a fuss. They continue doing this under the water, which makes them look like prey. Fish like eating worms that are moving around enticingly.
  • They are larger. This goes hand in hand with being more appealing, but you have a better chance of catching a larger fish. Remember, in nature, life is a game of energy conservation. Predators don’t want to waste energy for petty offerings, but they will spend some energy if they think it will land them a solid meal.

I understand that some of you might question my claim that worms are more durable while they’re alive. You might say, “But John, I just put a plump nightcrawler on my hook, and the bluegill tore it to shreds!”

Well, yes. They grabbed its tail and tore it right off. Probably its midsection too. But what about its head – the piece that is directly baited on the hook? I’ll bet that part is still there, and I’ll bet it stays there through several fish before you need to swap it out. In fact, if you’re going with your kids, you might want to just start with a small piece as you’ll catch many more panfish per worm that way.

In contrast, if you were using nightcrawlers or worms that were drying out such as those described below in Stage 2, the fish would be apt to steal the entire bait in one go, because it has lost much of its durability. It would be pretty common to have to change bait after each cast, which can end your day in a hurry.

Stage 2: Possibly Alive, but in Poor Condition

If you’re fishing with worms on a hot day and don’t keep them in a cooler, you will notice that they start to get smaller throughout the day. These worms are doing poorly, and may die before long. As worms enter this stage, they lose some of the characteristics of healthy worms:

  • Worms that have been left in the heat are nowhere near as durable. They easily break without the need for any scissors.
  • Worms that are nearly dead are less appealing to some species of fish, like largemouth bass. Your best chance of catching a bass on a worm is to use a large one that is lively. You’re much less likely to catch one with a worm that is almost dead.
  • They are smaller. Look at the photo below to see a very clear difference between worms that are alive, and worms that are nearly (or already) dead.
Yes, you can fish with dead worms, but fish don't like them as much as alive ones. This photo shows the difference between the two.
The worms on the left were stored in a cooler. The worms on the right were not. After just an hour or so of fishing, you can see quite a difference in size.

Stage 3: Dead Worms

When a worm first dies it will usually look like a worm in Stage 2 discussed above, but will be completely limp and won’t move at all. Fishing with dead worms has several disadvantages:

  • Dead worms are not durable in the first stage of death, but will become hard as rocks if left in the sun. Early in death, they are pulled off the hook easily, and late in death, you rarely get bites.
  • Dead worms have very little appeal to any species that favors living worms. Nature has very specialized roles for different animals, and fish are no different. There are certain fish that primarily eat the dead, and others that prefer live quarry.

At some point you’re going to leave a bit of a worm on a hook for a spell while you try something else. You’ll come back to it and it’ll look completely dried out. You can try tossing it in and you might even get a bite, but I wouldn’t recommend starting off this way. I usually just replace them with a fresh worm.

Do Any Fish Prefer Dead Worms?

As a general rule, you’re much better off with live worms. One of the main reasons why fish like worms is because they’re plump, juicy and wriggling. Bass especially want a larger, wriggling target and would hesitate to strike a dead worm over a live one.

All the same, dead worms do work for fishing. Indeed, fish that really enjoy stinky foods, such as bullhead and catfish, would enjoy a heaping of dead worms, but the problem of durability discussed above is going to make it hard to keep the worm on the hook long enough for them to bite.

Remember, it’s not so much that a fish won’t bite a dead worm. Rather, the issue is that if they bite it away from the hook, they’re apt to tear the whole offering off of the hook harmlessly.

If you do find yourself in a situation where all your worms are dead, do your best to ball a bunch of them up on the hook so it’s less likely the entire offering will be stolen with one peck.

You can also borrow a trick from catfishermen and place a handful of worms into a little pouch of cheesecloth or old leggings. This will let the scent dissipate without the worms pulling from the hook, but you’ll eliminate most chance of a panfish taking the bait (unless the pouch is very small).

Why Do Worms Die?

Sometimes worms die for unknown reasons in shipping or storage at the tackle shop. You would be well advised to open each worm container and take a look and whiff. A box of dead or dying worms will often have a white mold like substance growing in the container and will smell very bad. What you want is clean, dark soil that smells like soil.

Assuming that you bought them alive and they later died, the most likely reason for their misfortune is that you allowed them to become too hot, as temperatures above 77 °F (25 °C) will cause them to weaken and eventually die. The higher the temperature, the quicker their death.

Nightcrawlers and worms also die when they lose too much moisture. This is why they come packaged in some soil. Ever notice how it is very wet and messy at first? That moisture keeps your bait alive and wriggling. If you’re storing your own worms at home, don’t forget to change the soil out from time to time and moisten it a bit with a sprayer.

Finally, worms die because creatures like fish eat them. That is the only death you’re aiming for.

Is There a Way to Make Fishing Worms More Enticing?

I was recently chatting with a gentleman from Slovenia who spends a lot of time fishing for carp with worms. He advises cutting a small portion of the worm’s tail off, to produce more scent in the water. The concept makes sense and might explain part of the reason why using bits of worms is so effective with panfish. I’d always thought panfish were just dumb, but perhaps the added scent is really what is driving the feeding frenzy. It’s something worth trying!

Will Worms Drown While Fishing?

Many folks want to know if worms will drown while you’re fishing. People are familar with seeing worms surface on a rainy day and they assume that they’re doing this to get air. Contrary to popular belief, worms don’t surface in the rain because they’re “drowning.” In fact, as long as the water has enough oxygen content for them to breath, nightcrawlers are actually fine completely underwater.

While this is a little bit of an academic question, it has practical use for fishermen, because you can keep your worm plump and juicy longer if you let it rest in the water a bit while you aren’t using it, as opposed to just putting it down on the shore to bake in the sun. Just make sure you use a rod holder in case a big fish comes along!

I’ve heard of some people livening up their worms a bit by putting them into chilled water for thirty minutes or so, and if your worms have started drying out I suppose it stands to reason that this might work. In any event, it’s worth a shot.

Do Nightcrawlers Work For Night Fishing?

Yes, you can fish with nightcrawlers and other worms at night. In fact, the scent that they produce is going to help certain species home in on them and bite them. The only thing to consider is what species you intend to target. You will catch a lot of catfish and bullhead while fishing nightcrawlers and worms at night. Odds are these species will get to the worms long before bass home in on them after it gets dark.

Can You Use Nightcrawlers for Saltwater Fishing?

The salt in saltwater isn’t very good for nightcrawlers. They do tend to break down quickly in these conditions and fall off of the hook. With that said, if a fish gets to your hook before the worm is ruined, nightcrawlers are very effective at catching them. Go ahead and use nightcrawlers in saltwater if that’s your only option, but most folks will tell you to buy blood worms or other dedicated saltwater, hardier baits instead.

Can You Use Worms For Ice Fishing?

There’s no reason you can’t use worms or nightcrawlers for ice fishing. Any fish that will bite a nightcrawler during the summer will bite the same worm in the winter. Using live bait like a worm for ice fishing is a great way to entice bites from fish who might hesitate to chase an artificial lure in the frigid temps. The only trick is finding the worms as many bait shops don’t carry them in the winter. You might need to buy them in bulk, or keep them alive until you have a chance to use the worms on your favorite ice fishing hole.

Where to Buy Live Worms For Fishing?

Many gas stations, sporting goods stores, and almost all baitshops will have various species of worms for sale. They typically are sold by the dozen, and some places carry packages of several dozen. You’ll know an establish sells them because they typically keep a “We Sell Bait” or “Live Bait” sign out front.

Buying worms by the dozen can get expensive. You will get a better deal if you purchase them online. I get my worms from Windsor Wholesale Bait. Buying in bulk allows me to save a ton of money. I prefer Windsor Wholesale Bait because I enjoy fishing with Canadian Nightcrawlers. If you’d prefer smaller worms, you can find specieis such as Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm’s Red Wigglers on Amazon. Some people prefer the smaller worms for panfish.

How to Catch Your Own Worms

If you don’t want to buy worms, you have two choices: wait for a rainy day to scoop them off your street, or go out in search of nightcrawlers at night. If you go after your own, try and find open fields that get a little moisture from sprinklers or morning dew (some large sports fields at your local school may work well). The only trick is to see if that school uses anything like a pesticide to keep the worms and other critters away. Clearly, those aren’t your best bet.

Here’s a video with some other great tips of how to catch your own worms. I particularly like the idea about using spare cardboard to catch them (we all have plenty of that these days)!

How Can I Keep My Nightcrawlers Alive for Fishing?

In most cases you’re going to purchase a few dozen worms a day or two before your fishing trip. You would do well to keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. This will keep them fresh for up to a few weeks, though I like to use them soon so I don’t forget about them.

It gets trickier to keep them alive when you’re fishing. You will want to bring a cooler and keep them in it when you aren’t using them. This cooler should probably be separate from the one you’re storing your food in, because the lids on worm packages are prone to popping off, especially if your kids keep playing with it.

You could also consider buying a specialty cooler for your worms. What type you choose is going to depend on if you’re fishing from a boat (where you presumably have some room), or if you’re hoofing it on foot and need to pack light.

Some Good Ways to Store Worms and Nightcrawlers

If you’re fishing from a boat, a great option is the Unexcelled Fishing Keep Kool Live Bait Cooler. While this isn’t the lightest option (it is 7 pounds before adding ice), it has a great design where the worms are kept in an inner box that is surrounded by an outer insulated box for ice. It also has a carrying handle, and is rectangular with a flat bottom, making it easy to store. This is definitely an upgrade from storing worms in your lunch cooler.

If you’re fishing from shore and planning to cover much ground, a nifty little product is the Zebco Lil Wormcooler. It’s small (4.5 x 4.5 x 4 inches), light weight at 1.12 ounces, and comes with a handle that you could clip to your belt (you’ll need to buy a clip separately). This means it is one less thing to have to carry in your hands, which is important when you’re walking from spot to spot.

Other Ways to Store Nightcrawlers

If you don’t have two coolers and don’t want to put your worms and food in the same one, you can make their own container a cooler of sorts by putting an ice cube or two in a plastic bag and then burying it in the worm container.

Some people forget the dirt altogether and just put their nightcrawlers into a bucket of ice. Believe it or not, this actually keeps them well. Just make sure the ice is wet before you add the worms or the moist worms will stick to the ice and tear. This is a great solution for people who don’t want worm dirt all over their boats and hands.

As we’ve discussed, worms can stay alive in water for great lengths of time, so even if the ice melts, they’ll still be alive and usable.

What Can I Feed My Worms?

If you’re going to keep worms for an extended period of time, you’re going to need to figure out something to feed them. You’ll want to feed them about once a week.

There are several manufactured worm foods out there on the market. These are advertised as having numerous different minerals and nutrients that will help your worms grow while you’re waiting to use them. I fish often enough that I’ve never had need of these, but I have no reason to doubt the claims as others seem to love the product. A popular choice is Frabill Fat and Sassy Worm Food.

When I’m keeping worms it’s usually not going to be for more than 3-4 weeks, so I just use my coffee grounds. It’s a byproduct that I already own, so I don’t need to go buy something new, and it’s even recommended by the worm experts.

What’s the Best Way to Fish With Nightcrawlers?

You can rig worms in several ways, but the three easiest for newer fishermen to try plain hooks, drop shots, and bobbers.

Fishing a Worm on a Plain Hook

Fishing a worm on a plain hook is as simple as it sounds. You just pierce the worm with the hook and toss it in the water. There are several theories about how to put the worm on the hook. Some people thread the hook through the worms head and leave its tail dangling. Others kind of bunch the squirming worm up on the hook without much rhyme or reason. Either works, but bear in mind that anything a fish can snag without touching the hook will be quickly stolen.

Bass seem to prefer nightcrawlers that are rigged so that their tails are off the hook, dangling enticingly in the water. A largemouth bass is a large enough fish that they can grab the entire worm in one gulp, but if panfish get to a worm rigged this way first, that tail is disappearing with nothing to show for it.

The Drop Shot

I’ve written extensively about how to rig drop shots and why I love them on another article. I won’t repeat the information, but I will give you the basic theory: a dropshot has the hook tied 6-12″ inches above a sinker. The sinker falls to the bottom and keeps the worm suspended up above slightly where fish are more likely to see it. This is a great technique for fishing (especially with kids) and I suggest you try it.

Fishing Nightcrawlers with a Bobber

I am not a fan of bobbers, but many people are. They do allow you to keep a bait up off the bottom, much like a drop shot, but they also tend to encourage people to put their rod down and wait for something to bite. This is boring, and also can be counterproductive as many bites will go undetected. You should probably bring a few along in case you need to keep your bait above some obstruction, but I wouldn’t start with them.

In Conclusion: Keep Your Worms Alive

If you want to have the best chance for success, you should do what you can to keep your worms alive. While you can fish with dead worms, from my experience, live worms work better than dead ones.

Even if fish didn’t have a preference one way or another, the sheer durability of the bait while alive and moist is going to mean that you’ll get more use out of it, and have less frustration.

It’s not fun for you (or your kids) to constantly feel nibbles and never have something to reel in. I know from experience that this can happen if you have dead worms that tear off the hook easily. It becomes very frustrating on days where not much is biting, as you need to land the few fish that do.

Simple Steps to Make Worms and Nightcrawlers Last Longer

In sum, follow these simple steps to make your worms last longer for your fishing trip:

  1. Check the worm container at the store to make sure the worms are alive. The container should smell like dirt as opposed to decomposing flesh;
  2. Store the worms in a cool, dark place where they and their soil won’t dry out;
  3. Feed them coffee grounds about once a week if you need to store them indefinitely;
  4. If you need to put the rod down for a long time in the heat, keep the worm dangling in the water so it doesn’t dry out.

One of the main maxims I teach about fishing with kids is to control what you can, when you can. Keeping worms alive before and during your fishing trip is an achievable goal. Make every effort to do so, as it will help you have a better time out there on the water with your kids.

Thanks,

John Paxton

4 Kid-Friendly Fishing Lures (And 2 to Avoid)

I suspect that if you’re trying to help your children learn to fish, one of the first searches you’ll Google is going to be something like “good fishing lures for kids.” When you do, you’ll find plenty of sites that claim to give advice on kid-friendly fishing lures.

While there’s a lot of great information out there, I have to level with you – my eyebrows raised a bit at a few of the recommendations.

I always assume positive intent, so I think some of the authors approached this topic trying to write about “Great Fishing Lures” in general and might not have really thought the whole “For Fishing With Kids” part through, but I’m a parent writing for other parents and I feel compelled to set the record straight:

Plastic worms, Spinnerbaits, Roundhead Jigs, and Drop Shots are all great fishing lures for fishing with kids.

Hollow-bodied frogs and crankbaits are great fishing lures, but aren’t great choices for kids or beginners.

I’ll get into why I like the former so much (and give you some tips on how to use them) in a bit, but I’m going to start with the lures I don’t recommend, because after you understand why they are such bad choices for kids, you’ll appreciate the four lures I do recommend that much more.

Quick Navigation

If you’re in a hurry, use these links to reach the part you’re interested in.

Why Hollow-Bodied Frogs Are Terrible Fishing Lures for Kids

I don’t want anyone to get me wrong. I have a bit of a love affair with hollow-bodied frogs and use them frequently. In fact, I look forward to a few bays in Lake Champlain clogging up with enough weeds to turn the frog bite on. I think they’re awesome, so I own tackle boxes full of them. At some point in your kids life, they should use them. Just do so knowing that they’re one of the least kid-friendly fishing lures on the planet.

I shudder at the thought of a parent who has no idea what they’re doing being told that they’re good fishing lures for a kid to learn on, but some websites do just this. I wouldn’t be surprised if parents who took this advice have kids who never want to go fishing again.

Frogs are one of the worst fishing lures for kids. About their only use is that your kid might talk to them.
Hollow-bodied frogs: The bane of your child’s existence.

Challenges with Frog Lures

Hollow-bodied frogs are easily one of the more challenging lures for an adult to use successfully, much less a child. Let’s look at some of the obstacles:

  • You need proper equipment, none of which is particularly suited for children. A very long and heavy rod, fast baitcasting reel, strong braided line is basically the antithesis of what you want when fishing with kids;
  • If you’re fishing a frog, you’re usually in the middle of a field of lily pads or other gunk. This makes it very tough to use anything but a frog. Thus, no dropshots for panfish to keep the action going;
  • All but the best frog fishermen have a poor hookup percentage. There is very good chance you’ll be unsuccessful;
  • Once the fish is hooked, you need to reel like a mad man to get the fish’s head up and on top of the weeds. If you don’t, they’ll bury themselves in 40 pounds of vegetation. Thus, you can’t patiently wait for your kid to run over so you can hand them the rod.

As you can see, these are serious problems for a parent trying to fish with their kids. Unless your kids are gluttons for punishment, frogs are not, by any means, a good lure for them to learn with.

One Plus: They Are Exciting – If Someone Notices

Now, a few people out there are making the argument that frogs are “exciting” to fish. After all, your kids get to see the swirl, or hear a giant splash, or maybe even watch as a monstrous fish jumps and belly flops all over some lily pads.

Ok… Yeah, I suppose that’s fair enough… If your kids see it, but I have my doubts they actually will.

I’ve said it many times before – most kids have the attention span of a newt. The chances of getting them to hone in with a lazer focus on a frog for an indefinite period of time until something…maybe…happens are pretty slim. I think it’s much more likely that they’re going to be eating a sandwhich, talking to a dragonfly, or peeing in the livewell when the action finally happens.

One More Plus – Your Kid Might Talk to Them

OK – in total fairness, there is one more plus to breaking out a frog around your kids: they’ll talk to them. Yes, long before there was “Forky,” kids were talking to plastic frogs. This isn’t quite what I was going for when I started writing an article about kid-friendly fishing lures, but I have to tip my hat to this.

What You Can Expect

To me, the most likely way that fishing with frogs and children will go is much less spectacular:

  • You’re going to spend a ton of money on a rod & reel setup that your kids can’t use;
  • You’re probably going to have to do all the casting. Your kids either won’t know how to use the baitcaster, or the heavy-duty spinning reel is going to be way to big for their hands;
  • Your kids probably aren’t going to be able to fish at the same time as you. There’s likely too much vegetation around for a sinking worm to not be fouled instantly. Thus, your kids will be bored;
  • You’re going to have to mess around with the cadence a bit to see what the fish want. This takes time and reduces your child’s attention span;
  • Thus, if a fish strikes, your kids probably won’t see it happen;
  • If a fish strikes, you (also being a beginner) probably won’t hook it;
  • If you do manage to hook it, and you try to hand your kids the rod, the fish will bury itself in a ton of weeds while you’re waiting for your kid to get there;
  • Because of this, your kid probably won’t land the fish, and will go back to being bored and disappointed.

Conclusion on Kermit: Leave Him at Home

I know this seems really pessimistic. I’m sure the comments will fill with people telling me about how they catch frogs with their kids all the time. If you can, good for you! I’m trying to help parents who are brand new to this sport. They should save their money and focus on techniques and fishing lures that are more kid-friendly and likely to work.

I honestly think that if you’re new to this sport and are trying to help your kids catch some fish, you’d be setting your family up for a bad time by fishing with frogs, and I don’t want to see you do that. It’s important to me that you’re successful.

Why I Hate Using Crankbaits With Kids

Crankbaits aren’t as bad of a choice for kids or beginners as frogs (kids could actually catch a ton of fish with them), but they are much more dangerous, and can be a pain for beginners to use.

Most crankbaits come with treble hooks. These are tiny little three-pronged hooks that tend to have very thin wire and are easy to jab yourself with. Case in point, I managed to prick myself just taking a few photos for this post!

I know you’re probably thinking, “But there are a lot of hooks out there with a thin wire – aren’t they just as bad as treble hooks?”

No. Treble hooks are worse because the three-pronged design allows them to stand up and be a constant danger, even when you aren’t using the rod and it’s just laying on the boat. This stand-up design also means that one of the three prongs is very likely to catch someone while being cast.

