I hope all the dads out there had a happy and safe Father’s Day, preferably fishing with their kids!
There were some thunderstorms (or “boom boom clouds” as my son calls them) brewing, but he and I managed to sneak out to a couple local ponds for some panfish action. We didn’t catch anything of any size, but it’s not like he cares. To a kid, a fish is a fish is a fish and all you need to do to keep your children happy on their fishing trip is put them in front of quantity. Mission accomplished today!
While I was out there watching him cast and marveling at
just how good he’s gotten over the past few weeks, I had to think back to my
own childhood fishing with my dad on Lake Champlain.
He and his friend purchased a house up there back in the
mid-eighties when I was very young. They
got a good price, but only because it was a run-down camp that need a ton of
work. My old man and his buddy had both
worked the trades in their youth and so they did most of this job themselves.
Renovating the lake house took my dad away from home most
weekends and I remember missing him terribly.
In fact, one of my earliest memories is watching him pack up a suitcase
for another long weekend away, and doing my best to squirm into it and “hide”
so that he would accidentally take me with him.
I remember begging him to let me come along, but an active construction
site is no place for a small angler and he always told me no.
Then, one day, he didn’t.
I was six-years-old at the time and ecstatic – my dad was going to take
me on a fishing trip to Lake Champlain with him, all by myself! He bought me what
seemed like an enormous tackle box and let me rifle through all of this to put together
whatever lures I wanted, and he rigged up an Ugly Stik with a snap swivel on
it, just for me!
I remember driving up the four hours to Champlain
listening to Jimmy Buffet and Marty Robbins songs in-between a Yankees
game. We stopped for some burgers and ice
cream at an old greasy spoon long-since closed before continuing on to the
north country.
When we got there, he charged up the boat batteries while I poured over some older fishing books and VHS tapes and did my best to contain my excitement. My dad’s friend was also there fishing from his Ranger, and he told us all about some far away bay that was just loaded with bass on the beds and big northern pike.
Dad showing me a largemouth bass when I was little.
The next morning, we took off for our fishing trip in dad’s boat (which at the time was nice and new and not named “Sinky”) and headed for that bay. I remember the ride seemed to take forever – Lake Champlain is massive and even the southern end just opened up like the ocean to my smile eyes.
I still remember how calm the bay looked that morning. There was mist on the water and just the gentlest of breezes. There seemed to be reeds everywhere with deep, enticing pockets of water almost forming alleyways between them. Dad taught me how to cast a Timberking and keep the rod tip high enough for it to stay on top of the water and I delighted as fish after fish smashed and smacked at it. A pickerel here, a bass there, they all seemed like giants to a six-year-old.
We then threw spinnerbaits in-between the reeds. Dad told me to try my best to cast into the
different pockets and start reeling as soon as they touched the water. Each time I cast well he complimented and
encouraged me and made it seem like some crazy, unthinkable happenstance if no
fish struck after such a perfect cast.
The bites were fast and furious – it was the kind of
constant action that all father’s dream of for their kid’s first fishing trip. Each cast I made was a little more precise
and went a little further. I was so
proud of myself as I didn’t need my dad to hand me his rod all the time (even
though he still did religiously). Eventually,
I cast out a chartreuse spinnerbait with big, red painted eyes towards an alley
when – THUD! – some monster from the depths struck and gave me the fight of my
short life! Dad kept yelling, “Keep the rod tip high! Keep the rod tip high!”
as I struggled with this beast! At one point it jumped and I saw its long, silvery
form as it smashed back into the water with a giant splash. After what was probably less than a minute
real time, but ages to a six-year-old, dad netted my very first northern
pike. At 6lbs, it wasn’t any giant by
any means, but anyone who has fought one can imagine what it felt like to a
six-year-old fishing a flimsy ugly stick.
Yeah, I was hooked for life.
That first fishing trip with Dad sealed the deal. Dad and I have gone out together hundreds of times since then all across the country. We’ve seen the sun rise across Lake Champlain as the loons call, and Alligators scatter as our boat approached them in some Florida Canal. He and I have stood back astonished as Orca broke the surface near our lines in Alaska, and marveled as pike rocketed from the depths to strike a spinnerbait in Bantam Lake, Connecticut. We’ve caught thousands upon thousands of fish together, some truly massive. But none of those fish and none of those trips could ever quite match our first one together.
Yep, that was the trip that started it all and ignited my
passion. The fishing was great, but the
most memorable part of it all was it was the first time dad took me out all by
ourselves. It was the first time he
trusted me to cast all on my own and it was the first time that he took me out
looking for bigger game fish. It was my
first truly special moment with my old man, and the first time I realized why
this sport is so special.
I hope you all had an awesome day of fishing with your daughters and sons. If you would like to learn how to make your trips more memorable, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, as it is filled with useful tips for fishing with your kids. Lake Champlain is a great place to take them. Consider booking a charter with Captain Mickey Maynard for some awesome memories with your family! Make sure to check out my guide on the definitive resources for fishing Lake Champlain before you head there!
Fishing is a great way to spend a day with your kids, but much can go wrong. While fishing doesn’t have to be a dangerous sport, if you aren’t careful, someone could be hurt, or worse. Most of the more common injuries and issues are fairly predictable, but there are some other hidden dangers that no one could expect. In this article, I will discuss a few different safety tips to help you while you’re fishing with your kids.
As this is a bit of a lengthy article, here’s some quick links that will help you jump to what you need:
We’ll start by discussing some of the more common things that can go wrong while fishing: sunburn, drowning, and being hooked by an errant lure. While these may seem like fairly obvious safety tips, they’re important ones to keep in mind while fishing with children.
The Sun
The most likely danger you’ll encounter while fishing comes from directly overhead – the sun. You’re never going to be more exposed to it than while you’re out on a boat on the lake. Its rays hit you from above, and also reflect off the water. If you’re not careful, you or your children could be badly burned.
Four small steps will spare your kids from this fate:
Apply sunscreen early, often, and liberally.
Invest in effective sun clothing they’re likely to wear.
Stay hydrated
Keep them out of the worst of it.
Sunscreen
A kid’s skin is much more sensitive than an adults, so it is important that you apply sunscreen early, often, and liberally. Get them used to it from a young age. If they’re fussy, do what you need to do to distract them while you apply it. This is definitely one time when handing them your phone makes sense. It’s important that you don’t miss a spot.
There are several different sunscreen products made for kids. If they don’t like the liquid types, consider using a sunscreen stick instead. These come in handy especially around the face.
One thing I would warn you is not to count on their clothing to shield them. My son has a habit of leaning way over to check out the fish in the livewell, and this tends to expose his lower back. You should apply sunscreen everywhere early in the morning instead of just putting it on initially exposed skin. Making a habit of applying it everywhere will reduce the chance of forgetting it somewhere.
Sun Clothing
While you shouldn’t rely on clothing to protect your kids, you should still dress them in good, SPF-rated articles that are light weight and breathable. There are many long-sleeved, lightweight shirts out there intended for use while swimming, and these are perfect for fishing.
Sun Hats
You’ll also want to invest in a good, wide-brimmed sunhat for your kids. Forget the baseball caps for toddlers – keep them totally in the shade. They sell quite a few in the larger fishing stores and these also tend to have drawstrings which help keep them on your kid’s head. Make their continued use a requirement for continued fishing.
They also sell “boating hats” that have a drape that protects the neck. This could be hotter than a wide-brimmed hat but would do a better job of keeping their neck free from burns. It wouldn’t be the worst idea to try both and see what you can get them to wear.
Polarized Glasses
These are great fishing tools in general as they help reduce sun glare on the water, which in turn allows you to see into the water much better. Often, you can even spot fish with a good pair of these glasses, or at least spot large boulders or other cover likely to hold them.