In contrast, single hooks fall down and lie flat when not in use. They also only have one point, so even if someone was hit by a cast, the lure might hit them the right way to not hook them. I’m not saying they’re fool proof, but I am willing to say they’re much safer.

Why Crankbaits are Dangerous Fishing Lures for Kids

It seems like every year I need to help Dad pull one of these out of his hand, and I don’t want to do the same for my son or daughter, so I tend to keep my crankbait rods safely stored away. If I didn’t, it would only be a matter of time before one of the following happened:

  • I was caught by an errant cast and give me an earring or two (I’m not much for the pirate look myself);
  • A child grabbed the lure, miss, and stick themselves in the hand with the hooks;
  • Someone laid down a rod, forgot about it, stepped on it and had a hook go into their heel;
  • My kids might get all quiet like and try to take their fish off of their own hook, have it flop around a bit, and get jabbed that way;
  • They might try to take some weeds off their hook and prick themselves with it.
I wouldn't recommend tying on a crankbait fishing lure if you're taking your kids out. There is too much that can go wrong and become a hassle.
Kids can catch a ton of fish, and parents, on crankbaits.

What You Can Expect While Fishing Crankbaits with Amateurs

Even if we managed to avoid bloodshed and screaming fits, I have to imagine fishing with kids and crankbaits wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun as fishing with crankbaits alone for a few key reasons:

  • Crankbaits are like magnets for weeds. They constantly need to be cleaned, often after every cast. This is easy enough to do for your own rod, but would be a pain to do that frequently for someone else’s;
  • The only way you’d lessen the trouble would be to stand close to your kids while they’re casting these lures, and that would make you much more susceptible to being snagged by them;
  • Speaking of being snagged, crankbaits tend to snag every single rock and timber in the lake, requiring you to move your boat in to try and retrieve them, often with your kids hovering inches away from you, and right where you need to step, when you need to step there.

It’s just a lot of busy work. If you’re teaching your kids how to fish, you’re going to be busy enough.

Conclusion: Crankbaits Work… Once Your Kids are Older

With all that being said, if your kids are a little older and have had a bit of practice casting, crankbaits are dynamite lures that catch oodles of fish. They aren’t all that hard to present effectively, they tend to be small enough that they catch a wide variety of species, and they’re effective most of the year.

I’m not knocking crankbaits. I definitely think you should buy them and try them. I’d just wait a few months and consider them more of an “intermediate” lure than a good one for beginners.

4 Kid-Friendly Fishing Lures That I WOULD Recommend

OK, so I’ve talked about the fishing lures I hate using with children. What lures do I love for teaching my kids how to fish? Plastic worms, Spinnerbaits, Roundhead Jigs, and especially Drop Shots.

Plastic Worms – A Classic Choice

It seems like every article I’ve ever read about teaching kids how to fish suggests that parents buy some plastic worms. I agree wholeheartedly. It’s hard to fish these lures wrong, and I’ve had plenty of days where they beat everything else in the boat. It is not at all uncommon for this to be a “one cast, one fish” lure under the right conditions.

While you can rig plastic worms dozens of different ways, I usually rig mine “wacky rigged.”

A plastic worm is a traditional choice for fishing with kids for good reason: it works.
The wacky-rigged plastic worm looks like an idea a kid would come up with, which might explain why it’s such a great lure for them to use.

The first time I saw this, I thought it looked like something a child came up with – you just stick a hook right in the middle of the worm and call it a day. Well, I’m not sure on the history exactly, but if a kid did think of it or inspire it, then that kid was on to something, because this is a phenomenal presentation for youngsters.

There have to be thousands of different plastic worms out there, but the one I’d suggest is pictured in the photo above, the Senko by Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits. These are exceptionally soft lures that also are loaded down with salt which makes them very heavy. This combination of weight, salt, and texture seems to make them irresistible to bass.

I personally like the watermelon 5″ senkos as seen in the photo, but if you’re new, they do sell a 40-worm pack that has an assortment of popular colors. Pick one up at Amazon and experiment with what works for your lake.

Buy O-Rings to Save Some Cash

As you can see in the photo above, I have it wacky-rigged. You might notice that there is a clear plastic band in the middle of the worm, that I have the hook looped on. This is called a wacky-worm o-ring, and you really want to buy them. The Senkos are so soft that they tear off the hook easily if you just hook them directly. Attaching them via the o-ring as shown above will allow you to get much more use out of them, which is important because they are a premium lure and you don’t want to see them fly off the hook on your fifth cast.

O-Rings are easily available at Amazon. While you’re at it, I would recommend picking up one of the o-ring threaders available. See the Amazon link below? That’s what you want. It makes fishing so much easier and is one of those tools I can’t live without. Go ahead and click on the picture for the best price. Just do yourself a favor and buy it. This is an easy purchase that makes your life better. Without it, you’re going to be cursing and breaking Senkos left and right (and they aren’t cheap)! This is truly one of those “it pays for itself in a few trips” kind of gadgets.

What Kind of Fish Bite Wacky-Rigged Plastic Worms?

Plastic worms will catch most fish that are large enough to fit them in their mouth, but the main species you’ll catch are largemouth bass. I’ve also caught more than my fair share of chain pickerel, northern pike, and even a few bowfin, but you do run a strong risk that these toothy predators will cut through your line.

It’s possible for a plastic worm to catch large bluegills and sunfish too, but you’re more likely to just feel them nibbling away as the lure tends to be much larger than their mouths. This isn’t the end of the world – at least you know there are fish around. Just change your tactics to the dropshot (discussed further below) and go catch them!

How to Fish A Wacky-Rigged Plastic Worm

Cast it out, and let it sink. If there’s a bass near by, the worm will rarely touch the bottom before it’s bit. Instant action. How much more kid-friendly can a fishing lure be?

I’m not trying to be cute. That’s really all they need to do. After I let the worm sink, if nothing bit it I will lift my rod up sharply and reel in some slack. This moves the worm towards the surface again a few feet closer to me. Then, I let it sink again.

Once in awhile I’ll raise my rod tip less high, but do this 3-4 times in rapid succession. These little “taps” make the worm scurry across the bottom towards me. Once I’ve made the taps, I reel in the slack.

At other times I will simply allow the lure to sit still on the bottom, and leave it there for some time. This works especially well in situations where I suspect a bass is lurking nearby, such as near a bed during the spawn, or under a particularly shady boat dock.

When and Where to Use Them

You can use wacky-rigged worms all year long, but they are absolute dynamite during the spawn. Casting near bass beds will quickly produce results, and usually all you need to do to get a limit is to find a good spawning bay and start probing likely areas. If you’re in a healthy ecosystem that hasn’t been overly pressured, it won’t be long before you get bit.

I have better luck with wacky-rigged plastic worms when it isn’t that windy. The one drawback of the lure is that it is a technique where you really need to be able to feel the fish bite and also observe your line moving sideways as a fish swims off with it. Both of these are tough to feel or see in high winds.

This isn’t usually a problem, because I’m usually casting these lures in shallow bays that tend to be protected somewhat from the wind. I like to try and cast in little pockets of clear water between weeds, especially around creek mouths, points, or other structure that fish will relate to.

That can be a little tough for smaller kids, but once they get to be about six or seven, they are able to pinpoint their casts very well and this technique should really shine.

In the meanwhile, this is a good presentation for you to fish and then hand your kid the rod, as you’re normally hooking the fish a few feet away from cover (as opposed to frogs, where you’re fishing in the thick of it). You just need to keep a high bend in your rod while your child is scrambling over, and then they can take command and reel it in.

Recap: Why Plastic Worms Are Great, Kid-Friendly Fishing Lures

Do you remember the bullet lists of doom for the frog and crankbaits above? Let’s break out our crystal balls and look at what you might expect when your kid is fishing a plastic worm:

  • You have a lure you or your child can rig with complete ease on equipment that you already own;
  • No one is anywhere near as likely to be stuck by the hook than they were with a treble hook;
  • You don’t have to mess around with any kind of cadence – you just cast the lure out next to somewhere you’d think a fish would be and let it sink;
  • You or your child have a really good chance of quickly drawing strikes;
  • When that happens, the two of you have a very good chance of actually hooking the fish;
  • If you’re casting for your kids, chances are you can keep the fish away from too much cover while waiting to hand off the rod;
  • These lures will catch quantity and quality at the same exact time, in the same exact area.

Yes, plastic worms are a winner. They get the Fishingfather seal of approval.

Spinnerbaits – A Lure for People Going Places

A spinnerbait was one of the first lures my father handed to me when I was a kid. I’d argue they should be one of the first lures you hand to your child as well. It’s hard to find a fishing lure that is more kid-friendly then one of these mainstays. The only drawback over plastic worms is that your kid really has to be good at casting before they use spinnerbaits. These are meant to cast and retrieve repeatedly and (usually) don’t do well if left to sit.

What Kind of Spinnerbait Should I Use?

Spinnerbaits come in many different styles and sizes. Though there is always a new manufacturer trying to reinvent the wheel a bit, the biggest difference is usually what type of blade they have.

While spinnerbaits come in many different sizes, a 3/8 oz or 1/2 oz are a good choice to start. These are fairly standard and do a good job of attracting bass and pickerel. You can find smaller ones that are better for crappie and other small panfish as they’re more likely to bite them, but I tend to lose a lot of these to toothier predators. In any event, if I’m going for panfish for my kids, I see little reason to use a spinnerbait over a dropshot.

In the photo below, the yellow spinnerbait has a willow leaf blade and the black spinnerbait has a Colorado blade.

A willow leaf blade tends to sparkle more, making it a great choice in clear water. It also is a better spinnerbait to use if you’re quickly trolling or using a fast retrieve.

A Colorado blade moves more water and makes larger vibrations. This allows fish to hone in on in murky water or at night. I find that it is harder to reel these in quickly as they tend to “blow a tire” for lack of a better term and spurt a bit at speed. They are, however, hard to beat when the water looks like chocolate milk.

Spinnerbaits are a great fishing lure for kids who know how to cast, but can be challenging before they learn to do this.
Spinnerbaits are one of the best lures for kids. They are relatively weedless, safe, and catch huge fish in a variety of conditions.

What Kind of Fish Will I Catch With Spinnerbaits?

A spinnerbait will catch any fish in the lake that can fit it in its mouth, but these lures that work best or chain pickerel, northern pike, and bass. I’ve caught very large catfish and bowfin on them as well, but these catches are rarer.

I can usually tell if a bass hit the spinnerbait as opposed to a chain pickerel. If it’s a bass, it usually hits the spinnerbait very quickly after it drops into the water. Pickerel and northern pike, on the other hand, will frequently chase after the lure, often right up to the boat.

How to Fish a Spinnerbait

The most important advice I can give you about fishing with spinnerbaits is to constantly move. This is a technique that will allow you to cover a lot of water and to aggressively search for active fish. It will be much less effective if you are constantly casting in the same small area, such as one small stretch of shoreline.

You want to keep spinnerbaits moving, but he exact speed will depend on your situation. Generally speaking, I’ve had better luck reeling them in fast than slow. If I’m “slow rolling” a spinnerbait, it usually means that the conditions are such that I’d probably be better off just using a plastic worm or drop shot.

A spinnerbait will sink if it is not reeled in, and sometimes a fish will hit it while it is dropping, but it would be pretty unusual for a fish to pick it off the bottom. With that said, it’s sometimes a good idea to let it sink for a few seconds to target deeper fish. Once you retrieve, it will start climbing upwards, so this is a technique better used with a long cast.

Spinnerbaits are also great lures for trolling for chain pickerel, which can be a wonderful way to use them when you’re with smaller children who can’t cast very well just yet.

When and Where to Fish A Spinnerbait

I break out my spinnerbaits once the water temperature reaches about 60˚. I don’t put them down again until ice forms on the lake. My experience has found them to be very ineffective in cold water except in the fall. Then, the cooling temperatures raise an alarm in fish that causes them to feed voraciously and attack anything they can.

Spinnerbaits are fairly weed-free, so they’re great in weed beds. I like to find weedy bays that have enough clear water in-between the weed stems or above the canopy to let my spinnerbait move through the water without fouling too often, and I tend to reel them in quickly in these areas. They make for very good lures to cast in larger pockets or alleyways between weeds as this puts them in the strike zone for a considerable time.

I’ve had a lot of success with spinnerbaits at dawn as the sun is rising. My personal experience is they’ve been less useful at dusk. This might just be a result of my favoring willow leaf styles that rely on reflecting the sun’s glare to shine brilliantly, however, but I just think that fish have trouble adjusting to a fast-moving target right while the sun is setting. You’ll read a lot about how night fishing is best after things settle down to darkness, and specialty “night” spinnerbaits are available when that happens. If you’re interested in going out at night sometime, check out this article by In-Fisherman on how to fish for largemouth bass at night. Just make sure your kid is old enough that it won’t be past their bedtime!

There are plenty of people that throw them later at night, but this is after the fish have had a chance to adjust, and these folks are usually throwing Colorado blades as well.

What is My Favorite Spinnerbait, You Ask?

Now that is a great question, and one not easy for me to answer. I’ve used several great spinnerbaits over the years. Here are my three favorite:

Strike King Bleeding Bait Spinnerbaits

Strike King makes a number of great fishing products. Their Bleeding Bait spinnerbaits are some of my favorite. I value them for their simplicity. There’s nothing fancy about them, but they work very well. I’ve taken them up to notorious pickerel ponds on several occasions and they can take a beating. The little bit of red seems to be a nice touch and is something fish can hone in on. You can pick these up at Amazon by clicking the picture below.

Terminator Spinnerbaits

I got into the Terminator titanium spinnerbait craze a few years back. The reason I was willing to fork over a premium for these lures was because I wanted a lure that I wouldn’t have to bend back all the time when a pickerel hit it. The titanium Terminator lures do work as advertised and spring right back.

The only downside (and it is a significant one) is that I’ve had some of them flat out snap on me – sometimes right out of the box. I don’t know if the titanium gets brittle or what. You can have days where you only need to change the skirt on one of these and catch 30 fish. Other times, your lure breaks instantly. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, but the snaps are very rare and I’m willing to work with them.

Terminator also offers spinnerbaits in stainless steel that won’t have this problem. They aren’t going to bounce back like the titanium frames, but I’ve never had one snap on me either. Terminator makes some of the “best looking” spinnerbaits out there, and they are my confidence bait when it comes to fishing clear water. Most spinnerbaits in my tackle box were made by Terminator for this reason. Just look at this thing. It’s gorgeous!

War Eagle Spinnerbaits

Lately I’ve been buying War Eagle spinnerbaits. I’ve had a hard time finding the titanium Terminators I discussed above, and also these are just a bit more compact. Dad bought a few a couple of years ago and I got around to trying them finally. They glide through the water very well and don’t turn on their side like some other spinnerbaits do. They’re probably going to be my “go to” brand for the foreseeable future.

Recap: Why Spinnerbaits Are Kid-Friendly Fishing Lures

If you were to throw or troll nothing other than spinnerbaits for your entire day, you could reasonably expect the following:

  • You’d be fishing with lures that you can use with your regular equipment;
  • Your children would be casting one of the safer lures for them to use. Spinnerbaits have a single hook which is thicker than most, making it less likely to pierce flesh unless you’re really trying;
  • You can make a game out of casting while you’re waiting for a fish to bite. “Let’s see if you can make a perfect cast right in that pocket” is a great way to increase accuracy over time;
  • If the conditions are right, your children have a good chance to catch a very large fish such as a pickerel or pike;
  • If one of those fish strikes, there’s a good chance that it won’t cut the lin. The the bent wire frame of the spinnerbait offers some protection;
  • This same frame allows the spinnerbait to be somewhat weedless and somewhat snagless. It will deflect or pull through most obstacles without hooking them;
  • Whenever they get tired or want a lunch break, you can troll with these while you play a game, have a chat, or have a snack.

As you can see, spinnerbaits are a fishing lure worth buying.

Is that upcoming fishing trip with kids stressing you out? Here’s an article to help set you at ease and make it stress-free.

Roundhead Jigs – A Northern Treat

Roundhead jigs don’t seem to get as much love throughout the entire country as they do in the Northeast, but here many anglers have several in their tackle box. I can tell you from experience that they’re great lures for kids as they were one of the mainstays of my own childhood.

Although their hook is generally of a thin wire, it is a single hook and so it isn’t as dangerous as a treble hook. You also might consider bending the barb down or filing it off to make the lure barbless if you have concerns.

These lures work great for bass and panfish but leave something to be desired for northern pike and pickerel. The lures are small and have no native protection from sharp teeth. You’ll lose many! Attempting to use a wire leader would kill their action and I don’t recommend it. They are inexpensive enough that you should just accept losing a few.

Roundhead jigs can be rigged in several different ways, from the marabou style in the picture below, to tipped with small artificial grubs or even live minnows.

They are easy for kids to cast and they work in a variety of retrieves, which is great for kids who haven’t yet mastered taking directions!

Roundhead jigs were some of the first fishing lures that I used as a kid. They are a good choice for children because of their simplicity.
Here we see a roundhead jig tipped with marabou, but you could also thread on a plastic grub or live bait such as a minnow.

What Kind of Fish Do Roundhead Jigs Catch?

As discussed above, these will catch many fish though you’ll have a lot of break offs with the toothier ones.

The nice thing about these jigs is that they will catch just as many panfish as bass, especially if you use a smaller size. A 1/8 oz or lower can easily catch yellow and white perch as well as crappie and bluegill, while still being attractive towards nearby lurking smallmouth.

This makes them a great lure for children, as they can usually get bit fairly easily. If you tip these lures with worms, that increases considerably, as one would expect.

How Do You Fish a Roundhead Jig?

One of the main reasons roundhead jigs are kid-friendly fishing lures is that kids can find success regardless of how they’re fishing them, just so long as they keep them moving.

They can cast them out and bounce them back in, do a straight retrieve, lift the rod and let it fall back down in place, or a combination of all three.

If you were tipping the jig with a minnow, you might even consider fishing one underneath of a bobber. The jighead would provide enough weight that the minnow wouldn’t go very far, and the bobber would keep the presentation up where fish can see it and away from the bottom where it could be snagged.

When and Where to Fish a Roundhead Jig

I like to fish a roundhead jig during the spring. They’re awesome lures for fishing the rip-rap shores that smallmouth often spawn on. When I was little, Dad used to just drift along entire shorelines with this type of habitat and we’d throw marabou jigs over and over again.

These aren’t going to work as well in weedy flats but they could work fine on the weed edge. This is not a weedless design and picking slime off of marabou feathers is a pain you want to avoid, but you do need to cast where the fish are, and the fish are near cover.

These kind of jigs also get some play from ice fishermen during the winter months. Marabou feathers give a lot of action to a lure that is otherwise standing still, which can be a good combination in frigid conditions.

Which Roundhead Jig is My Favorite?

To be completely honest with you, my favorite lure for roundhead jigs is one that hasn’t been sold for years. It’s this special green grub with a spade tail. Dad bought a few hundred of them when he heard the company wasn’t offering them anymore. Unfortunately, this has led me to the conundrum of not knowing what to do next. They kind of looked like the green ones in the photo below. You might pick this up and try it as the lure I used was always a go-to method of putting smallmouth bass in the boat.

Do you have a grub that works wonders for you? If so, leave a comment and I’ll check it out!

Recap: Why Roundhead Jigs are Great Fishing Lures for Kids

This style of jig offers the following benefits for young anglers:

  • You can throw this on literally any rod that you own – an ultralight rod can fling this just fine. Thus, it is a perfect match for a young angler’s equipment;
  • Even though the single hook is pretty thin, it’s still a single hook and so it is less likely to injure a child;
  • You can go for quantity and quality with this lure as panfish will hit it and so will bass;
  • They’re easy to use and your child can retrieve them however they wish while still having a good chance of success;
  • They allow for customization. If you give your kid a bare roundhead jig and a few different types of grubs, you can tell them they can play around with which ones work the best.