They also serve to spare your eyes from errant hooks cast by toddlers, and from a sunburn of their own from the glare. Your kid’s eyes are precious and can’t be replaced. Get them a good pair of polarized glasses that have a string to keep them on their head and let them know they’re special “fishing glasses” that help them “see the fish” to get them to wear them. Make sure you get yourself a few pairs too! I say a few because kids have a habit of stepping on them or dropping them off the side of a boat into the water to hear them go “bloop.” Sunglasses are a must for fishing safely with kids learning to cast, as they’ll make many errors.
Liberal use of sunscreen coupled with a good hat, sun shirt, and polarized glasses will keep your child from being badly burned and extend your time on the water.
Avoid Heat Exhaustion By Staying Hydrated
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are serious dangers while fishing, so take this safety tip to heart. Make sure that you bring along enough fluids for the whole family and constantly remind your kids to take a sip. It is pretty easy to forget when the fish are biting, and it can cost you.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is the first step towards heatstroke, which is a life threatening situation. Obviously, you want to catch the warning signs quickly so things don’t escalate to that stage. They include the following:
Your child keeps telling you they are thirsty;
They complain of weakness, cramps, or headache;
Your child complains of nausea or vomits, especially if the seas aren’t rough;
Your child has increased irritability (which can be tough to diagnose in toddlers, I know)
They are sweating more than you would assume they should;
High temperature, but not yet 104°F
If you believe your child is suffering from heat exhaustion, move them out of the sun and into a cooler area (the shade, air conditioning, etc.) and offer them fluids. Forget your parental ban on sugary drinks like sports drinks – you actually want them to have one. Take off your kid’s excess clothing and pat them down with a cool, damp cloth.
If you can’t get your child to drink or think they may have progressed beyond simple heat exhaustion, call your doctor immediately.
Heatstroke
Small kids aren’t going to be aware of the danger of heatstroke. Everything is still a new experience for them and they won’t necessarily recognize that there is an issue. It’s up to you to be aware of the signs of heatstroke.
Flushed, hot skin that is dry to the touch;
Increased irritability;
Lack of sweating despite every indication they should be;
Complaints of weakness, dizziness, or headache;
Nausea/vomiting (again, do not assume this is just sea sickness – it could be far, far worse);
Rapid breathing and heartbeat
Temperature of 104°F or higher.
If your child has these signs, get them out of the sun and into the shade, undress them and douse them with cool water, and call for emergency help. Despite what you would think, you should not give them fluids unless they are alert and acting normally.
The Center for Disease Control offers a handy pdf that you can bring along with you on any trip that talks about these and other signs of heat-related illnesses.
Go Home At Noon
No matter how careful you are, if you fish around noon, you’re going to risk a nasty burn. The fishing tends to be slow around this time, anyway. Do yourself and your kids a favor and try and plan your fishing trips earlier or later in the day. The fish will bite better and the sun won’t be as oppressive, so this safety tip pays off in many ways.
Pick your spots while fishing. There’s no reason to go out when it’s 100 degrees, especially with children in tow. Take them to the pool or even the movies instead.
Drowning
Any time you’re near water, you run the risk of drowning. An errant footstep or a rogue wave can send someone plunging beneath the surface. It’s also quite possible that you do everything right, but some idiot weekend warrior swamps or collides with your boat and sends your family into the drink. It is therefore vitally important that your children (and you) always wear your life jacket.
Life jackets aren’t just a good idea – they’re often the law. You should read your state’s regulations to understand exactly when they must be worn. Some states require that small children wear life jackets at all times while on a boat, while other states only require them if the boat is underway.
If you listen to no other safety tip I give you, please invest in a quality life jacket that will be comfortable while fishing with your family. This is one area where you really don’t want to skimp to save some money. The better the product, the more likely you are to wear it, and a life jacket is only useful when worn.
My Recommendation: Mustang Survival
I’m a fan of Mustang Survival products and use them for my children. Not only are they highly regarded flotation devices, but they are also great for clumsier kids as the infant and child models come with significant padding behind the head. While this is done to help keep their head above water, a great side effect is that the padding also protects them from falls while they’re bumbling up front to check out a fish or grab your rod.
Mustang Survival offers a number of infant and youth life jackets. Here are three my son has worn from 0 – 4 years of age.
While you’re shopping for your kids’ life jackets, you might also consider purchasing one for yourself. The same company, Mustang Survival, has a number of personal flotation devices that are auto-inflatable and will deploy automatically once you are submerged in the water. I wear the Mustang Survival – Inflatable PFD with HIT (Auto-Hydrostatic) model, and bought a second for my father.
Because they start off “collapsed,” these adult life jacks are light weight and very comfortable, which makes it much more likely that you’ll wear them. I’ve been wearing these for years and even on hot days it’s hard to remember that it’s on sometimes. I can’t say enough good things about the product, though they are expensive. You just have to remember that they’re protecting something priceless.
Other Options
You can find similar life jackets out there from other manufacturers as well. When searching, just make sure that they automatically inflate when submerged in water. There are a few models out there that only inflate manually by pulling a cord. That isn’t very helpful if you are knocked unconscious before you can pull it.
Other Considerations with Life Jackets
Don’t forget to take your child to a pool with their life jacket and invest some time in helping them learn how to float in one and right themselves if they flip over. While life jackets are designed to help keep your kid’s head above the water, if they’re thrashing and terrified, they can upset the buoyancy and get in trouble. As with everything else, experience helps, so spend a little time practicing the important skill of floating.
If you’re looking for a resource with information on the children life jacket laws in all 50 states, check out this helpful post at lifejacketadvisor.com. You also might want to spend some time reading the U.S. Coast Guard’s thoughts on why you should always wear your life jacket. Both sites have great safety tips that will remove some of the danger from fishing.
Hooks
OK, so it should (I would hope) be pretty obvious that hooks aren’t safe for kids, but what you might not realize is that certain ones are much more dangerous than others. These are called treble hooks. They are dangerous (at least in small sizes) because they have a very thin diameter that allows them to pierce a fish’s mouth (or human hand) like a needle. It is very likely that they’ll stick in the target even without the need for a monster hook set. I don’t recommend using these around children, but if you do, pinch the barbs down with some pliers so that if the worst case happens, you’ll be able to back the hook out without too much trauma.
This box of jerkbaits and crankbaits is very effective for hooking fish, and small hands. I don’t recommend using such baits around small children but if you insist, bend or file down the barbs.
Thicker wire hooks like found on most single-hook lures aren’t as dangerous. It’s a little counter-intuitive because these hooks look more substantial, but this also means that they require much more force to set. This isn’t to say you can’t be hurt by them–you can, and badly–but they are much less likely to embed themselves deeply than a treble hook.
Lures with larger hooks are less likely to bury deeply in the skin as they require more force to do so.
An important fishing safety tip is to wear sunglasses and insist that your children do so also. A hook to the arm is bad enough but a hook to the eye would be absolutely tragic. Polarized sunglasses have the added plus of letting the kids “see the fish,” which can be a good way to secure their buy-in for wearing them.
If you’re allowing your kids to cast, or even to
hold the rod while you’re trying to release a fish, plan on being accidentally
hooked. If this happens to you, it’s
just the price of admission, but you really don’t want this to happen to your
kids. It can ruin a trip and add
hundreds of dollars to medical bills if you don’t know what you’re doing.
There is a simple way to remove a hook that is embedded beyond the barb, but it’s not for the faint of heart. First, you should cut off any other hooks that are near the offending one. You don’t want to remove one hook only to jab another into you in the process. Once you do this:
Press the eye of the hook (the part where the line ties in) against your skin and hold it down tight.