Looking for the best fishing rods for kids? This article explains what to buy to match all these great lures!

Dropshot – The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Fishing Lure

I saved the best for last. The dropshot is hands down my favorite lure to give to my son. It is the old faithful that I know will always catch fish, no matter where I am, and the lure that I’ve used to catch everything from the tiniest bluegill to massive carp.

You simply can’t beat it, which is why it was the only technique I mentioned in my post, The Basic Skills You Need to Take Your Kids Fishing. If you want to learn how to rig one, check out that post and it will show you exactly how. For now, please scroll down and I’ll walk you through why I think this is the best fishing lure to use with kids, period.

The drop shot makes a good fishing lure for kids. It is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and catches fish of all sizes.
I consider the dropshot to be the absolute best lure for fishing with kids. You can tip the hook with a huge variety of live bait or lures depending on what the fish want that day.

What Kind of Fish Do Dropshots Catch?

A dropshot will catch everything in the lake from panfish to monster pike. With that said, it can take some skill to land larger fish. You’re usually using lighter line and a smaller hook with a dropshot. If you try to horse in a large fish, there’s a great chance that the line will snap or the hook will bend over.

I’ve caught bluegill, sunfish, white perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, northern pike, freshwater drum and carp on dropshots. Smallmouth especially seem to favor the technique as they tend to like any minnow-shaped lure, as many dropshots are.

While this is going to sound strange, you can tell that a dropshot is great for fishing with kids because so many professional bass fishermen complain about the technique. Listen to what they’re saying exactly. They love the fact that they can catch huge bass with one, but are often frustrated because they have to weed through so many little fish before they get the one they want.

This is music to a fishing father’s ears.

When I’m out with my kids, I couldn’t care less about catching a bass. All I want to do is catch a large number of panfish, and a dropshot is perfect for that. In fact, when I don’t have live bait in the boat, I use this technique as a barometer of sorts to test for signs of life. If I don’t feel little fish tapping away at it soon, I know I need to keep moving.

How Do You Fish a Dropshot?

Dropshots can be fished with either live bait or soft plastics. They are one of the few presentations where I would almost argue it doesn’t matter what you choose, so if you have moral qualms about using live bait, pick up a pack of Berkley Gulp minnows and have a guilt-free ball. To be completely candid, I have had days where Berkley’s claim that Gulp outfishes live bait has proven true.

I know my local lakes pretty well from the map study that I’ve described in an article I wrote about why you can’t catch fish and what to do about it. I therefore have a good idea of where many of the underwater boulders are. A dropshot allows me to make a cast to one side or the other of this boulder. I then leave it there and give it a twitch or two to entice a strike.

One word of warning: hold onto your rod. A huge mistake I often see beginners make is casting out and then putting their rod down. You will miss a significant number of fish if you do this. You want the rod in your hand so you can detect bites.

Use the Wind to Help You

My favorite way to fish a dropshot is just to cast it out into the wind or current and then let it sink. I let it drop all the way to the bottom. Then, I hold my rod off to the side slightly to keep the line taut. This lets me detect bites. When I feel a fish has the hook, I sweep my rod backward with some authority to set the hook.

I find this to be a great way to fish because the current or wind gives action to the lure, and I can keep it dangling in prime real estate for a long time until a fish comes over to nab it.

This is a very effective way to catch fish, and a great way for kids to fish because it’s “cast it and forget it.”

If there isn’t any wind or current, or I’m walking a bank somewhere, I like to just make ever so slight taps of the lure by raising my rod tip slightly 3-4 times and then reeling in slack, just as I might do with a plastic worm. This gives a little action to the lure and I’ve found that to be more effective.

When and Where to Fish a Dropshot?

I will fish a dropshot just about anywhere that I can find clear water. It’s not really a good technique for fishing in heavy weeds, but can be great if you cast just next to them.

It’s also a very good choice if you need or wish to fish deep. A dropshot will sink all the way to the bottom if you let it. I will fish it completely vertically under my boat just picking off the fish that show up on the sonar, which is a fun trick to show your kids.

Although I suppose you could rig the actual bait weedless, there’s just too much going on with the line and sinker and if you throw it into cover you’re going to lose a lot of gear or get fouled too often. Yes, the lure might get through without weeds on the hook, but the dangling weight below will wrap for certain.

Ah, who am I kidding? You’re going to get fouled all the time regardless of where you throw it. This is a definite drawback of dropshots and the reason why sinkers made for the technique are designed to break away.

Any technique that is designed to touch bottom has a very high chance of never returning to the surface. You will find yourself re-tying constantly throughout the day even if you’re fishing by yourself, much less taking along kids and throwing in all the tangles and hazards they bring.

What Dropshot Lure Do I Recommend?

I’ll tie anything on a drop shot from a soft plastic to a nightcrawler, but I’ve found that there is little out there that does better than Berkley Gulp Minnows. I find they work better than worms in some waters, believe it or not. The reason for this is because they tend to catch bigger fish, but also sunfish can’t rob you of your worm. This is one of those lures I make sure to restock each and every year. I personally prefer them in the 2.5″ to 3″ range, though they do sell larger ones for targeting bigger fish.

Recap: Why the Good Ol’ Dropshot is a Kid-Friendly Fishing Lure if I Ever Saw One

I truly favor this technique. I’ve loved it long before my children were born and bought my most expensive rod (used, and with confidence) specifically for this presentation. I can’t say enough good things about it.

It does stink that you’ll lose many sinkers and retie many times, but of all the lures I’ve described, there is nothing that will catch as many fish for your kids as this technique. It’s just about perfect in so many ways:

  • Dropshots have a single hook that is safer for kids than treble hooks;
  • They catch every type of fish in the lake and if you bait them appropriately, they’ll catch them often;
  • It’s a lure that lets you quickly appreciate if you’re in a good spot, because if you don’t feel any taps soon, there’s an issue;
  • They are easy for kids to cast because the sinker has enough weight to it that it will carry well;
  • Dropshots work very well with the ultralight fishing rods that little kids are prone to use;
  • They can be “cast it and forget it” in that they’ll catch fish even if they’re just sitting there (especially if they’re tipped with worms);
  • They’re adaptable – removing the weight is a pinch if you aren’t getting bit. Sometimes fish want the worm to fall slower, and you can adjust the presentation to test this theory within seconds and without retying.

Wondering what lures catch what fish? Come check out this article to learn which one to use and why.

In Summary

I hope this article helped you better understand what makes a good, kid-friendly fishing lure. I also hope you walked away with a little confidence in four lures that should work out well for you.

The confidence part is key. If you’re just starting, chances are it’s going to be tough to get a bite. There’s just so much that goes into it. If you start with the lures I laid out, I truly believe you have a good chance of lowering the learning curve a bit and having a good first, second, and third time out there on the lake.

Again, it is very, very important to me that you’re successful. That’s why I took the time to write all of this. I’d love to hear that this helped you, and as always, if this article made your life easier, please consider sharing it so it can help others as well.

You might also consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide (you can see the link below my signature). In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Finally, I’d like to invite you to join my new Facebook group to be updated on new articles. I’ve thought about how best to reach folks and decided that I hate mailing lists, so Facebook is the way to go. Please consider liking the page so we can keep in touch.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


How to Improve Your Fishing Skills – 5 Resources That Can Help

Many of my blog posts are devoted towards helping your kids get better at fishing, but in order for them to improve, you need to improve your fishing skills as well. If you’re completely new to this sport, you might have some questions about how you can quickly improve at fishing. While some people think fishing takes more luck than skill, that just isn’t true. This skill based activity requires specific effort to become better, and I’m here to help.

Besides the obvious “practice,” there are five key steps that you can take to become a better angler and fisherman for your kids: You can hire a guide, join a forum, join a club, volunteer at professional tournaments, and keep reading everything you can.

Hire a Fishing Guide

Vince Lombardi once said, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” He was right.

While you can go out there on your own and simply start casting, hoping to get lucky, you’ll improve at fishing much faster if you hire a skilled guide to help you learn the right way to do things.

Look, I’ve started hobbies before–I know that when you’re just starting out, the last thing you want to do is invest a ton of money into something. You might be wary of forking over $300-$500 for a fishing guide to take you when you don’t even know if you’ll still like the sport in another six weeks.

Well, if you pick the right guide, you might like the sport for another six decades.

What a Good Guide Can Teach You

A good guide can teach you so much in as little as 6 – 8 hours:

  • You’ll learn the basic mechanics of fishing like casting, retrieve speed, and proper lure presentation;
  • They can talk about why they have certain gear and make recommendations for your budget (as a bonus, you get to try it out before you buy it if you go with their setups);
  • Your guide can teach you why they’re taking you to certain spots, and what they’d look for to find spots like it in your area;
  • They can teach you about the different major fish species, where they typically live, and how you can typically make them bite;
  • They can teach you about how to properly hold a fish and safely release;
  • The list goes on and on.

How to Pick a Fishing Charter

I’ve written an in-depth article about how to choose a fishing charter, but I’ll give you some basics for what you’re looking for now:

  • You want 1:1 instruction at this stage (or at least 2:1 if you bring your wife or girlfriend). You will not get this on one of the large “party barge” charters;
  • Try to find a guide who specializes in species you might target with your kids (bass and pike would be a good bet);
  • You need to find someone who is properly licensed and has any necessary U.S. Coast Guard certifications.

Depending on your goal and the age of your kids, you might want to leave them at home. Don’t get me wrong–bringing your kids on a fishing charter is a WONDERFUL idea, sometimes. It’s a great way to spend time with them and bond. All the same, if your goal is to acquire 1:1 instruction, this trip is not for them. If you bring smaller kids, the guide is going to spend all of their time with them, and rightfully so.

Even if you feel like you have a pretty good grasp of the basics or even consider yourself more advanced, a fishing guide can still teach you new things and expand your horizons. I’d been fishing for two decades before I went on my first charter, yet I’ve still learned tons from my guide. How could I not? My two decades were spent fishing every few weekends. He had over four decades of fishing nearly every day!

You can always learn more.

Join a Fishing Forum

I’m a member of several fishing forums and lurk on several others. I’ve found them to be a fantastic way to help me improve my fishing skills. I love how they connect anglers from all over the globe as if everyone was chatting at a local tackle shop.

If there is a forum about you’re favorite fishing hole, consider yourself in luck. Fishing Forums are great ways to quickly increase your skill set and experience because you can search for certain topics and get years worth of opinions. It does take a little digging sometimes, as well as some skill with the search function, but there is gold to be found on fishing forums.

Unbiased Opinions

Forums also help to see through the marketing cloud that is so heavy in the fishing industry. Rather than wading through someone’s sales pitch, every day anglers will get right to the information that you need. There are plenty of pros who will give you tips interlaced with sponsor plugs, but for the most part the people on fishing forums are regular folks like you and me. They just talk about what works for them. I value that.

On the other hand, if you consistently see the same lure or manufacturer mentioned over several years by dozens of different people, then maybe there is a reason that product has withstood the test of time. Perhaps the marketing talk is more than just words. That’s how I learned of PowerPro braided fishing line, and other items I used each day.

One of the main reasons I go to forums is for research on lakes. Knowing what spots other members went to and what lures they used successfully can save you a lot of time. I talked a bit about how I gather this information in my post about why you can’t catch fish – and what to do about it.

There’s a forum out there for everything. Regardless of what species you target or what region you’re in, just conduct a google search for “bass fishing forum” or “Nevada fishing forum” and you’ll soon find a home.

Join a Fishing Club

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to quickly improve your fishing skills than by joining a local club. This is a great way to meet local anglers, make new friends, and learn from dozens of more experienced anglers. Some clubs have access to private waters including trout ponds designed for members’ kids to fish, which can be a huge plus.

Do a little research before you join as club culture can vary widely. Some are very competitive and host very large tournaments for experienced anglers. Others are more down-to-earth and just a way for a group of friends to hang out, have a few beers, and shoot the breeze. Choose a club that will fit well with your personality, interests, and goals.

If you’re looking at a club that hosts tournaments, consider spending the first year or two as a non-boater. Even if you own a boat of your own, this is a good way to start. Doing so will allow you to spend time with numerous boat owners in the club and get to know them all better. You’ll get to see their different fishing styles and be exposed to numerous techniques. It can be a great way to quickly learn how to fish. One thing is for certain. You’ll quickly learn that fishing requires more skill than luck after you notice the same old timers bringing in the wins week after week.

Granted, it can be a little intimidating to join a club full of strangers. You’ll need to be able to take a joke (or 10) and poke fun at yourself a bit, but just remember that everyone in the club was in your shoes at one time. Give it a short while and you won’t be the rookie any more.

Volunteer as a Marshal at a Tournament

An exciting way to get better at fishing and improve your skill set is to volunteer as a marshal. Several of the larger tournament trails have a marshal program where individuals can sign up to basically act as a referee for the professional fisherman. It’s the marshal’s responsibility to ensure that the professional follows all rules and regulations and generally to keep an eye on them during the tournament.

In addition to acting as a referee, marshals act as reporters of sorts. They are responsible for taking photographs, reporting back on the approximate size of the pro’s catch, etc. It gives you something to do besides just sitting there watching someone else fish.

While you do have to pay a fee to watch others fish and can’t fish yourself, acting as a marshal for a tournament would be akin to sitting in the passenger seat of a stock car at a NASCAR race. You’re not going to get closer to a professional athlete in the middle of a competition. Depending on your luck, you could watch one of the most skilled anglers in history go fishing!

That last word is important to remember: while professional fishermen tend to be great people, they’re also under a ton of stress in each tournament as this is how they provide for their families. You can learn a ton from this experience, but don’t be offended if the pro isn’t very chatty.

Keep Reading About Fishing

While nothing beats on the water experience, you can learn a lot about fishing by sitting down and reading. You are in luck, as there is no shortage of information out there. For example, there are several outstanding magazines and blogs that you subscribe to. Reading these articles and trying to soak up everything you can will go a long way towards improving your fishing skills.

I’m a big fan of In-Fisherman. I prefer this magazine over other popular fishing ones because whereas others tend to cover one species only (usually bass), In-Fisherman covers multiple species (including bluegill, crappie, sunfish, and other fish that make great objectives for a fishing trip with kids).

The folks at In-Fisherman also have a ton of great videos and television programs available and several books that have been in publication for decades. Some of my earliest memories of reading are of staring at their books about northern pike and just marveling at the photos. For some suggestions, check out my post about the best fishing books I’ve ever read.

Other Helpful Fishing Resources

Of course, you can also find several good articles on this blog (though I might be biased), or drop me a line at johnpaxton@fishingfather.com and ask your question directly.

Finally, please consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read. It will help you improve your skill set, and stop thinking that fishing is mostly luck.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help

Fishermen can be pretty secretive about their honey holes. They also tend to hide what they’re catching them on in the middle of a tournament. Even so, for the most part, serious fishermen are eager and willing to help others learn.

It’s in our best interests. This entire hobby exists because of all the new folks joining it each year and giving the old timers something to write about, all the individuals buying a license that protects the environment, and all the people who dare to be great and pay an entry fee for a tournament, on top of all they spent on their equipment.

We need your enthusiasm and we’re willing to trade you our knowledge to get it. So don’t be afraid to ask!

As always, if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it so it can help others.

Thanks,

John Paxton

How to Buy Used Fishing Rods With Confidence

If your family is just starting to learn to fish, you could be in for some “sticker shock” when you look at the fishing rods section at your local tackle shop. With some rods running several hundred dollars, you might wonder: is it worth it to buy an expensive fishing rod? In a word, yes, it is. But it’s even better when you buy that expensive fishing rod used. This article will help you learn what to look for when buying a used rod.

Why Expensive Fishing Rods Are Worth It

There’s little point in considering the benefits of buying a used fishing rod unless you understand why expensive ones are worth it. I wrote an entire article that goes into that topic in detail, and I suggest that you read it. It breaks down an entire lineup of rods that I own and discusses the pros and cons of each.

For those in a rush, expensive rods are more sensitive, tend to be a lighter weight, and are better balanced. This means that you can detect fish bites easier, and fish for longer without becoming tired.

Why Buying An Expensive Fishing Rod Used is the Way to Go

Buying your fishing rods used is a great way to reduce expenses while still acquiring quality equipment, but it can be a little nerve-wracking. You might worry that there’s something wrong with the rod and you’re buying a lemon.

While it’s always going to be tough to judge a rod by some photos in an online auction, I do have some tips for how you can purchase a used fishing rod with confidence. If everything is OK with the rod, you get a smoking deal, but even if something goes wrong, you’ll at least break even with what the cost of a new rod would have been with the method I’m about to teach you.

I know this works because I’m the second owner for most of my fishing rods, and I have learned a thing or two after several dozen purchases.

In this article, I will teach you how to research a warranty to know the “break even point” for price, examine a rod in person or from photos, and then buy it without losing any sleep.

It should go without saying that much of the issues I’ll discuss aren’t a huge deal for a children’s starter rod that you pick up at a tag sale. The scope of this article is more directed at the nicer rods that you might wish to acquire used.

NOTE: Further down, I’ll show you a case study showing my exact methodology while researching an actual high-end rod. I’m not going to use the manufacturer’s name because the terms and conditions of their warranty could change at any moment, as could their product’s price.

Step 1: What to Look For When Buying a Used Rod

There are some ways that you can tell if a used fishing rod is damaged before you buy it. If you’re buying online, get as many photos as you can and ask the seller for more if necessary. If in person, examine the following very carefully:

The Line Guides Especially the Tip

Before buying a used fishing rod, look at the line guides and examine them for any signs of wear. Specifically, you want to make sure that they all appear aligned properly, that the threads holding them to the rod appear to be original, and that there are no deep cuts or gouges in the line guides.

While some rods are designed with guides that don’t all align properly, if there is obviously an issue with one of them being bent too far, it could be a warning sign that the rod hasn’t been maintained very well. It’s not that hard of a thing to fix (gentle pressure will usually bend it back) but it is a possible failure point in the future that you should be aware of.

Line guides are held onto the rod blank by two sets of threaded bands on the top and bottom of the guide. These are wound tightly and have a finish applied over them. If one set of bands is a distinctly different color than the others, it could be a sign of prior damage. You will want to double check and make sure that this wasn’t a stylistic choice of the manufacturer before you pass on a rod because of this.

Older line guides weren't always great with braid. Make sure you inspect these before buying any fishing rod used, or you could make an expensive mistake that isn't worth it.
Ensure you inspect each line guide for damage. A scuff here could cost you the fish of the lifetime.

You’ll also want to double check each guide to make sure that the spacer or insert within each guide is intact. Some manufacturers have a metal circle that they place inside of the guides and these are common failure points. You’ll notice that they are missing on some rods.

Some older rods don’t do very well with braided line because the line cuts into their guides over time and creates a groove. This in turn can compromise your fishing line if it touches the groove as it passes through the damaged guide.

Many people secure their hooks and lures against the line guides. This is terrible for them as the sharp hooks can ding them up and damage them, but it is prevalent. Basically, just check for anything that seems out of the norm. It’s easy to do this in person, just run your finger through each guide and see if it feels smooth. When buying online, this obviously isn’t an option, so insist on good photos.

Bear in mind that all of these issues are only magnified as you move further up the rod blank towards the tip. The guides all get smaller and more fragile and more likely to break. There is no shortage of fishing rods in this world with a broken tip.

If the fishing rod tip is damaged, pass on buying it.
Pay close attention to the tip of the fishing rod you’re thinking of purchasing. If anything is likely to be damaged, this is it.

The Handle

Before buying a used fishing rod, look at its handle, especially if it is cork. Check for pitting or gouges in the cork. A little is normal but you wouldn’t want anything excessive as it is a sign that the rod was neglected or is very old.

You’ll also want to check the coloration. Cork will darken over time as grime, dust, and sweat rub into it from fishing. Lighter cork could indicate less use, or it could simply indicate a seller who bothered to clean up the rod and make it presentable.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but when I see a cork handle for sale that needs a proper cleaning, a little voice asks, “If the seller can’t be bothered to clean this before listing it for $200, what other maintenance did he forgo?”

Expensive fishing rods like St. Croix come with high-quality cork. Inspect it for damage before buying a used fishing rod.
The pitting at the bottom of this rod indicates that it has seen some use. I know this because I bought it new 10 years ago and have brought it on plenty of adventures. This would be fixable if I was so inclined, but it doesn’t affect the action of the rod.

If you’re in person, make sure that you check the reel seat to see if it feels tight and snug, as these tend to loosen over the years (bringing along your own reel to test it with will help). This is a fairly annoying issue if you don’t catch it, and it almost cost me a reel once that fell into the depths of Otter Creek, Vermont (Luckily, I was able to retrieve it – 1 yard at a time).

The Hook Holder

Many rods have a hook holder near their handle. This is generally a piece of metal that almost looks like a paper clip. After I had the little bilge fiasco that I discussed in this thread, I noticed that a few of my rods started rusting over in this area.

This doesn’t seem to have affected their action at all but you have to figure that eventually the hook holder will fail and I’ll need to find another option. Though they do sell some snap on hook holders, you really don’t want to add unnecessary weight to a high-caliber rod, so you’re better off if you can find a rod without this issue.

Examine the hook keeper before you buy a fishing rod used. While this is a minor element, if it is damaged, it can be a sign that the rod was abused.
It’s a little bit hard to see but there is some rust near the hook holder. It’s not supposed to be there and can’t possibly help, but it is definitely something that would be very easy to overlook.

The Label

This is one of the most important things to look for when buying a used fishing rod, especially if it is a more expensive brand. Many manufacturers will void their warranty on a rod by removing or scuffing up their label. This indicates that the rod had a traumatic failure (usually a snapped tip), was returned to the factory and repaired, but is not as good as new.

If you see a rod with a missing label, you run a significant risk that there is no warranty or an exceptionally short warranty (that may or may not transfer to the second owner, anyway). It might not be worth it to buy an expensive brand of fishing rod that is missing its label as that could be a sign that it is damaged and no longer as sensitive.

You’ll notice in online listings that these rods tend to have an unusual length. Whereas many rods come in 6’6″ or 6’8″ sizes, very few deliberately are 6’4″ or 6’7″. Double check what you’re buying and make sure that the rod is truly as advertised.

Always check for the label when buying fishing rods used. It may still be worth it to buy an expensive fishing rod without one, but bear in mind the warranty has likely lapsed.
Do not accept any excuse for why this label is missing. It was likely removed at the factory due to catastrophic damage to the rod that will forever change its action. While there is certainly a market for these and inexpensive rods to be had, they will not perform as intended.

“B-Stock” Rods

While we’re on the topic of understanding exactly what you’re buying, you should realize that some manufacturers will sell so-called “B-Stock” rods at a steep discount. These are rods that were flagged during the manufacturing process as having some sort of blemish, or that were returned with very little use.

They aren’t going to carry the same warranty, which makes them more dangerous to purchase (and renders my method below useless), but as long as the seller identifies them as such, you don’t have to question their honesty.

Step 2: Research the Fishing Rod and Its Warranty

Physical blemishes and defects aren’t the only things you need to look for when buying a used fishing rod. You also need to consider issues such as how expensive the rod is new, and what kind of warranty it comes with.

If you don’t do this research, you might find yourself in a situation where you think you’re getting a great deal on an expensive brand of fishing rod, but you’re actually buying it for more than it’s worth.

New Cost – (Used Cost + Warranty Deductible + Shipping)

When I’m thinking about buying a used fishing rod on E-Bay, I’m trying to figure out if the used rod is truly worth it and safe to buy. You might see a rod listed for $50 less than new and think to yourself, “well, why wouldn’t it be worth it – I can save $50!!!”

OK… So what if the rod breaks instantly and the warranty deductible is $60? Still think it’s a good deal? Of course not.

The equation I use when purchasing a rod used is:

“New Cost – (Used Cost + Warranty Deductible + Shipping).

I use this method to make sure that I never pay more than a new rod would have cost me, even if the rod breaks on my first cast.

Research the “Actual” New Cost of the Fishing Rod

An important thing to look for when buying a used rod is what that same rod costs rod new. You’ll also want to understand if it ever goes on sale, and if so, for how much. Knowing this will allow you to put a number on the “actual” new cost of the rod. If you skip this step, you’ll never know if that “deal” you found on that expensive fishing rod is really worth clicking “Buy It Now.”

Some of the bigger fishing stores out there like Bass Pro Shops have their own branded products that they put on sale regularly. Generally speaking, they have a sale around most of the holidays and also a very big “Spring Fishing Classic” each year. You can often find their products heavily discounted, and their fishing rods and reels especially tend to be high quality.

If you’re looking at a rod from one of these shops, you need to get an idea of how much it might be discounted in the near future to understand what the “true” new cost is. It changes from year to year so honestly I’d just go to some fishing forums like www.ultimatebass.com, www.bassresource.com, or www.walleyecentral.com and ask around to see what deals different members have received.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking at a so-called “elite” fishing rods from a name brand, realize that they don’t usually go on sale at individual retail stores. Often, the manufacturers insist that the tackle shops out there sell their rods for a certain price and do not allow discounting.

If you want to buy these on sale, you generally need to sign up for the manufacturer newsletter and buy directly from them. Most often, the rods they offer for sale are either brand new models they want to get out there, or discontinued items that they still have lying around. This makes these sales very tough to predict and I wouldn’t bother waiting. Just consider the MSRP as the new cost.

Understand the Warranty in Detail

A well-made fishing rod can last a lifetime if reasonably cared for, which is one of the main reasons why its worth it to buy expensive fishing rods used. Thirty years later, I’m still using some rods I first cast as a child. All of those were second hand from my father.

Unfortunately, if you’re buying used, you’ll usually have little idea if the last owner abused it. This can be scary, especially if you’re looking at an expensive rod up for auction.

A rod’s warranty can remove the fear of purchasing it used if you understand what the warranty actually covers. Check the manufacturer’s website and look for the fine print on that used fishing rod model before you buy it. Here is the warranty information for St. Croix rods, which is my personal favorite brand.

You need to understand the fine print. Namely, will the warranty transfer to a second owner and what is the deductible for that second owner in case of damage? Further, who pays for the shipping? Is it included in the deductible fee or extra?

This is very important. Many manufacturers offer a much more robust warranty for original owners which obviously won’t help you when buying used. You need to read through the fine print and figure out exactly what you’re getting into.

You also need to understand if there is anything that second owner must do to transfer the warranty to their name. Some companies require registration on their website while others require nothing at all.

I’ve found that some companies reduce the warranty length for second owners. Whereas they might offer the original purchaser a lifetime warranty, a second owner may only get 10 years from the date of manufacture.

“Well, how on earth would I know this?” you ask? Look for a series of weird numbers on your rod. That is the serial number. If you call them or visit their website with that information, they should be able to tell you. Make sure you do this. You need to know if the warranty is still in effect or this entire process I’m teaching you is worthless.

Understand the “Actual” Used Cost

This is the easiest part of the whole equation – what is the seller asking for and how much do they want to ship the rod to you? Is the fishing rod worth buying at that price, or is it actually more expensive than if you bought it new?

I would submit that if you’re looking for the absolute best deal, you should consider if the price is negotiable, or (if purchasing through auction) if the “buy it now” price is actually better than what the rod will typically command after bidding. These will help you determine which one you should target.

Understand if shipping is a fixed cost, or based on your location. Try and get the seller to commit to a firm number agreed to in advance if possible, or even waive the shipping costs as part of the deal. Sometimes, it’s possible to meet someone and pick the rod up in person. Just make sure you stay safe while doing this, and meet in a well-lit public place.

Step 3: Do the Math and Make a Decision

Once you have your numbers, do some math. I promised you that I would use a “real world” example, and here it is. Again, I’m not using the manufacturer info because they could change their warranty conditions at any moment and I don’t want you to rely on outdated warranty information and find yourself underwater.

For the purposes of this study, let’s assume four things:

  1. You’re looking to buy a used rod from a seller you do not know;
  2. Unbeknownst to you, the rod was broken through negligence (i.e. not a manufacturer defect) and the seller is either unaware of this or trying to pull a fast one;
  3. You don’t have any guarantee that you’ll get your money back;
  4. You need this rod and will replace it if it breaks.

Bear in mind that the goal here is to avoid EVER buying a used fishing rod for more than it would have cost new.

Case Study #1
It wouldn't be worth it to buy this fishing rod used as it is too expensive when you break it down.

Here we have an online “buy it now” option for a high-end rod. As you can see, this is a terrible deal. At best, you’re only saving $9.99, yet you’re exposing yourself to $75.01 of risk. You should not purchase this used rod.

Case Study #2
Buying this high-quality fishing rod used would be a much better deal.

This is a much better deal. While you won’t break even, even if the rod was broken, you’re only out $4.12 over what the cost of a new rod would have been if you bought it new in the first place. I can stomach $4.12 of risk for the potential $80.88 savings.

If I was in the market for this rod, and it looked reasonably maintained from the photos, I would jump on this one and not lose a wink of sleep.

But How Should I Bid On a Used Fishing Rod?

You can use this same exact method to determine what your maximum bid should be when you’re trying to buy a used fishing rod. The only difference is you don’t worry about the asking/selling price, because you don’t know what that is yet. It will be whatever the top bidder is willing to pay.

Your job is to figure out what you’re willing to pay without exposing yourself to more risk than you can handle, should the experience go south.

Here’s an example from a current auction:

As you can see, if the bidding ended today, the buyer would get a phenomenal deal, but even if the cost increases, any price lower than $258.05 guarantees that in the absolute worst case scenario, you aren’t paying more for a used item than it costs new, and in fact, you might one day wind up with a new rod for a discount.

Closing Thoughts

I enjoy fishing tremendously and have bought several fishing rods over the years used with confidence by employing this method. I personally feel that it is worth it to buy expensive fishing rods, but only if the price is right. Because I know what to look for when buying a used fishing rod, I’ve been able to use this system to expand my arsenal with expensive, high quality fishing rods, all without breaking my budget.

It’s not rocket science but it is also not something that everyone thinks about, so I thought I’d write it to try and help someone out there. I’m clearly not getting any commission on an article that suggests you buy products used, so I hope you feel you can trust my advice!

If you enjoyed this article, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids (or yourself) into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Thanks,

John Paxton

How to Make Fishing Fun for Kids

Parents are rightfully worried about making fishing fun for their kids. They don’t want to bore their children. Instead, they want their kids to have fun, to catch some fish, and to pose for some smiling photos. Really, though, I think what parents miss sometimes is that the most important thing isn’t that their kids are having fun fishing, but that they’re having fun enjoying each others company.

Sometimes, I see people trying too hard fishing with their kids. They keep trying to hand their child a rod when the rugrat clearly isn’t having it and everyone starts to get frustrated.

If this is you, then take a deep breath and realize that it’s the experience you’re after. It’s a not a big deal if your kid doesn’t want to fish at any given moment. They’re kids. They have the attention span of a newt. Give them ten minutes and they’ll be back at it!

In the meanwhile, here’s a few things I do to avoid meltdowns and to try and make fishing as much fun as possible for my children.

Let Your Kids Play in the Water Every Now and Then

I hope if you are fishing with children, you’re targeting smaller species like sunfish and bluegill. If you are, let me fill you in on a little secret: these fish are so stupid that your kid splashing in the water barely affects them. It’s perfectly fine for your kids to go swimming – they won’t scare bluegill away for long.

Bluegill are just smart enough to pick away at the edges of a worm to avoid being hooked, and just dumb enough to throw caution to the wind and bite the pointy end anyway a few moments later.

If your kid wants to splash around a little bit, let them. At worst, the fish are scurrying 10 feet down the bank before their memory resets and they’re biting again.

I’ve had days fishing on Lake George near a popular rock cliff where there must have been 20 other boats within 100 yards, all filled with screaming, splashing kids, and I was still able to catch (juvenile) smallmouth bass repeatedly. Fish kids have about the same common sense as human ones. You’re good. Take a swim.

Granted, this advice won’t hold true for the bluegill and other species who were smart enough to grow large, but as for the little ones? You will do no irreparable harm by letting your child take a dip. It’s hard for kids to stay focused on one thing for long, so let them take a break from fishing and have some fun in the water.

Put Some Fish in the Livewell

I don’t usually eat the fish I catch, but when I’m with my son, I do hold onto them for a short while.

One of the main maxims that I preach repeatedly in my articles and books is that your initial goal while fishing with kids is to catch something legal and stick it in the livewell. Kids LOVE looking at fish in the livewell. It’s literally their favorite rectangle to stare at.

Having a couple fish in the livewell is pure gold when fishing with toddlers especially. If you sense a meltdown approaching, it is the perfect way to change the subject and divert them from cataclysmic bellowing.

Any time my son gets that look in his eyes or tone in his voice I just say, “Hey, Buddy! Go check on the fish and make sure they’re OK!” He instantly remembers that he has something awesome to look at and runs over there to check.

Honestly, when I bought the boat, I never thought I’d use the livewell, but now I recognize it as one of the must-have features for a family boat.

Putting fish in the livewell and taking them out is a great source of fun for my son. Whenever he is about to have a meltdown, all I need to do is remind him that he has some fish friends to say “hi” to!

One word of warning: Kids have a propensity to leave the hatch open. This isn’t good for the fish, because it keeps them in the sun, and isn’t good for you, because if you don’t realize this you could trip and get seriously hurt.

Obviously, the livewell trick only works if you’re fishing from a boat, but if you’re walking a shoreline somewhere, a common 5-gallon bucket is all you need. Just make sure that you change the water regularly and keep it in the shade so the fish keep.

A bucket is a critical instrument in making fishing fun for kids.
No livewell? No problem. A 5-gallon bucket is the perfect distraction for any toddler!

Some Kids Have Fun Fishing with a Net – Let Them

My son really likes netting other people’s fish. It’s a toss up if he prefers this or actually reeling them in on his own. I took him out yesterday and this was all he wanted to do. He kept saying, “Daddy, let me know when you catch one so I can net it!” and every time I had a bluegill on he came running up, just as excited as if I was about to hand him the rod.

I’m not arguing with this. Remember, I don’t care if he’s having fun fishing. I care if he’s having fun with me. If being the net man makes the fishing trip more fun for my kid, I’m all for it.

I did find that he had a little trouble with the big net, so I picked up a little orange one at the store. The net I bought is similar to this one here. It has a long handle and is the perfect size for netting bluegill. It makes things a little challenging for him too, which I think he enjoys. This net also does a great job of helping him take fish out of the livewell to throw back in the lake before we leave for the day.

If your son or daughter really enjoys netting fish, consider reading up on how to do this properly, so you can coach them. I wrote an article about netting fish that you can find here.

Sometimes kids have more fun fishing with a net than a rod and reel. As long as they're smiling, what do you care?
Sometimes, the most important item in your fishing boat is the least expensive. This net keeps my son occupied when he needs a break from casting.

Bring Along a Toy While Fishing

Now, you have to be a little careful with this one because you don’t want to drop or otherwise ruin their favorite teddy bear, but bringing along a toy or two on a fishing trip isn’t a bad idea. Bringing along one that the two of you can sit down and use together is even better.

If you do this, then you’re just hanging out together and happen to be playing on a boat in the middle of the lake. It’s a cool little experience for humans that get a kick out of simple joys like cardboard boxes–they’ll think it’s neat and have a good time with it.

This is one more thing that you can do to avoid a fit, and keep the day positive. It’s also a great way to relax together while you enjoy a little lunch.

Go Exploring

Tell them you want to go find some turtles, or ducks. See if they want to run the big motor a bit towards a famous landmark. Ask them if they want to go see if they can find some sunken treasure on your depth finder.

Basically, just go for a boat ride. I don’t know if you realized this (it took me having kids to) but that motor on the back is good for much more than just taking you to your next fishing spot.

Let them drive and race the boat next to you, or even the train. Let them push the throttle wide open to get it on plane and see their smile beam.

Take them some place that they’ve never been before, or even some place that you’ve never been before. Have a legitimate journey together.

Who knows? When they get there, they might even want to start fishing again, and it might actually be a pretty good spot!

Keep Things in Perspective

I just wrote an entire article about “how to make fishing fun for kids” and didn’t even talk about what you can do when the lure is in the water. Part of me says, “You know what? Why don’t you go back and add something about not using bobbers,” or “Maybe you should remind people how to troll for pickerel to put their kids on big, fun fish.”

I was about to do it. I really was. But then I realized that if I did that and changed up this article to include technical fishing advice, then I’d be missing the point that I’ve been trying to drive home since the lead sentence:

Don’t worry about your kids having fun fishing! Worry about them having fun with YOU!

If you follow this advice, I promise you that your kids will have a much better time out there, and so will you. You will have a good day with your children, and a memory that will serve you well in your later years.

So go jump in the lake, throw some water in that livewell, play with a net, or even a toy, and go exploring in that boat of yours. The fishing will happen when they’re ready.

Other Thoughts

You’ll have an easier time keeping fishing fun for your kids if you are halfway decent at the sport yourself. My website discusses numerous fishing tips from the perspective of a parent trying to help other parents learn the sport. While you can certainly find great information elsewhere, I do have a few that would help you here. I’d start with my cornerstone pieces, The Basic Skills You Need to Take A Kid Fishing, or my Illustrated Guide to Fishing with Kids.

If you’re serious about helping your children learn to fish, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids (or yourself) into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Thanks,

John Paxton

How to Buy a Boat For Your Family Without Losing Sleep

Buying a boat is a major financial decision that can cause you to lose a lot of sleep if you don’t approach the process strategically.

If you’re considering buying a fishing boat for your family, one of the main concerns keeping you up at night is probably how much the boat will cost to purchase and maintain. You might wonder if you should buy new or used, and you’ve probably heard people talk about how boats are money pits, or that you need to be prepared to “Break out another thousand” if you own one.

Family-sized fishing boats don’t have to be that expensive to buy or to maintain. I bought my boat at a great price new, and the only major expenses have been caused by user error.

I bought a new Lund Impact back in 2012. That hardly makes me an expert, and if you saw the dock rash on the side of it, there’d be no way I could fool you, but I am someone not that far removed from going through the boat-buying process and asking all the same questions you’re probably asking yourself right now.

I’ve certainly made some stupid mistakes over the years that have cost me plenty of money, but they’ve also led me to conclude that had I not made them, my boat really wouldn’t have cost that much to own or maintain.

Now, at great personal expense to my ego and in the full light of the internet, I will share some of those stupid mistakes with you, as well as my thought process for the best way to get a good deal on a boat so that you don’t ever have to regret buying one.

Is It the Right Time to Buy a Boat?

Before you read anything else, you need to ask yourself if you’re even ready to buy a boat.

This doesn’t mean “can you pay for this in cash” or “are all of your other debts paid?” but it does mean “can you buy this boat without endangering your family or mortgaging their future?”

As much as I’ll joke about a boat being a life necessity, it is a luxury. Don’t ever let a luxury force you to live paycheck-to-paycheck. If you can’t swing the payments for a full-fledged fishing boat, go check out the classifieds and pick up a rowboat for a few hundred bucks while you save for something bigger that you can buy in cash.

There’s nothing wrong with living within your means. If a small craft is your only option for taking your kids out, buy it, use it, and love it.

With that being said, don’t be afraid to finance your boat. Time is fleeting and tomorrow is promised to no one. You only have so many days on earth and even fewer with kids young enough to want to hang out with you. If you can afford a boat payment on top of all your other bills and still have money left over to save, go for it.