Take several strands of very heavy line, doubling, tripling or more as necessary and loop it around the bend of the hook (they also sell hook removal tools with heavy-duty line attached and ready).
While still applying pressure to the eye, make a short, sharp and strong jerk on the line in the opposite direction of the eye.
By pushing down on the eye, you’ve angled the barb in such a way that a short burst of pressure should release the hook with minimal injury.
A Demonstration in the Name of Fishing Safety?
As much as I’m committed to help you learn to fish and keeping your family safe out there on the water, I don’t really feel like hooking myself to prove to you this method works. Luckily, I don’t need to, as a brave soul took a video of removing a fishing hook from flesh several years ago.
Other Thoughts on Hook Removal
Obviously, depending on where the hook goes in, you may or may not be able to handle this yourself. Use your best judgement and seek medical treatment when appropriate. I’ve had to use this method numerous times on my father as he insists on carrying his tackle in plastic Ziplock bags that he keeps bunched up in his pockets. They’re great products for keeping freshness in, but they aren’t intended for treble hooks.
Less Obvious Fishing Dangers
So far I’ve discussed some of the more common calamities that can occur, but there are plenty of hidden dangers out there on the lake that you just wouldn’t know about if you were just getting started. Just because these are less obvious doesn’t necessarily make them less common, so be attentive and aware that you might run into these. Here are a few safety tips that deal with fishing gear you might not normally consider dangerous.
Braided Line
You wouldn’t normally think that fishing line would be dangerous , but there are a few things that can go wrong. The most common is probably cuts. There are certain types of braided line that are extremely sharp and can create rope burn or even deep cuts if suddenly dragged across flesh. The most likely time for this to happen is while a fish is on the hook. If the fish takes a powerful, jolting run or even flops about haphazardly while you or your child is holding the line, you run the risk of being cut. Pickerel are really good at doing this to you as they tend to flop about madly after being caught, which is unfortunate as pickerel are one of the top fish to target with children.
While fish certainly enhance the likelihood of a
cut, you can also manage to cut yourself if you run your hand over the line too
fast, such as if you go to pull some line past a tightened drag and have your
hand slip.
These cuts generally aren’t the end of the world, but they can be very painful as they tend to wound the tips of your fingers where all your nerves are. A cut early in the week can put a damper on vacation if it is deep enough, so be aware of the risk. I personally choose to avoid this risk by simply using monofilament on my children’s rods.
Soft Plastics
Kids would play with soft plastic worms, tubes,
and especially salamanders all day long if you would let them, but you need to
read the package first because certain brands carry significant health warnings
and really shouldn’t be handled by children prone to put them in their
mouths. Please make sure you know what
you’re giving your children so that they don’t suffer any long-term ill effects,
and have them wash their hands when they come back from fishing.
Lead
Please bear in mind that many of the fishing lures
out there and a majority of the weights are made of lead. Lead can be harmful to your health, though
you’d think it would take a bit more than some fishing trips to bring about
problems. If you’re concerned about
this, some manufacturers offer alternative tungsten options. These tend to be more expensive, but you’re
buying peace of mind. In some states,
like Massachusetts, they are required by law and one can only expect other
states to eventually follow suit.
Weighted Snags and Trotlines
One of the more frightening fishing dangers out there are weighted snags and trotlines, and I’ll bet many of you have never considered either. This is one safety tip I wish I listened to on one fishing trip described below. Luckily, it worked out for me, but it was a near-run thing.
In short, you’re going to snag things constantly with kids and you’ll be tempted to try and retrieve your hooks as best you can as they’re expensive and money doesn’t grow on trees. Sometimes, however, it’s best just to let it go. This is an important safety tip, and to drive that home, let me explain a scary thing that happened to me on a recent fishing trip.