It makes absolutely no sense to plop your doting toddler in front of a television each summer weekend just so you can drag a mopey teenager on one family vacation fifteen years from now. Buy the boat in time to use it with your family, even if that means you have a monthly payment.

Worrying About New vs. Used Boats is Missing the Point

There are plenty of articles and forum posts out there where someone is asking for the pros and cons of buying a new boat vs. used. While there is a lot of great information to be found, respectfully, much misses the point.

It doesn’t really matter if you buy a used boat or a new one. What matters is if you can quickly sell it if necessary for what (or close to what) you paid for it.

The main reason people say that you shouldn’t buy a new boat is that it will depreciate just like a car as soon as you leave the dealership. This is true, and it is a consideration. If you left the dealership and had to sell the boat immediately, you would probably lose money.

It’s equally possible to lose money on a used boat if you purchase it for more than it is actually worth, and with used boats, it can be very challenging to pinpoint what this number should be.

How Much Is That Used Boat Worth?

As stated above, it is very challenging to understand what a fair price is for a used boat. There are several reasons for this:

  • The NADA book that is so helpful for cars leaves a lot to be desired for boats. Just go try it and tell me if you can even figure out what it’s asking you for with half its questions.
  • Rarity needs to be taken into account. Certain desired brands can go for thousands more in regions where they are harder to find.
  • The time of year makes a big difference. Generally speaking, used boats (any boats, really) cost less in the fall than they do in the spring or summer.
  • A used boat may have hidden defects and gremlins that don’t show up on the price sheet and you might not catch in time. Thus, it can be hard to take these into consideration and you might find that you spend significantly more on that used boat than you anticipated.
  • In the same vein, all the electronics, trolling motors, and even the outboard may have been neglected or in need of a major tuneup soon. Most used boats aren’t going to come with a warranty.
  • You need to factor in that not knowing the exact history of the boat may cost you more money and time in diagnostic charges and attempts than if you bought the boat new.

The bottom line is that it’s just tough to figure out what that used boat is worth, and if you don’t get pretty close, you can just as easily be in over your head.

That’s not to say you can’t find a great deal out there, but you really need to be careful when looking and ready to pounce when you find it as it won’t last for long.

What About Buying a New Boat?

I bought my first boat new, and the next boat I buy will also be new. Yes, there is depreciation to consider, but it doesn’t concern me. I tested a formula of sorts for my first boat and am happy with how it has gone. It worked well once, so I intend to repeat it, and am sharing so you can too:

  • I purchased an end-of-year holdover. By purchasing a vessel that my dealer couldn’t sell in their busy season, I was able to save thousands. If possible, I would do this again. If I can’t, I’ll at least shop around and try to purchase the boat for as little as possible.
  • I purchased a Lund, which is a highly desired, but expensive brand. This combines to create a robust demand for them used. Thus, there will be a high demand for my boat if I ever choose to sell it.
  • Used Lunds are rare in my region. While they are pervasive in the midwest, in New England you just don’t see as many of them. Thus, there is low supply for this boat.
  • Having an item that is in low supply and high demand means that I will acquire a good price for the boat, so long as I have reasonably well-maintained it.

Another thing that has worked out well for me is that new boat prices have skyrocketed in recent years, which has caused used prices to increase as well. Because of this, I legitimately think that I could sell my boat today, eight model years later, for about 60 – 70% of what I originally paid for it.

If you can get a good initial deal on an item and can bring it to a place where there is high demand and low supply of said item, you can buy that item new with confidence.

Other Benefits to Buying a New Boat

I’m about to paint with a really broad brush, but I see a lot of people do a lot of stupid things with their boats, and as you’ll find out further down, I’ve made some dumb mistakes too.

These don’t all show up on the advertisement when they’re trying to sell the boat used.

There is something to be said for knowing the exact history of your boat so that you can troubleshoot issues and forecast future expenses appropriately. A new boat won’t leave me guessing when a motor started or will start having problems based on how long a prior owner used gas made with ethanol without appropriate fuel treatments.

I don’t want to assume a hull is stable because it’s nice and pretty and waxed when it really took a beating for several years from someone who didn’t know how to drive in large waves.

New boats minimize any concern that at family of mice has made refuge in the boat’s flotation foam for years just because the prior seller vacuumed up the traces before I saw it.

Basically, I want to take as much of the mystery out of future expenses as possible, and that’s hard to do unless you implicitly trust the seller of a used boat (who, let’s be honest, is probably a complete stranger).

Remember, a big part of what you’re paying for with the price of new is a clean history and several years of manufacturer warranty. To me, those are well worth the depreciation hit.

What Brand of Boat Should I Buy?

This depends on if you’re ever going to sell it, but if you are, then buy something that you think someone will want to buy from you at a later point in time.

Even if you can’t get the perfect “high demand, low supply” item I discussed earlier, you should at least buy a brand of boat that others want, so that you have a chance of selling later.

I’m not going to knock any brands on this site or this post, but what I will tell you is that it would be well worth your time to look at some online sales posts and dealer inventories of used boats and pay attention to what boats sell instantly, and what boats are there forever. While this might be a reflection on price, you’ll probably also notice that certain brands and models sell much better than others.

That’s the brand you want to own.

Resale value and liquidity (the ease of selling quickly) are huge deals. They are the difference between losing sleep over how much you lost on your boat purchase or simply shrugging your shoulders and considering your ownership costs a nominal “rental fee” should you ever need to sell it later.

Lund is a well-known and desired brand. Though you pay more for them up front, they tend to retain their value very well.

How to Get a Good Deal on a Boat

My process for getting a good deal on a boat is pretty simple, with some of the steps discussed above. When I purchase a new boat, I’ll be approaching the purchase with the following strategy:

  • I’ll research the boat to know exactly what boat I want;
  • I will know exactly how most people order this type of boat;
  • I’ll will wait until I find a late-season or other heavily discounted model;
  • If necessary, I will be prepared to say no.

Know Exactly What Boat You Want Before You Buy It

Do your research long before you show up at a dealership. These days it is very easy to find substantial information on just about every fishing boat out there. Some dealers make YouTube videos, and many forums have threads devoted to every model under the sun. Know as much about the boat you’re going to purchase (as well as the pros and cons of its competitor) before you ever show up.

Doing this research will allow you to remain pragmatic when the salesman tries their tricks. You really want to know as much or more about the class of boats as they do. This will allow you to point out how you’re also looking at other brands because they have a larger casting deck, or come with different motor brands, etc.

You never want the salesman to think you’re crazy about what you’re trying to buy, and trust me, if you research long enough – you won’t be. Every boat has its plus and minuses and you just need to try and pick out one that will work well for your family.

Know Exactly How Most People Rig the Boat

You should know what the popular options are on a boat. In fact, if you’re looking at a late-season holdover, chances are that the dealer did not rig it right with these popular options. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad deal by any means, but it does give you negotiating power if you recognize it.

My boat is a classic example. It is a 2012 Lund Impact 1875 Sport rigged with a 115 hp Mercury 4-stroke engine. It is rated for 150 hp. Most people out there want to max out their engine. It wasn’t important to me for various reasons, but it was important to enough other people that the boat sat there until I showed up in late September.

The same dealer I bought my boat from had a 2018 Lund Pro-V 1975 sitting in their lot for a year and a half. This is a boat that you do not see in this region, and one that is absolutely coveted. This thing sat on their website forever before someone got a smoking deal.

Why? Well, probably because they rigged it with a 24-volt trolling motor and refused to swap it out for the 36-volt that most people want on that boat. Not maxing out the outboard probably didn’t help them, either.

Knowing what rigging options are in demand will help you negotiate a better deal with your dealer.

Wait for a Good Deal at the End of the Year or a Boat Show

Dealers won’t negotiate anywhere near as much in spring as they do in the fall or winter when business is slower. If you want to get the best price on a new boat your best bet is to buy it during the off season and stare at it longingly in your garage for a few months. Sad but true!

Consider Competitor Options

While you might have your heart set on a certain brand of boat, their competitors may have a very good option you should consider. Case in point, I’m a Lund guy, but when I sat down to write an objective article about Lund vs. Alumacraft and who makes the better boat, I reached the conclusion that Alumacraft has some great boats of their own! Don’t discount the possibility that another, less expensive brand might give you everything that you want and more.

Behold the Power of “No”

Your number one tool in any negotiation is the word, “No.”

Not enough people use this and it is a shame. It can be all you need to do to have the dealer call you the next day or even chase after you in the parking lot.

You want to be careful about employing this. You wouldn’t want to say this over something that is truly scarce and in demand, because then the dealer will simply shrug and wait for the next guy. But if you have a situation where you’re the only one who has shown interest in a while, and you’re very close to reaching a deal, this little word can seal it.

Saying “No” is also important when things just aren’t lining up. You don’t need this boat. There are others. If it’s not working out, sometimes that’s for a reason and you just need to put a little faith in a higher power that things will balance out later.

What Are the Total Costs of Owning a Fishing Boat?

Even if you find a great deal, a major reason you (or your spouse) might resist pulling the trigger is the anticipated boat ownership cost. Plenty of people say that their boat is a money pit, or that the word “boat” is really an acronym for Break Out Another Thousand, but the expenses of a boat aren’t nearly as bad as some people claim. Here are the costs I pay for my boat each year:

The Guaranteed Costs of Boat Ownership

  • The initial cost: you’ll pay anywhere from $100 – $100,000 for a freshwater fishing boat for your family. This could be a one-time payment or a recurring cost over time depending on if you finance.
  • Insurance: You will need to insure your boat to protect yourself from liability and to protect your investment from damage. Thankfully, the costs of insuring a recreational fishing boat aren’t bad at all. You’re talking at most a few hundred bucks a year.
  • Taxes: Some states or towns charge taxes for boats or their trailers. I guess I’m “lucky” in that my town only charges me for the latter. It’s not a big charge at all–about $20 the last time I checked–but this is going to depend on the size of the trailer and your location.
  • Gasoline: If your boat has a motor, you will have to pay for fuel. You’re probably going to want to find non-ethanol fuel which is more expensive, but not prohibitively so. This price will obviously vary wildly depending on how often you go boating.
  • Yearly Winterization: If you live in the northern states, you’ll probably winterize your boat each year so it is ready to go for spring. This is a service that can run anywhere from $200-$500 for your average freshwater fishing boat, abut is also one that you can complete yourself for much less money with the help of a good internet search.

As long as you are parking this at your own home and using a trailer to bring it to the launch each trip, these are about all the costs that you are guaranteed to have year to year. If you needed or wanted to purchase marina docking, you would have that expense as well.

Assuming you own a decently-sized fishing boat that is paid off, you’re probably looking at about $200-$400 for insurance, maybe $20-$100 for taxes, $200-$500 for winterization (if you live somewhere cold), and whatever gasoline you use each year (wild guess of $100 – $1,000. If you fish larger lakes, it will be more. If you’re in an electric only pond, it will obviously be less).

All in, once your boat is paid off, you’re facing a guaranteed cost of roughly $520 – $2,000 each year, or about $44 – $167 each month. You’re probably paying more for cable channels you never watch (and will watch even less once your family owns a boat).

Long-Term Boat Maintenance Costs

You’re also going to want to project for long-term maintenance costs and apply some risk management skills to make sure you’re prepared to pay these. Don’t worry, there aren’t too many:

  • Batteries: You can reasonably expect to need to replace your marine batteries every 3-4 years, though they’ll occasionally last longer;
  • Trolling Motor: If you do a lot of fishing, you’re probably on your trolling motor all the time. These can be a little hit or miss when it comes to longevity. Some people report having them last for decades while others have to replace them far more often. It’s really going to come down to how much you use it and how well you maintain it.
  • Outboard Motor: If you take care of your outboard, it really shouldn’t “break” but taking care of it includes the same 1, 3, 5, etc. year maintenance schedules that you’re used to on a car, and these cost money. If you are mechanically inclined and can handle this yourself, you’re looking at parts plus elbow grease. If not, expect to pay $300-$600 for the service every few years.

Setting aside money now or even better making short-term investments to cover the above anticipated future costs will take some of the pain out of them. If you know you need $600 in three years, consider what kind of investments can you make so that this is available.

“Fun” Surprise Boating Expenses

I’ve talked about the guaranteed yearly and long-term expenses out there, but that’s not where boats get the “Break Out Another Thousand” moniker. That nickname is chiefly a result of the one-off “surprise” expenses that can happen.

I’ve certainly had a few of these over the years, but most of them were caused by my own mistakes, lack of awareness, or “learning opportunities.” As much as they embarrass me, I’ll share them in the hopes that you don’t repeat them:

  • One year, when I replaced the batteries, I managed to reverse the connections and started a small fire that melted much of my wiring. The wiring had to be pulled out and redone;
  • When I would reconnect the batteries the first few springs, I wouldn’t tighten the connections enough, which led to a poor-starting motor and diagnostic charges as well as other issues. I thought I had bought a lemon until my friend took a five-second look and informed me I was just an idiot (and apparently so were the people at my marina as they never found this–the boat works flawlessly now);
  • Another year, I parked my boat on a slight hill with the bow (front) lower than the stern (back). I relied on my travel cover and didn’t tarp the boat well enough. Water collected in the bilge and couldn’t escape because of the angle. This completely submerged the on-board charger for several weeks before I noticed. It died shortly thereafter;
  • That same year, most of my gear got mold on it due to the same issue. Luckily, I was able to clean most of it though I did have to toss some stuff.
  • I once left a roll of toilet paper in the boat’s glove box over a winter and came back to a vessel that absolutely reeked of mouse urine. It took a lot of effort and many cleaning products to get rid of the smell.
  • I once forgot to tilt the motor up before taking it out of my garage. Luckily, the hill outside was soft and the skeg just tore up some grass. Had the hill been cement, I might have had to replace the lower unit.
  • I was once in a hurry to launch and forgot to put the plug in. This didn’t actually cost me anything as I realized it quickly enough, but it could cost you if you don’t.

As you can see, I’ve learned a few things the hard way. I would imagine that most of the time someone forks over another $1,000 it is probably a result of some silly mistake they’ve made rather than a result of a boat being a money pit.

Some examples of costly repairs that I’ve seen others have to make include:

  • Transom replacement either due to age of boat, improper care, or manufacturer defect;
  • Collision repairs with fixed objects underneath the water;
  • Popped rivets or burst welds from driving too aggressively in high seas;
  • Soggy floors needing replacement, usually due to not storing the boat properly;
  • Electrical or mechanical issues caused by rodents chewing through wires and making a home in the vessel;
  • Corrosion caused by use in saltwater without proper flushing after each trip;
  • Replacement of the motor’s lower unit due to failing to raise it properly while retrieving boat at a launch;
  • Total loss of the boat due to attempting to back down a ramp while it was not secured on a roller trailer;

The list goes on and on, but the point is that almost all of these are caused by either user error or a lack of preventative maintenance. If you apply a bit more common sense than I had in my youth to your boat ownership, you could very well escape most of these bills.

The Biggest Unexpected Boat Cost of All – Tow Vehicles

You definitely want to do you research to see if your tow vehicle can handle the weight of your fishing boat and trailer. This isn’t always the easiest information to find, as not all manufacturers are particularly forthcoming with how much their boats weigh. I wrote a guide to fishing boat weights that may help you, but you should also run an internet search and do your best to determine if your truck or SUV can tow the prospective boat safely. Two boats that look very similar can have extremely different weight.

Final Thoughts

I couldn’t imagine life without my boat. It has been a key source of joy for my family and many of the memories I’ll cherish throughout life were made on it.

I don’t regret purchasing my boat, but then I tried to be smart about how I bought it. I do regret some of the mistakes I made, but learning is unavoidable and at least I know I won’t make them in the future.

Hopefully, this article will help you buy a boat for a price that makes sense, and let you learn from my mistakes so you don’t always have to “break out another thousand.”

Never be afraid to live your life – buy that boat with confidence!

If you feel like exploring this issue further, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. It has an entire chapter on the pros and cons of various types of boats, as well as a chapter on how to best use and control your boat once you own it.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Why You Can’t Catch Fish – And What To Do About It

At one point or another, every fisherman is going to have a day where the fish aren’t biting. These days can be extremely frustrating, and I wouldn’t blame you if you looked desperately to the sky and whispered, “Why can’t I catch a fish?” It’s likely that you’re making a few mistakes on your fishing trip.

If you’re new to fishing, you might have no idea what these mistakes are, or why you can’t catch anything, and that will only frustrate you more.

I’ve been there. I know how much it stinks. While this won’t turn you into a fishing superstar, I’m going to do my best to get you over that hump. In this article, I will discuss five common fishing mistakes that I see people making and I’ll offer advice for how to correct them.

Fishing Mistake #1: Lack of Research

The first mistake many people make that prevents them from catching any fish happens well before they get to the lake: they don’t do any research ahead of time whatsoever.

Fishing is a thinking person’s sport. If you want to catch fish, you need to do your homework. Otherwise, you’re going to spend a lot of your time wondering why you can’t get a fish to bite.

I’ve fished in many unfamiliar bodies of water over the years and while I won’t claim to be a fishing expert, I’m generally successful and put a few fish in the boat no matter where I go.

I attribute my success to all the research I do before I ever leave my house to head to the lake.

These days there really isn’t much excuse for not knowing what to expect at any given lake. The internet is absolutely full of information on most bodies of water, what kind of fish are in the lake, and local fishing techniques that work.

I do five things when I want to learn how to fish in a new lakes:

  1. I’ll check Google Earth Pro for helpful satellite photos;
  2. I consult a fishing app;
  3. I seek out articles and tournament results on the fishery;
  4. I’ll try to find forums for the lake, and seek out “fishing reports” posts;
  5. I phone a friend.

Using Google Earth Pro to Find Good Fishing Spots

I absolutely love using Google Earth Pro to help me prepare for fishing trips. I cannot praise the resource enough, and feel it has helped me catch many fish over the years. Not only will it give you crystal clear satellite images of pretty much anywhere on earth, but it even allows you to view historical imagery by selecting that option under the view tab:

Why Historical Imagery Is Great for Fishermen

The historical imagery is a tremendous tool for fishermen. Take the following two screenshots for example. Both are of the waters near Fort Ticonderoga and the mouth of the La Chute River, which is one of the best fishing spots on the lake.

The first image was taken in May, 2015. Generally speaking, the water level on Lake Champlain is going to be higher in the spring than later in the year, and 2015 was no exception.

If you were to plan a trip for May, you could reasonably expect that the water levels would be somewhat comparable to the photo below, and plan accordingly.

Map data: Google, Landsat / Copernicus
This image was taken on May 5, 2015 which was a period of very high water.

This second image is of the same exact location, but from October, 2016. Now, the water will usually be much lower during the fall regardless of the year, but 2016 is remarkable in that it was exceptionally low.

As you can see from the screen shot below, the area around the mouth of the La Chute River is almost completely dried up. Only the channel of the river and the deepest pools remain under water. Now, you can see where those pools are.

Map data: Google, Landsat / Copernicus
This image was taken October 6, 2016, when the water was significantly lower.

Now let’s zoom in on the 10/6/16 image. Note how you can see a few rock pilings within the red rectangle. These cannot be viewed from the May 5, 2015 satellite images, but are uncovered during the period of extreme drought.

Map data: Google, Landsat / Copernicus
This is a close-up of the 10/6/16 image. Note the rock piles that likely hold fish.

Google Earth Pro: Final Thoughts

Google Earth Pro is a true game-changer for fishermen. Case in point, I’ve been fishing Lake Champlain for over thirty years, but I would have never uncovered some of the structure that the historical imagery from the drought of 2016 captured. This has allowed me to hone in on some super productive spots that I never knew were there.

Even if a particular hazard is marked on a navigational map (such as the ones I’ve shown above), you often don’t really know exactly what they are, or if they’re likely to hold fish and worth exploring. Google Earth Pro allows you to quickly scan your favorite lake and uncover some hidden gems.

In addition to finding hidden structure, there are several other great advantages to using this tool, some of which include:

  • If you have a larger boat with a deeper draft, map study might show you areas you can get into certain times of the year, but not others.
  • You might notice where the weeds grow early, which could give you a decent idea of where to start fishing.
  • It’s possible that you could see several fishing boats in the same area on several satellite images over the years. This would be a great indicator that the spot is productive.

If you don’t already have Google Earth Pro installed on your computer, go to this link to download Google Earth Pro for free.

Download a Fishing App

Google Earth Pro is an exceptional tool in and of itself, but it really shines when you combine its powers with one of the better fishing apps out there, Fishbrain.

I want to be very clear with you right up front: I am not an affiliate of Fishbrain. I receive absolutely no compensation from them, nor do they sponsor me in any way. They did grant me permission to use an image from their app to show you why I like their product so much, and how I use it to help me catch fish, but that’s it.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at what makes this fishing app so great and why I believe in the product and recommend you subscribe.

Fishbrain is an app that relies on participant anglers to post their fishing results so that the data can be pooled collectively and shared with all subscribers. It tracks catch location, type of lure, time of day, etc. Basically, all the information you might want to know to help you catch a fish.

How Fishbrain Helps You Learn Water Quick

Here is a screenshot from the Fishbrain app of the same general area depicted in the Google Earth Pro images above. Note the green circles on the map. These are coordinates where users of the Fishbrain app declared that they caught a fish.

Photo taken with the Fishbrain app and used with their permission.

The little green and orange dots are where subscribers have reported catching a fish. As you can see, the area around those rock piles has produced several catches, as has the area around the La Chute River. Granted, that Ticonderoga is a good fishing spot is not exactly news, but this same app can be used on less-known waters to give you great insight into where you should start casting.

Also note the subscriber pictures at the bottom of the screen shot. When you click on one of the little dots, it brings you to a detailed page that will include all the data the subscriber provided, including a photo and the type of lure. The photo can provide some good information of what the conditions were like at the time of the catch.

Contour Lines on Fishbrain

A really exciting feature are the contour lines. This data is uploaded from subscribers own fish finders and other mapping software. Although you can usually find navigational a map of most major lakes, the contour lines featured are nowhere near as detailed as this. On smaller bodies of water where you can’t always find this information, Fishbrain is about your only shot.

These do rely on subscribers uploading their data, so you aren’t going to find them everywhere, but it’s definitely worth checking out as you can use this app to find underwater structure quickly.

Consider a Drone

Drones are becoming more mainstream for everything these days. Your insurance company has a fleet of them, your neighbor has probably crashed one on a nearby roof by now, and yes, fishermen are putting them to great use.

The great thing about using a drone is that it provides you with real time information. While Google Earth and apps like Fishbrain are awesome tools, you are looking at images from the past. A drone, on the other hand, can transmit live data that lets you know exactly how the weebed has grown this year. The implications are immense, to say the least.

Thus, there’s good reason to take that techie cousin of yours out for a fishing trip! If you’re interested in learning more about using a drone of your own, check out this article on drone fishing tips that provides a good basis for beginners.

Seek Out Articles and Tournament Results

Bass tournaments take place on most of the major lakes throughout this country. All but the smallest club tournaments tend to be fairly formal events, often drawing media coverage of some kind. Even those tournaments too small to attract the press will usually have their results posted somewhere on the internet.

When I’m preparing for a fishing trip, I like to try and figure out what techniques the tournament fishermen were using recently and how successful they were. This can really help you break down the lake further and get a better idea of what the hot lures are in the area.

You have to take this information with a grain of salt. Many professional fishermen out there are marketing machines and you never quite know how much they really used the particular lure they’re plugging at the moment.

I’m much more confident in press articles that were written after the tournament concluded than one written on one of the first few days. Now, I know no one would ever insinuate that fisherman could be anything less than honest, but with money (and often, a lot of it) on the line, who could blame an angler from being secretive about their exact location or lure?

Frankly, the best way to use this sort of information is to compile and read several years of it. That way, you can ignore the brand of lure that they’re pitching and focus on the type instead (a frog is a frog is a frog, even if the manufacturer name on their hat changes from year to year).

Having several years of results also allows you to ignore precise locations of fish (which aren’t very reliable year to year) and instead focus on trends regarding the general areas that they fished.

Find and Read Posts on Fishing Forums

I know that forum posts get a bad rap in certain industries as you never know who is providing the information, but when it comes to fishing, I find them very useful.

If fishing is popular in your area, someone has probably built a forum for local anglers to show off their catches and to ask and answer questions. A quick google search for “[the lake’s name] Fishing Reports” is often all you need to find a number of these forum posts.

This is the type of post you’re searching for in your search. These local websites can be gold mines for pertinent fishing information.

Read the posts from around the same time of year that you intend to fish the lake. It doesn’t have to be the exact same date (weather fluctuates after all), but a report from December probably isn’t going to be that useful if you’re going fishing in June, as fish do tend to move around and favor different presentations throughout the year.

While many fishermen guard their favorite spots closely, there’s always a few people on the forums who tell everyone all about every fishing trip they take. They often include photos, sometimes with distinct landmarks in the background that allow you to zero in on exactly where they caught a fish.

Phone a Friend

Do you have a buddy who fishes more often than you or just got back from the lake you want to check out? Do you trust them? If so, why not call them and ask them what to expect? There is nothing that beats timely information.

You don’t even need to know the person. If you’re fishing with your kids and see another angler out at your lake, ask them where you should fish, or what is working. While some strangers might be hesitant to give up this information to an adult, most of us have a soft spot in our hearts for kids and want them to be successful. We will leak information like a sieve if we think that it will help a kid catch a fish.

Fishing Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Lure or Presentation

If you’ve done your homework as described in step one and still aren’t catching fish, there’s a good chance that you’re either using the wrong lure, or presenting it the wrong way.

Match the Lure to the Fish You’re Trying to Catch

The first step to selecting your lure is to understand what type of fish you want to catch. Your research above should have told you what type of fish are in the lake, so which one do you want to try for? What kind of lures would work well for that species?

You wouldn’t want to use a giant frog designed for largemouth bass if you’re going for little bluegills. Likewise, a little minnow meant to catch crappie probably isn’t going to entice many pike to bite.

I would recommend that you start off your day with a hook or lure small enough to catch bluegill and sunfish so you can at least have some success early and gain some confidence. You’ll find that they often inhabit the same areas as larger fish, so once you find a school of panfish, you can start throwing other stuff trying to find a nice “bonus fish” as well.

Hold Your Rod

Do you know that guy who always fishes from the shore, sitting on a bucket while his rod is held up by a forked stick? He’s not catching as many fish as he could be.

It is a very common fishing mistake to put a rod down and leave it there, waiting for something to bite. While there can be a place for this at times, your success ratio is going to increase if you actually hold onto the rod while you’re waiting.

Generally speaking, there are three reasons you want to hold onto your fishing rod instead of setting it down somewhere:

  1. It’s very hard to detect light bites unless you actually have the rod in your hands, especially if there is any wind whatsoever;
  2. If a fish does bite, it’s very probable that they will spit out the bait before you are able to pick up the rod and set the hook;
  3. You miss out on the lack of information, i.e. situations where there are no bites or nibbles for an extended period, which should be an indicator to you that you need to move.

I see fishermen make this mistake all the time. If this is you, stop immediately as it could definitely be a major reason you aren’t catching anything.

Don’t Use a Bobber

This goes hand in hand with holding your rod above. While bobbers do have their place I generally find that they are a less effective way to catch fish. Indeed, I go against the grain by suggesting that you shouldn’t use bobbers when fishing with kids.

First of all, if you’re fishing with a bobber, you probably have your rod braced against some stick, which would be a mistake.

Secondly, bobbers present bait in an extremely unnatural way. Just how many things in the lake do you know of that stay perfectly still in the middle of the water column? The answer is nothing. Fish can be very stupid, but you’re really counting on it if you’re using a bobber.

Finally, if a fish does bite, they’re instantly going to feel the weight of the bobber and will know something is amiss.

They just aren’t usually an effective presentation. Use a bare worm, or even a drop shot instead and you’ll likely catch more fish. If you don’t know how to tie a drop shot, check out my post on The Basic Skills You Need to Take Your Kids Fishing.

Fishing Mistake #3: Giving Up Too Soon

Fishing requires some patience. While I do think that you can usually figure out if small fish are around an area quickly, the key word is “area.” That usually isn’t as narrowly defined as “the 3-5 feet surrounding your very first cast.”

There are some islands and points up on Lake Champlain that hold fish all year long, but the fish tend to favor small little sections of those formations at any given time. Through experience, I have a pretty good handle on where they will be, but if I didn’t, I might think there are no fish to be caught there when really, all I needed to do was cast 10 or 20 feet away.

If you researched and found what you thought would be a promising spot but aren’t instantly catching fish, don’t give up right away. Stick it out a bit and saturate the area. Try different casting angles. Make a few casts really near to the shore or structure and a few leading away. Cast to all sides of a rock and see if there is a particular one they want. Invest some time and energy.

I think we’ve all seen that guy who roars into a cove in his bass boat, stops, makes 10-12 casts, and then packs up and roars away. Maybe he knows something no one else does, but it’s more likely he just isn’t giving the area a chance.

Caveat: Kids Lack Patience in General

Granted, if you’re fishing with kids, you might not be able to stick it out as long as you would if you were on your own, but you should still try to invest some time. Don’t stay long enough to bore them, but do try to impress on them the benefits of commitment.

When fishing with children, you should be targeting smaller fish like bluegills and sunfish first. These are much easier to catch (or at least detect by their nibbles) so you’ll know if an area is completely barren fairly soon if you’re targeting them.

Don’t give up too soon. You never know when a big fish is just around the corner!

Fishing Mistake #4: Sticking With One Thing Too Long

I appreciate that this seems contradictory to the advice I gave you in the section above, but as with all things in life, there is a balance to be achieved when fishing. While you do want to give an area or presentation a chance, you don’t want to stick with a clear loser, either.

There’s this old saying in fishing that you need to “Let the fish tell you what they want.” What this basically means is do what the fish want, not what you want.

A Personal Example

I made this mistake myself a few weeks ago. I was fishing at Lake Champlain with my family for the 4th of July. This is one of my favorite times to go, because in the evening just before sunset the frog bite can be spectacular. I’m talking strike after strike after strike. I’ve had nights where for an hour at a time it would be unusual if I didn’t see a swirl within 3 or 4 seconds of my frog touching down.

I love this time of year and look forward to it throughout the winter. I took my son out after dinner on a very calm night, eager to show him all the splashes and thrills.

We managed one pickerel in about 10 minutes while my friend was reeling in fish after fish just about 30 yards away. We were both in prime real estate – this wasn’t a matter of him just being in a better spot.

The difference was that he was doing what the fish wanted, and I was doing what I wanted.

While I was throwing a large, obnoxious frog out over the weeds and popping and crawling it back to the boat, he was throwing a soft plastic lure and letting it slowly flutter to the bottom.

I picked up on this and swapped over to a Senko. I started casting to pockets between the weeds and letting it sink. It rarely reached bottom.

My son had a great time and we had one of our most productive nights together, but it was all because I figured out I needed to switch things up slightly and was willing to do that.

Changing things up can be the difference between a limit of bass or a missed opportunity. Always give the fish what they want!

Read the Water

While research and preparation are both extremely important steps for a successful fishing trip, so is reacting to what you see on the water. Pay attention to what is going on and what is or isn’t working for you and for others and adapt.

If you really think rocky points will be the ticket, but you show up and the fish aren’t there, try a shallow grass flat.

If you think a fast moving lure is what you need to score a strike, but all you’re doing is tiring yourself out with nothing to show for it, slow things up and toss a slow sinking worm instead.

Whatever the case may be, remember to embrace change and react as necessary and you’ll have a much better chance of catching a fish.

Fishing Mistake #5 – Not Trying At All

FDR once famously said, “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

This is great advice.

Maybe you slept in late and missed the morning bite. Perhaps it’s the day after a front moved through and you see those dreaded “blue bird skies” that announce post-frontal conditions. Maybe your trolling motor is acting up and you’d have to use the old-fashioned drift and anchor system instead.

There’s always going to be a reason not to do something, and it’s no different in fishing. You need to ignore these reasons and get out there and give it a shot.

Even if you do follow all of the advice in this article and others on this site, I can’t guarantee you that you’ll catch a fish if you go out on the water. I can, however, guarantee you that you won’t catch any sitting on your couch.

If the conditions are safe and you are breathing, go out there and give it a shot. Remember: EVERY CREATURE HAS TO EAT.

Prepare for your trip as best you can. Take a lure or presentation that has a good chance of working, and try it. If it doesn’t work, admit it frankly and switch it up. But above all, go fishing

If you enjoyed this article, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. If you are trying to get your kids (or yourself) into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Thanks,

John Paxton

The Basic Skills You Need to Take Your Kids Fishing

If you’ve never wet a line before, and therefore had no fishing skills to speak of, I imagine it would be terrifying if your kid suddenly asked you take them out on the water. Your mind might start racing with questions like, “what fishing gear do I need?” or “how do I tie on a lure?” You might start thinking back to that one time you tried soaking a worm and were bored out of your mind, and start to worry about letting down your kid.

There’s no need to fret. Everything will be OK. This article will help you buy the gear you need to get started fishing, and will also teach you the skills you need to be successful.

Don’t worry. I won’t over-complicate things. There are very few skills that you need to take your kids fishing, and I’m going to lay out step-by-step instructions for each of them. In fact, I’ve broken it down to just five simple steps to catching a fish. Anyone can do it!

Remember that your objective is simple: catch a fish; any fish. Your kid doesn’t care if it is big, small, or something in-between. Follow this advice, and I promise you that you’ll look like a hero.

The Gear You Need to Start Fishing

Before we can talk about the five steps towards catching your first fish, we need to get you properly geared up. I’m sure if you’ve walked through a tackle shop you’ve felt overwhelmed, but all you need are the seven items that I’ll discuss below.

I will make some recommendations throughout this article to try and help you choose what to purchase. I recommend products that work, are economical and practical, but they aren’t the only game in town. It’s perfectly fine to start with what you have laying around or can borrow from someone. The important thing is getting started!

The Only 7 Pieces of Fishing Gear That You Need

You can’t take your kids fishing without any gear, but if you go into the fishing section of your local sporting store, you’re likely to become overwhelmed.  There’s a ton of fishing gear out there, all of which has its advantages and disadvantages, but you only need to buy the following six items to teach your kids to fish, none of which will break the bank:

  1. Your fishing license and one for your kid (if necessary);
  2. A 4’6″ to 7′ long spinning rod, depending on the age of your child;
  3. A 2000 – 3000 size spinning reel;
  4. A spool of 6lb test monofilament line; 
  5. A pack of size 4 Aberdeen light wire panfish hooks;
  6. A pack of 1/4 oz drop shot weights; and
  7. A container of nightcrawlers, or artificial substitute.

That is literally all the gear you need to buy to start fishing with your kids. Not so bad, was it?

Item 1: Your Fishing License

Many states require that adults and older children have a fishing license, so make sure that you check your state regulations and purchase one if necessary. You can usually purchase your license at the same sporting good’s store where you’ll buy your six pieces of fishing gear.

Some states allow parents to “help” their children fish without a license, but it is always going to be at the Game Warden’s discretion if the parent is actually doing more “fishing” than “helping,” so I would encourage you to get a license.

If you really aren’t sure if fishing is for you, some states have a license-free day that is designed to bring new people into the sport. It can be a great way to take your kids fishing for the first time.

Do bear in mind that fishing licenses tend to fund local conservation efforts to preserve our natural environment, so your money is going to a good cause even if you find that you or your kids don’t like fishing after all.

Item 2: A Spinning Rod

Unless your kids are naturally skilled at fishing, I recommend that your child’s first fishing rod be a spinning rod. You should ignore baitcasters for now unless you are a glutton for punishment. You should ignore spincasters forever because you want to get continued use out of this purchase, and most spincasters are made for very young children.

Look for a rod that seems about the right size for your kid. I would recommend the Shakespeare Ugly Stik Elite lineup. They are kid-proof rods that will last a lifetime regardless of how poorly your children treat them. They would have to really try to break one. I’ve purchased several for my son and am a big believer in the product. The best part is they don’t cost very much at all. Amazon usually has a competitive price, but check keep checking back in as you never know when there will be a sale.

You can purchase a less expensive rod if you’re struggling to make ends meet, but the UglyStik isn’t that expensive in the first place, and is a great rod for children. You can read about my review of the UglyStik Elite here. If you go for something cheaper, be prepared to buy it twice after someone steps on it. It’s a balancing act as you don’t want your first fishing adventure to cost an arm and a leg, but you always want to purchase something that works. An UglyStik fits that bill nicely.

The UglyStik Elite rod
The UglyStik Elite rod is a great choice for young anglers.

Item 3: A Spinning Reel

Spinning rods require spinning reels, so that’s what you’re going to buy. There are some who would say it takes more skill for kids to learn on these types of fishing reels than on spincast reels, but they aren’t exactly hard. Don’t worry — I’ll teach you how to cast one later in this post.

Spinning reels come in different sizes. Generally, the smaller the number the smaller the reel. I like a 2000-size reel for shorter rods and toddlers and a 3000-size reel for seven foot rods cast by kids in middle school.

I personally favor Pflueger spinning reels, and specifically their President series. While it isn’t the least expensive reel out there, it is priced competitively and has been a workhorse for me and most of my spinning rods are rigged with one. If price is very important to you, Plfueger’s entry model spinning reel, the Trion, is also a great choice.

You could buy a much less expensive reel, but again, you get what you pay for. A cheaper reel is not going to hold up as well, and if you ever want to sell it, you won’t find many buyers. If you purchase a well-known brand like Pflueger, you can at least count on getting some of your money back if things don’t work out.

Pflueger President 6920
The 6920 series for Pflueger spinning reels are ideal for little hands and ultra-lite rods.

Item 4: Fishing Line

Your kids could have all the skills in the world, but if their line fails, they aren’t catching a fish. Make sure you invest in something decent!

While there are plenty of types of fishing line out there, all you need to get started fishing is traditional monofilament. This is an inexpensive type of line that is easy to work with and unlikely to injure your child. All you need to get started is 6lb test as that is perfect for panfish and the occasional larger “bonus fish” that you may encounter.

There are plenty of brands out there, but I’ve been trusting Berkley Trilene XL since I was a kid. It’s dependable and pretty much the “standard” monofilament line out there. It’s also very inexpensive which is great considering that you’re likely going to have to strip off plenty of line after your kids manage some epic tangles. Because of this, I’d recommend buying a larger spool!

Berkley Trilene XL makes a good beginner's fishing line. While you're still developing skills, you'll get hung up a lot and break off often. Best to have a line that isn't too expensive while you're learning.
I’ve been using this product for decades and trust it to help my children land fish. It is very easy to use and inexpensive, making it a great fishing line for fishing with kids.

Item 5: Fishing Hooks

There is no need to stress yourself out trying to figure out what type of fishing lure to use. All that you need is a simple hook. It should be small enough for a panfish to bite, and have a long enough shank where you’ll usually be able to remove it easily. The Aberdeen style panfish hook in size 4 fits that bill nicely.

Granted, this post is operating on the premises that you have no idea what you’re doing, so I’m keeping things as simple as possible. Even so, I want you to know that this is the number one presentation I use when taking my son fishing. I trust it to quickly put him on fish and keep him engaged. While fish don’t always jump in the boat, it’s really hard to go home empty handed with these.

Rest assured, I will teach you how to rig them for maximum success a little further down the article.

panfish hooks
This is the #1 lure I use when fishing with kids.

Item 6: Drop Shot Sinkers

My favorite technique for fishing with kids is the drop shot and I tend to have several rods rigged with one before I head out with my son. While you could use just about any sinker or heavy object as part of this rig, I do recommend buying sinkers that are specifically designed to be drop shot.

As you can see below, a drop shot sinker has a little metal clasp attached that is wide at the bottom and narrows towards its top. You’re meant to tie a little overhead knot in the tag end of your line and then pass it through the wider bottom before cinching it up snugly towards the top. This has a few advantages:

  1. You can quickly change the size of sinker as necessary for conditions.
  2. You can completely remove the sinker if you want your bait to fall slower.
  3. When the sinker snags, tugging will often pull the tag line loose from the sinker. While you’ll lose the sinker, the rest of your rig is often spared.

Buy the lightest sinkers that you can find (1/4 oz works very well) unless you anticipate fishing in very windy conditions or very deep water.

I’d provide a link, but you will literally lose these constantly. I can’t in good conscience say to do anything but buy whatever happens to be on sale.

close up of a dropshot sinker
A drop shot sinker has a specific design that has several benefits.

Item 7: Bait

You’re going to need to put a bait of some sort on the hook to catch a fish. Nightcrawlers work very well, as do regular garden worms. Since you’re targeting smaller fish, don’t bother putting an entire crawler on the hook, as they’ll just peck away at it harmlessly. Instead, cut a crawler up into several segments and bait just the tip of the hook with one. This will dramatically increase your hook ups.

If you have qualms about using live bait, there are other options. Corn works well for panfish, as does a cut up piece of hot dog.

You can also purchase an artificial fishing lure of some kind, but bear in mind these require more skill for kids to use than live bait. Berkley Gulp Minnows work well, but remember that you want them as small as possible so that even smaller panfish can fit them in their mouth. I wouldn’t go larger than 2″.

If you do buy nightcrawlers, do your best to keep them alive! While fish do like dead worms, you’re much better off with live ones.

Five Simple Steps to Catching Your First Fish

OK, now that you’re licensed, you’ve bought your stuff, let’s talk about the skills you need to take your kids fishing. I’ve broken them down into five basic steps. This is all you need to know to get your gear up and running, your lure cast towards the water, and your child catching fish.

Step 1: Spool Your Line Onto the Reel

You’re going to need to start by spooling line onto your reel. There’s a few different “official” fishing knots that you could use to accomplish this, but they aren’t really necessary for beginners. All you’re trying to accomplish is preventing the reel from completely coming off the spool. You can do this with a simple overhand knot, a piece of tape, some modeling clay or even your kid’s boogers (though I don’t recommend it). You’re going to have so much line spooled over whatever you choose that it doesn’t really matter.

If you’re interested in doing this “the right way,” you’ll want to tie an arbor knot. With that said, with the size of line you’re going to use on this kids reel, if a fish ever got to the end of it, it’s snapping it anyway and an arbor knot isn’t going to save you. Feel free to tie an overhand not that holds well enough and call it a day.

Spooling Line, Step By Step

Before you tie your knot, you need to take the fishing line you bought and run it through the line guides of your rod. Start at the tip and work down to guide closest to the reel.

Once there, flip open the bail and tie your overhead knot around the reel’s spool. Cinch it tight and close the bail. Pull the line tight against the line guide and start to reel more line on.

As you’re reeling, notice that the spinning reel turns clockwise. To eliminate line twist (a key source of tangles and frustration), you want the line to come off of the filler spool counterclockwise.

Make sure that the line goes on taut while you reel it in. You don’t want it to be loose or you’ll encounter some major problems later on. Don’t overfill the spool – stop when you are about 1/8th of an inch from the lip or edge.

When finished, snip the line and prepare to tie on your lure.

Step 2: Rig a Drop Shot – One of the Best Techniques for Fishing with Kids

I have found that a drop shot is one of the best lures to use with kids. You don’t need much skill to use it, it will catch tons of fish, and it catches them quick. It’s not uncommon to have a sunfish hooked seconds after your lure hits the water, over and over again.

To rig a drop shot, tie a Palomar Knot as described below, but leave a long tag end. I like to start with a tag end of about 8 – 12 inches. Tie a simple overhand knot at the end of the tag end and then slide this knot through the drop shot sinker’s clasp and pull it up, to secure it in place.

To ensure quality hook sets, you will need to make sure that your hook point faces up. Although there’s a “perfect” way to tie the knot that will allow this, I have a shortcut. The easy, less confusing way is simply to check and see if the hook point is facing up when you hold the main line and tag end taut.  If the hook point is pointing down, turn it so it is facing up. Then, run the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook again from the top to the bottom. This will turn the hook the correct way.

The Palomar Knot

Aside, potentially, from the Arbor Knot described above, the Palomar Knot is the only fishing knot you need to know. While there are other knots out there, the Palomar is how you tie a drop shot. Since this is what you’re going to be fishing with after this article, you need to know it.

To tie the Palomar Knot, pass the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook and then double it back through the eye again to form a loop (figure 1).  The size of loop you need depends on the size of the lure you’re using, as you’ll soon see.  Make an overhead knot on the doubled line while letting the lure dangle below from the middle (figure 2).  Finally, pass your lure through the doubled tag line (figure 3) and tighten the line down until is snug against the eye of the lure (figure 4). You’ll want to wet the knot with saliva or water before tightening it to reduce friction.  When finished, snip off any remaining tag end, unless you’re tying a drop shot, in which case the sinker will attach to the tag end.

The Palomar Knot is used to tie a drop shot, which is a handy way to fish with kids.

Step 3: Drive to the Pond or Lake and Find a Decent Spot Where You Can Cast

One of the most important skills you need to take kids fishing is catching fish quickly. That is impossible if you can’t figure out where they are. I

Hopefully you have some idea of what local lakes or ponds hold fish. If not, grab a hard copy or PDF of your state’s fishing regulations booklet as most have a listing of the popular local water bodies and what type of fish they hold. Find one that says it has sunfish or yellow perch and drive there.

Once you arrive, take the advice I laid out in Step 2 of my post on preparing for a fishing trip with kids and find a place to fish. Basically, you want a place where the shoreline is clear enough to cast without snagging trees, and the water is clear enough from cover that you won’t immediately foul your rig in weeds.

If your pond or lake has clear water, it may be possible to see fish. Panfish (or at least the smaller ones) aren’t particularly shy, so don’t worry if they can see you. Larger fish like bass, on the other hand, will usually ignore your offerings if they feel something is amiss.

One of the most important fishing skills is finding a good fishing spot. Look for a place near weed cover that has a clear area your bait can sink in. This will ensure fish are likely near by, and can find your offering.
An imAn imThis area is ideal for fishing. The bank has no obstructions, and there is open water in front of a weedline where you can cast. It’s also clear enough that we were able to see the fish before we started casting, so we knew they were there.

Step 4: Cast Your Kid’s Line For Them

Once you’ve found a good fishing spot and threaded on your worm, the next step is to cast your bait out into the water. Since you are both new to the sport, I recommend that you handle this at first. Once they develop their skill set a bit, you can let them have a shot at catching a fish “all on their own,” but for now you need to be prepared to do the casting.

Even if you’ve never cast a fishing rod before, it’s not that hard:

  1. Hold your rod with your dominant hand at or slightly above where the reel attaches.
  2. Take your pointer finger and curl it around the line.
  3. Flip the bail open with your other hand.
  4. Pull the rod back to your side, taking care that no people, creatures, or things are in its path.
  5. Rapidly swing the rod towards the water.
  6. When the tip of the rod is facing the direction you want your lure to cast towards, uncurl your pointer finger from the line, freeing it and sending the lure flying.
  7. When the lure splashes into the water, close the bail manually with your non-dominant hand (you can also start reeling, but this is bad for the reel).
  8. Hold on tight and wait for a fish to bite.
Many people think kids should use spincast fishing rods, but it doesn't take much skill to use a regular spinning rod, and your child will be better off in the long run for your efforts.
Curl your pointer finger around the line and then open the bail. Your finger creates tension on the line, which prevents it from slipping off the spool until you uncurl your finger at the end of your cast.

Note:If your lure fails to go anywhere, you’ll need to troubleshoot. The most likely reasons are one of the following:

  1. You forgot to flip the bail open in step 3;
  2. Your line became tangled somewhere on the rod (usually the tip, though you may also find it has tangled around the reel itself).

Step 5: Help Your Child Catch Their First Fish

So far, so good. You’ve made it out of the tackle store without having to mortgage your house, you’ve set up your rod, reel and drop shot, selected a prime fishing location, and even successfully cast your bait into the water.

Now you just need to get a fish to bite so you can hand your kid the rod and have them reel it in.

Enticing a Fish to Bite

You might be wondering if getting a fish to bite is really a skill-based activity, or one that relies on luck. I’d emphatically argue that fishing takes more skill than luck. Even so, if you show up and toss a drop shot, you might not know what the big deal is.

The great thing about the drop shot is all you have to do is tie a worm on, cast it out and wait for a nibble. If panfish are present, they will announce themselves quickly. In fact, smaller ones will collide with each other in a desperate race to be the first at the scrap or morsel. This can be pretty cool for your kids to watch if you’re fishing in clear water.

One of the few skills you do need for this method of fishing is patience. It’s important to prevent your kids from immediately reeling in the bait. While it is pretty common for fish to bite immediately, occasionally they aren’t that brave and need a moment. It’s important that your children have about 30 seconds of patience, which might as well be an eternity for a toddler. A tip that works pretty well is to tell them that they can’t reel in the rod until they finish singing a quick song. I suggest a verse from this one:

Make sure you blast this while mom’s on board.
Move Around to Find Fish

This technique catches fish and catches them quick, so it’s great for identifying good water. If you don’t catch a fish quickly, chances are there aren’t many there. Panfish will notice the commotion from the bait splashing into the water. I find they’re drawn in from as far as 5 to 8 feet away. If you don’t feel any nibbles by the time your kid finishes their song, reel in and make another cast. This time, about 5 to 8 feet to the left or right of your first.

If your bait feels very heavy as you reel it in, the reason you haven’t caught anything is because it is fouled with weeds or some other object. Reel it in, clean it off, and cast to a slightly different area.

It doesn’t take long for panfish to let you know they’re there when you’re fishing with live bait or even scented artificial lures, so you if don’t feel anything after several casts, walk further down the bank and try another spot.

Hooking a Fish

When you feel a fish bite, you need to set the hook. You do this by sweeping the rod back and away from the water. The aim is to drive the hook into the fish’s mouth so it can be reeled in and caught. When the fish bites, you need to set the hook quickly, which can take a bit of skill. Thus, this too is probably something you’ll want to do for your kids at first.

This might take a bit of trial and error as panfish are notorious for picking away at the edges of your bait. Most nibbles are just that – nibbles. It can take a few tries to hook a fish. Hang in there. Eventually, a fish will grab the whole hook and you’ll be able to snag them.

If you find that you keep failing to hook the fish, consider remove the drop shot weight and casting the worm and hook in by itself. This will slow the descent of the bait and give the fish a better chance to line it up for a full attack. I find I can have better hookups this way.

If you do this, bear in mind that there’ss no need to cut the excess tag line that used to hold your sinker. Small fish won’t care, and you can replace the sinker easily enough if you find this didn’t help or lead to less strikes.

Watch Your Child Catch a Fish

This part is not for you. You’ve followed all the instructions with one goal: helping your kid catch a fish. Once you’ve hooked one, you’ve brought them as far as you can. Now it’s time to hand the rod over to your little buddy and watch them have fun reeling it in.

Make sure that you don’t allow any slack on the fish during the transfer. It doesn’t take these critters very long to spit a hook if you let off on the pressure.

Don’t feel as though you need to hand a rod off immediately, either. You can give it a good second or two and a few reels to make sure the fish is firmly on there. It’s far better for your kid to reel in 10 feet of line with a fish at the end, than to reel in 20 feet of line with an empty hook.

While your kid is fighting the fish it’s worth reminding him or her to “reel, reel, reel!” and also to “hold your rod tip high!” You’ll note that most pros advise against holding the rod high as it will cause fish to jump, but it’s almost impossible to explain the nuance of keeping a bend in the rod to a small, excited child without just using this short cut. If a fish jumps up and escapes, at least they got a good show.

Landing a Fish

Note: the advice below assumes that your child landed a sunfish, bluegill, or other small species that can simply be lifted out of the water by the line. You need considerably more skill for larger fish. If you tie into something larger, please read my articles on how to net fish successfully and how to land a fish without a net.

Ideally speaking, you don’t want your kid to drag the fish out from the water and across the shore. Fish have a protective coat of slime on their bodies that can be rubbed off. Doing so leaves them susceptible to infection and disease.

It’s safer for the fish to lift them from the water. Since neither of you know what you’re doing, it’s safer for you to do this by the line, well above the hook.

Some Advice on Holding Fish

If you try to grab the fish on your first adventure, they might shake and startle you. This might also mean you got a new piercing. If that happens, read my article on safety tips for fishing with kids for some ideas of how to remove it.

There are different types of ways to handle different types of fish, but assuming you’ve caught a panfish of some sort, grab the line, pull the fish out of the water, and stop it spinning with your other hand.

Once the fish stops spinning, grab it with your hand below its mouth so you don’t run the risk of being hooked. Slide your other hand down the line and grab the eye of the hook and twist it a bit to pop it out of the fish’s mouth.

Note: If you’re uncomfortable touching the fish with your hands, you can grab it with a rag, but please wet it first to minimize the damage to the fish’s protective slime coat.

If the fish has taken the hook deeply, use a pair of needle nose pliers to go in after it. Make every effort to remove the hook if you can do so without killing the fish, as it will be infinitely better off without a hook in its throat.

Bonus Step: Bask In Your Glory!

Once the fish is safely off the hook it is time for pictures! Grab your kid tight, tell them that you love them, and snap a few photos of their very first fish! Then let the fish go and cast back out there to catch a few more!

On your way home, bask in your glory and thank yourself for taking the time to learn enough about fishing to make this spur-of-the-moment trip a success for your child. Congratulations on raising a kid who will never have to lament how their mom or dad never took them fishing!

Taking a child fishing is one of the most rewarding experiences in life.
Bask in your glory. You earned it!

Other Resources

Hopefully, this article helped you understand what skills you need for fishing with your kids, and perhaps even helped you develop one or two. If it did, then I trust you will have a blast teaching your kids to fish. If you found this helpful, please don’t hesitate to check out some of my other articles that will help you further develop your fishing skills:

Still need some help getting started? If you’re serious about helping your children learn to fish, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids (or yourself) into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Trolling for Pickerel in Shallow Water

When you’re fishing with small children, you’re usually going for bluegills or other panfish species as you want to keep the action constant and their interest piqued.  At some point, however, they’re going to want to try and catch a bigger fish.  When this happens, I recommend tying on some spinnerbaits and trolling for pickerel in shallow water.

Spinnerbaits are great lures for catching the species, but they can be hard for young kids to use because they work best with a long casts and fast retrieves, repeated as much as you can stand. This can be pretty tough for young anglers to achieve, so dragging these lures behind the boat can be a much better option.

I’ve been using this technique with a lot of success so far this year, but I’ve quickly learned a few things that make the presentation much easier. Read on for some tips and please leave a comment with your own!

Please note that if fishing for pickerel with your kids interests you (and it darn well should!) I recently published a book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide that discusses how to target this species, among other topics. Consider giving it a read.

Your Quarry: Chain Pickerel

Pickerel are a great fish to troll for with children. They live in shallow grass beds and are easy to find
Chain pickerel make a fine target for kids. They are larger than panfish but relatively easy to catch.

Chain Pickerel belong to the Esox family that includes northern pike and muskellunge, and are the smallest of the three. They fight ferociously and can grow large enough to test young anglers. Their voracious appetite makes them a reliable target, and I can usually count on putting my son on a few of them, to his delight.

My son calls chain pickerel “boo boo fish” because I’ve taught him to be wary of their sharp teeth.    I’ve found that pickerel have a nasty habit of thrashing worse than most fish after you take them into a net or lift them into a boat.  Sometimes I think they fight harder after they’re caught!

You’ll find chain pickerel throughout the spring, summer, and fall in shallow grass flats.  Whereas with pike you’d look for water 8-12’ deep, pickerel are perfectly at home in the 2-6’ range.  I’ve also caught many pickerel over the years on lay downs and other wood cover, but I haven’t found too many of them on rocky points like pike.

I tend to find pickerel closer to shore early in the year, but if you’re trolling these shallow areas, you’re likely further out. Don’t despair: some of the largest fish hang out a bit deeper. Larger pickerel can put up a great fight, especially if you keep the boat moving.

Pickerel do tend to stack up and you can often catch many in the same small area, so make sure that you make multiple passes through productive water.

Proper Gear for Shallow Water Trolling

The nice thing about trolling for pickerel in shallow bays is that it doesn’t require a ton of special gear like downriggers.  If you’re willing to hold onto the rod, you can get away with just any fishing rod you have and some sort of trolling motor.  With that said, some gear certainly works better than others.

Rod Holders

It’s perfectly viable to hold onto your rod while trolling, and in fact some would recommend it as you’ll detect more bites. I won’t dispute that, but I will point out that this can be incredibly challenging to do while keeping your preschooler engaged. You’re going to need free hands while fishing with a toddle, so you’re going to want to invest in some rod holders that you can mount on the port and starboard sides of your boat. 

Rod holders make life so much easier. Just cast your lure out behind the boat, engage the spool, put the butt into the holder, and focus on your child until the fish strikes.

You don't need expensive downriggers when trolling shallow water for pickerel. A pair of rod holders mounted directly to your boat will do just the trick!
Rod holders are an inexpensive addition to your boat that make a world of difference when trolling shallow water.

Planer Boards: Yes or No?

If you’re just using rod holders, your lures are going to track directly behind your boat. This isn’t a problem (I’ve caught tons of fish this way), but sometimes you want to get your lures running off to the side. Perhaps you’re in very clear water and are concerned the boat is spooking fish, or maybe you’re in an area that allows more than two rods per angler, and you want to troll three or four rigs at a time. Planer boards would allow you to have two setups dragging directly behind the boat, and the other two running off to the side.

I don’t want to knock planer boards at all. I own them and use them when I’m fishing with older friends. They’re great tools and they have their place, but in my experience that place isn’t shallow water trolling with kids in the boat. I don’t favor them for this technique for two reasons:

  1. While they aren’t overly difficult to deploy normally, fishing with children makes everything 10x more difficult, and there is much more to fishing with a planer board than just casting a lure out and having a ball.
  2. If you’re fishing in shallow water, despite your best intentions you will foul on weeds from time to time. Planer boards make it difficult to clear your lure of weeds without reeling the entire set up in.

Again, nothing against them, but they just aren’t the best option when you’re out fishing with your kids. Now, if you’re fishing by yourself or with older children, they can be great as they put the lure out towards the side and can allow you to double up your presentations. You can troll one spinnerbait with a planer board and one without it on each side effectively. If you do want to pick some up, I’m a fan of Yellow Bird products.

Good Rods for Shallow Water Trolling

I know a lot of guys prefer a larger rod for trolling, but they aren’t necessary if you’re targeting pickerel. Further, I specialize in fishing with kids, and larger rods are difficult for them to handle.  I wouldn’t go higher than a 7’ rod for this reason.  You can do just fine with the same medium-heavy power, fast action set up that you have for normal spinnerbait presentations.

This is not a good technique for the Ugly Stiks you’re chasing panfish with. You want a stout rod that is going to hold up to high speed impacts with weeds and large fish. A rod with a better backbone is also going to be superior at snapping lures clear from weeds when they foul, reducing the amount of time you need to spend reeling the lure all the way in to clean it.

I suppose you don’t really “need” an expensive fishing rod for this technique. It doesn’t really matter how much the rod weighs in your hands if your boat is going to do all the work for the day, after all. Even so, a sensitive rod can be helpful in detecting when your lure is fouled. The worst problem with trolling is that sometimes it can be a little hard to tell if your lure is presenting properly, or if it is gunked up by weeds. The more sensitive your rod is, the easier it is to tell if something is amiss.

I personally use two St. Croix Avid Series rods for trolling.  One happens to be a baitcaster and the other has a spinning reel.  They’re both the same size, power, and action and I like using them for this because I want a more sensitive rod that is going to help me keep tabs on the vibrations from my spinnerbait. 

All the same, don’t feel like you need a $200 rod to be successful, because you certainly don’t. Just make sure it is strong enough to handle the task, and reasonably sensitive so you don’t waste too much time dragging around weed clumps.

What Type of Reel Should You Use for Trolling?

While I normally don’t recommend using baitcasters with kids, you can get away with it while trolling, and probably want to. Your kids aren’t casting, so you don’t have to worry about birds nests. Also, baitcasters make it easier to let out more line if you find your initial cast didn’t reach quite far enough.  All you have to do is engage the spool and then thumb out line bit by bit.

It’s possible to do this with a spinning reel as well but not as easy as thumbing the reel slowly.  Instead, you need to basically flip and close the bail repeatedly, letting a little line out at a time.

It’s very important that you do this slowly. Every time you let more line out, your lure no longer has resistance and dips a little lower in the water column until you reengage the spool. Thus, if you let it drop too much, it might become snagged with weeds or other hazards.

Ideal Fishing Line

While I don’t normally recommend fishing with braided line with children, I would argue it is a must when you’re trolling shallow water for pickerel.  Braid will allow you to feel every pulse of the spinnerbaits blade, thus making it easy to tell if your lure is fouled by weeds.  If the lure does snag a few, a quick pump of the rod will often free it and the braid’s sharpness and cutting ability contributes to this.

Monofilament or fluorocarbon would pull the bait well enough, but when it gets fouled, you’ll find its harder get the weeds off without reeling everything in.  Remember, you can’t catch a fish if your lure isn’t in the water.

As always when fishing with braided line around children, remember that it can leave some deep cuts if you try to hold the line while a thrashing pickerel is on the other end of it.  Warn your kids about this before you have to head in for Band-Aids or stitches.

Spinnerbaits: The Best Lure for Shallow Water Trolling

You can troll just about anything that is going to maintain its balance and presentation out there, but if you’re trolling for a speedy predator pickerel, you’re going to be fishing in weedy flats so you’ll want something that stays high in the water and is unlikely to snag weeds.  A spinnerbait is a prime choice.  I like a ½ oz with tandem willow blades.  I rig it with a stinger hook and stock extras of these as the fish tend to throw them with this presentation.

If you wanted to fish deeper, a heavier ¾ oz to 1 oz spinnerbait might be the ticket.  You also might be able to get away with shallower-running crankbaits or spoons so long as the weed growth remains below them.  The trick is keeping your lure clean of weeds so it presents well and draws a strike.

Trolling spinnerbaits doesn’t just work well for pickerel, you’re also likely to catch your share of northern pike and walleye. Check out this great article on trolling for walleye with bass-style spinnerbaits from In-Fishermen if you want some more tips to target the latter.

Types of Spinnerbait Blades

Spinnerbaits come with several different blade styles, and these days it seems that every slight modification qualifies for a new term, but the two most popular are Colorado and willow leaf.

  • Colorado blades look like a circle and displace a lot of water through their vibrations. They are best used in dark or murky water where you need to help a fish hone in on your lure to strike.
  • Willow Leaf Blades look like, well, a willow leaf. They cut through the water better and don’t vibrate as much, but they tend to emit more flash, and look like little bait fish running away.

These blades come in a variety of colors, but gold or silver are likely your best bet as you’re trying to look like a few fleeing bait fish.

Best Spinnerbait Colors

You’re going to need to experiment a bit to decide what color the fish want, but I will say it’s very, very hard to go wrong with a white spinnerbait matched to silver willow leaf blades. This works very well in all conditions, but especially so when the sun is out and the blades can really glimmer. Fish like pickerel and northern pike will pick up on the vibrant flashes of the spinnerbait while you’re trolling at high speeds and come darting out of the weeds to slam them.

With overcast skies, a darker color like red or even black can work better as it is easier for the fish to see. It is a little counter-intuitive, but if you don’t want to take my word for it, just look at what color most of the night lures are: black. It can be a little bit challenging to find these spinnerbaits with willow leaf blades, because they tend to be made for night fishing when most are going to want a Colorado blade. With that said, it is an easy thing to swap.

In murkier water, something bright like chartreuse or fire tiger can work great. Chartreuse was the main color I would throw throughout my youth in southern Lake Champlain with its brown water, and it still works very well.

Other Viable Lures

Spinnerbaits might be your best option, but they aren’t the only ones. Depending on the weed growth, you could also try several others types:

  • In-line spinners: A timeless classic for pike and pickerel, these are similar to a spinnerbait but don’t have a bent wire arm to protect them from weeds or teeth. They tend to have treble hooks, so are more likely to foul.
  • Swimbaits: Some allow you to bury the hook into them, which would make them completely weedless.
  • Shallow-running crankbaits: You’ll want to ensure that the weeds are deeper than the crankbaits run, or you’re going to constantly have to reel them in and remove the weeds. If you’re trolling for pike or pickerel, use a leader as they tend to break these off if you don’t.
  • Spoons: These are the quintessential lure for all members of the Esox species, and will work very well for pickerel. They have a wide wobble and are generally trolled in deeper water, but a smaller spoon could work up shallow.

Bear in mind that while the wire arm of a spinnerbait is going to protect the line in most cases, if you use these other lures that lack this protection, you’re going to want to consider using a wire leader.

Best Speed to Troll for Pickerel in Shallow Water

When determining how fast you want to troll, it’s worth bearing in mind that you’re trying to achieve a few things with your speed selection.  First, you want to make sure that your lure stays presentable meaning that it doesn’t dive too deep and get buried in the weeds, or lose control and balance, flopping every which way.  Secondly, you want to make sure the lure spark’s the fish’s interest, and entices them to feed.

A lot of guys use a tiller for their trolling, but I don’t have one so I rely on my bow mount trolling motor. At max speed, my Minn Kota Terrova propels my 2012 Lund Impact to about 2.5 – 2.7 mph.  I found this perfectly sufficient for this application and easy enough to implement, as all I need to do is hit the little rabbit button on the remote and hang on. 

At that speed, the spinnerbait tends to stay high in the water column, avoids most of the weeds, draws strikes, and the fish hook themselves (although I like to give the rod a pump for good measure when I get to it).  I’ve had no problem getting chain pickerel, northern pike, or bass to strike it repeatedly.

If you don’t have a trolling motor or tiller, the best speed is going to be whatever you can accomplish with your paddles or oars! Most people can paddle pretty fast, especially in lighter craft.  If you can manage to go quickly enough to keep your lure from fouling, there is no reason you can’t troll under paddle power.

Depth Control

Speed is one element that will help you achieve proper depth control. Many lures, including spinnerbaits, sink. If you pull them at a high speed, they tend to stay higher in the water column as they will be pulled horizontally and won’t have the chance to sink.

In my opinion, you want to keep the bait higher in the water column when you’re trolling for species like pike and pickerel. They tend to lie in wait over cabbage beds and then rocket up to snatch the lure. It’s also very difficult to troll a spinnerbait slowly at depth. They tend to rise naturally.

The amount of line behind the boat is also going to affect the depth. Generally speaking, the less line between your rod and the lure, the higher it will ride in the water column. This is worth remembering, but on the other hand, when you’re trolling shallow flats, you really need a long cast to give fish a chance to re-position in your boat’s path as there is a chance you will push them out while you move over them.

The speed necessary to keep your lure from fouling is going to depend on how deep the weeds or other cover are, and what type of lure you’re pulling.  You can get away with a much slower troll in situations where the weed growth is 5’ from the surface than 2’, and you’re also better able

Drawing Strikes

I tend to catch most of my pickerel and pike by “power fishing” or burning spinnerbaits in, so when I am trolling I try to go as fast as possible. I have found that members of the Esox family seem to prefer a fast-moving target as it seems to trigger a “now or never” response in them that leads them to rocket from the depths to strike.

Many people suggest a trolling speed of between 2-4 mph when trolling spinnerbaits, and I won’t disagree with them.  I have trolled as slow as 1.5 mph with them but I do this earlier in the year when the weeds weren’t as thick and the water was cooler.

Another great tactic is to vary the speed a bit as you go. If you were casting spinnerbaits, I’d recommend that you give your rod a little “twitch” or stop reeling every now and then to try and draw a strike, and you want to do the same thing when trolling. Just stop the motor now and then, or speed it up or slow down for a second or two. This might be just what a pursuing predator needs to convince them to attack.

In any event, always remember to let the fish tell you what they want, rather than trying to force what you want to do on the fish. Don’t keep trolling fast or slow if the fish aren’t having it.

Good Places to Troll for Pickerel in Shallow Water

If you’re trying to troll for pickerel, you’re looking to find grass flats that are shallow enough to hold these fish in large numbers, but deep enough to not completely clog with weeds.  If you were just casting spinnerbaits you could do a fair job of picking out pockets or casting through likely alleyways in the weeds for a precise presentation.  That isn’t happening by dragging some baits behind your boat while trolling.  They’re going to ram into every weed that gets in their way, and the more time you spend reeling them in because they’ve fouled, the less time they’re out there catching fish. 

With all that said, you do need cover of some kind to attract fish.  You will get very few strikes in areas without any weeds or other cover.  Sure, you’ll get the occasional fish that is transitioning through the area on their way to somewhere better, but you’ll completely bore your kids in the process and make trolling haters out of them.

Given all this, what you really want is the right “goldilocks” situation where there are weeds growing tall and thick enough to give fish necessary cover, but not so tall or thick that you can’t run a spinnerbait over or through them successfully.  This means you’ll generally be fishing further from the bank than most other guys, which can be concerning until you realize just how many fish hang out in deeper water.  Remember that banks are easy visual cues that attract many fishermen.  Substantially fewer work the slightly deeper water or weed beds, but there are plenty of fish to be found.   Most of the guys working the bank are after bass, anyway, not pickerel.

Reading your Rod

It’s important to understand what is going on under the water. Specifically, you want to know if your lure is working appropriately and clean of weeds or other obstructions. Having a sensitive rod and a reel spooled with braid will help you accomplish this.

What you want to do is bring your boat up to speed and then cast your lure behind it. As soon as it hits the water, flip the bail or engage your reel so that it stops stripping line. You should feel your spinnerbait’s blades pulsating in the water due to the sensitive rod and braided line. Put your rod into a rod holder and take note of the amount of bend or angle of the bend that the rod tip has under normal conditions. If your lure is running clean, it will look like this. If it hits weeds, it will bend further and needs correction.

It wouldn’t hurt to find an area of clear water without obstructions to test this and to get the hang of what your rod tip should look like when it is free from weeds.

When you're trolling shallow water, pay attention to your rod tip. Notice how it bends when the lure is "clean" as opposed to weighted down by weeds. This will help you tell if you have hooked a pickerel, or just some cabbage!
Note the amount that your rod tip bends when the lure is moving through the water at a certain speed without any weeds on it. If it bends more than this, it is likely fouled.

Hooking and Fighting Fish

Fish tend to hook themselves while trolling.  If you’re moving fast enough the rod holder will give them a pretty good hook set on its own, though I would recommend doubling down on this and giving your rod a good pump after you pick it up. 

One thing you will immediately notice is that the fish seems huge.  This is because you are not only fighting the fish but also all the force of the water from your moving so fast.  It is certainly possible to fight the fish while keeping your troll going (and even advisable to do so if you’re in a prime spot), but if it is too much for you or your little one, you can always stop your troll, play and land your fish, and then start things up again.  It’s not that big of the deal to reset one or two rods for shallow water trolling (it’s not like you have downriggers to worry about or very far for your lures to drop).

Keeping It Fun For Kids

Many fishermen groan at the prospect of trolling, even in shallow water. Children in particular need constant action while fishing, and any time that you’re going for anything other than panfish, this isn’t exactly guaranteed.  You’re going to want to have some stuff for them to do while you’re trolling.  I prefer trolling for pickerel when they tell you they want a break from casting and reeling and want to look in the live well, or when they’re eating lunch. 

I always recommend that you start any fishing trip with kids by targeting some panfish and throwing them in the livewell (where legal).  This is a critical step to make fishing fun for kids. They tend to be hardy and will be fine in there so long as you keep adding in fresh water and they do wonders for holding children’s attention.  Any time they get tired of fishing, they have their very own aquarium to stare at.  You’ll find that they like to name the fish and even try to “feed” them with worms.  It keeps them occupied.

If you have followed this advice, you should be good to go.  Your kids won’t think that you’re about to start doing something “boring” (i.e., not catching a fish on every catch) and will instead think that they’re off to look at the live well and have fun with that.  Then, you get to surprise them now and then with a large fish to reel in and add to the live well fun (again, where legal). 

If you can stack up a pretty good selection of fish for them to stare at in a fairly short time trolling, you’ll find they don’t have any complaints!

It’s tempting to say, “well, if two rod holders are good, four would be better!” but be mindful of the fact that several states limit how many rods any angler can use at one time.  They may or may not consider your child an angler, especially if they are so young that they don’t yet require a license.  Make sure that you research your local fishing laws so you can stay on the up and up and not have to explain to your kids why the lake police stopped you and issued a ticket.

Step by Step Guide to Trolling for Pickerel in Shallow Water

Ok, so you have your rod, reel, braided line, ½ oz spinnerbait, and location picked out.  How do you put it all together?  It’s pretty simple:

  1. Bring your boat to the desired speed via your trolling motor or kicker;
  2. Once at speed, cast your lure as far as desired behind the boat. 
  3. Pinch the line to make sure you can feel the vibration of the spinnerbait and haven’t immediately snagged;
  4. If more distance is required, strip off line slowly, making sure that you keep pinching the line.  Each time that you strip some line away, your lure will sink slightly.  You want to make sure that you do this in short bursts so that you don’t let it sink enough to become fouled.
  5. Put your rod in the rod holder and pay attention to the way the tip looks while the lure is running clean.  It should bend at a consistent angle while moving at that speed.  If it bends more than that at any time, it means it hit a weed and has become fouled.  Many times, if you pinch the line you will no longer feel the same vibration sensation because of this.
  6. If fouled, pick up the rod and give it a good series of jolts until you can once again feel the vibrations of the lure, and the rod again bends at the consistent “clean” angle.
  7. If your rod bends badly and keeps tugging, you have a fish! Take the rod out of the rod holder, set the hook with a good pump, and start fighting the fish!
  8. Make sure that your children are well-occupied during this process.  Trolling shallow weedbeds for pickerel is a great way to spend lunch time out on the boat as the two of you can have a nice snack that is interrupted at times by some fun action.
  9. Always ensure that you’re legally compliant in terms of the numbers of rods allowed and what fish you stash in the live well.
  10. Stay safe and have fun!  

As always, if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it so it can help others.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Lake Champlain Fishing Report 6/30/19 – 7/5/19

UPDATE: I’ve recently released a list of fishing resources for Lake Champlain. If you’re interested in visiting the lake, go check it out!

Well, we’ve arrived back from Lake Champlain – another successful fishing trip with my kids in the books. I was a little concerned about the recent fishing pressure as the FLW tournament just wrapped up as we arrived, but they left plenty of fish behind as we caught 10 different species over 6 days and had an absolute blast.

My son and I were able to spend the majority of the week fishing as we were blessed with great weather. We didn’t feel a single rain drop until we packed up the car for the ride home. The air temperature was anywhere from 80-90 degrees. The water temperature was no lower than 73 degrees (and often substantially higher). There was very little wind on most days and never enough that I was concerned with safety. In fact, we often had to troll just to make our own breeze.

I followed my usual action plan for fishing with kids. We targeted panfish first and got a few in the livewell for my son to “check on” throughout the day. This was useful whenever he needed a break from fishing. Once we caught a few of those, we moved on to try and catch some larger fish. Since he is still little, that meant trolling spinnerbaits for pickerel and pike.

My son taking a break from fishing to check on some yellow perch and rock bass.

My boy had a good time on the 1st as he managed to land two 20″ largemouth. One was caught on a senko and the other on a spinnerbait. One’s tail was completely bloodied, indicating that it was still on the beds. This is a pretty late spawn for the area, but the water started off so high and cold this spring which may have delayed some fish.

On the 2nd, we doubled down on some trolling methods we explored back in May. We dragged 1/2 ounce Terminator Spinnerbaits in several weedy bays in search of pike and pickerel. If you think it’s a boring way to catch fish, you need to revisit your opinion! Learn how to do it by reading my article on trolling for chain pickerel!

On the 3rd, we were able to eat dinner early enough that we could head out for the evening bite. I told my son that we weren’t going for panfish – we were going for bass, and we were going to a very weedy bay where it would be very hard for him to cast on his own. He was fine with this and told me that he just wanted to net my fish, anyway.

We headed into a local bay and found largemouth bass just stacked around a creek mouth. I tried tossing a frog for them and had some success but I noticed the boat next to me kept catching fish on worms, so I brought out the senko rod and adjusted tactics (you always want to remember to let the fish tell you what they want instead of trying to force what you want). Once I made the change, it seemed like every cast brought another fish.

There weren’t any giants that night – they were all between 14″ – 17″, but the action was constant and my son had a ball netting all the fish. This was great for me too as it meant I finally had a chance to catch a few instead of always having to hand my rod over! By the end of the night, I had a great case of “Bass Thumb,” which is a very real concern when fishing Lake Champlain!

Bass thumb: a very real concern when fishing on Lake Champlain.
Bass Thumb: surefire sign of a great time.

This area proved far too popular to take my son to during the day as there were constantly bass boats parked on it. My kid wasn’t much of an early riser this week and being four, I didn’t want to risk any meltdowns by waking him too early. This meant that we had to abandon any chance of fishing prime real estate on such a busy vacation week, but no matter, panfish and pickerel were all we needed for a good family adventure.

We spent much of the 4th and 5th at Bulwagga Bay. The western shore is full of boulders and rip rap which concentrates panfish of all types. I have noticed several freshwater drum there over the years and was hoping that my son would tangle with one, but that wasn’t meant to be. All the same, he did hook a nice 18″ largemouth on his St. Croix panfish series ultralight “Birthday Rod” that I got him this year.

I was very proud of the way he fought this fish. Earlier in the week he had lost a fish by reeling while it was pulling drag and not letting the rod load up. He made good on that mistake this time by playing this bass well and listening intently to my coaching. Every time the drag screamed he would stop reeling and just let the fish take some line and bend the rod. When the drag stopped running, he would start to reel again. It was certainly his best fight of the trip and the most ably I’ve seen him fight a fish in his four years. It was quite the sight to see!

After having our fill of the panfish and bass on the western shore, we would head to the south of the bay and start trolling spinnerbaits back and forth, looking for pickerel. They didn’t disappoint, and nor did this walleye that surprised me in 7′ of 80 degree water!

You never know what you'll get while fishing on Lake Champlain. This walleye surprised us both!
Bulwagga Bay Walleye with the author missing a tooth courtesy of a ham sandwich gone rogue.

All in all, it was a great trip filled with some awesome memories. I can’t remember the last time Champlain was that calm for that long, and I’m grateful I was able to spend so much time on the water with my son.

If you’d like to make memories such as these with your kids, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. It features numerous tips on how you can help get your kids interested in fishing, and much of what I discuss uses Lake Champlain as an example. If you are trying to get your kids into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read, but you may also pick up a tip or two about the lake in general. Please consider purchasing it.

As Lake Champlain is vast, you also may want to hire a guide while you’re out fishing. Drop Captain Mickey Maynard a line – he’ll help you break down the lake in no time!

Thanks,

John Paxton