My Scary Encounter With a Snag
I had this point driven home in a scary way not that long ago. It I was fishing with my son up on Lake Champlain one day. We were trolling a grass flat in about 6-7’ of water with spinnerbaits. Suddenly, one of the rods bent over and started screaming drag to the point that I actually had to turn the boat back before the rod was stripped. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but was hoping that an enormous channel cat had struck, or perhaps a large carp had been foul hooked. I started reeling in an object that wasn’t moving much, and eventually I got close enough to see that the spinnerbait was embedded in some dock line.
Like an idiot, I grabbed the line and started pulling it onto the boat. This dock line was attached to a giant cement boat mooring, long forgotten by its owner. It probably weighed 40-50lb. I was an idiot because I grabbed the dock line below the spinnerbait, meaning that if my hand slipped, I ran the real risk of also being hooked and dragged immediately overboard. In 6-7’ of water with a 50lb weight dragging my hand down, that would have been the end of me. My three-year-old would have seen me go overboard and been helpless and adrift all on his own.
It was a stupid, stupid, stupid thing to attempt over an $8 lure. By the grace of God, nothing bad happened, but I got a pretty good shock when the line slipped slightly and I realized the mistake I was making and how close I had come to a Darwin Award.
Trotlines
Much the same, in certain parts of the country, you’ll find a heavy line filled with hooks dangling from heavy tree branches near the water. They’re often moored by a heavy object below the water, which you can’t always see. These are called trotlines, and they can have the same effect as the boat mooring above. It is not uncommon for people to die after becoming tangled in these and dragged overboard, so if you happen to snag one with an errant cast, let discretion rule the day and sacrifice the lure to spare your life. As I mentioned above, they are one fishing danger that more people need to consider.
Wild Animals
Whenever you step foot in the great outdoors you need to be aware of the different critters you might encounter. In fact, in a pursuit like fishing, you’re aiming to encounter them. Some can cause injury or even death, so be on your toes.
In general, try to anticipate where wild animals might lurk, and place yourself between that spot and your kids. Here are a few safety tips that deal with wild animals you’ll encounter while fishing.
Fish
The most likely creature that could hurt your kid is the very fish that they’re targeting. They tend to have pretty impressive offensive and defensive mechanisms that can wound young anglers if they aren’t careful. Even if some of the fish stories about northern pike attacking humans aren’t true, you still need to be careful!
Some fish have an impressive array of fierce teeth, defensive spines and other sharp areas that can injure unaware anglers. Others have substantial bite strength that can bruise little fingers or even toxin-lined jabbers that can leave a good welt. You’re going to want to know what you’re dealing with before you pass any fish over to your child to hold.
Teeth
The teeth are pretty simple to identify – look in the fish’s mouth and see what you’re dealing with. Anything with teeth should never be held by the mouth, and pliers should be used to remove hooks safely.
Spines
Many fish have sharp dorsal spines running along the edge of their back that they will instinctively raise when threatened, as these make them harder to swallow. These spines are just as good at pricking hands as throats as you will soon find out while unhooking them. To be perfectly honest, it’s just part of fishing to be pricked a bit by these spines and your best bet is just to grab the fish and get it over with, but if your child is one who shies easily from pain, you will want to warn them about these spines so they can grab the fish from below or by the mouth instead.
The Gill Plate
The gill plate is another area that can be sharp, and care should be taken when approaching it as some species are worse than others. The gill plate is the flap of skin that covers the gills. The gills themselves are fragile and should never be touched. While some species, like northern pike, are commonly held by the gill plate, you’re probably better off holding these fish for your kids and joining the photo. It’s safer for them and for the fish.
Bullhead and Catfish – Special Considerations
While bullhead and catfish can make great targets for kids, they have some unique dangers. For example, both have powerful crushing jaws. They aren’t strong enough to trouble most adults but a small thumb could be badly hurt if caught between them.
Bullhead also have toxin in the spines of their fins. While the toxin isn’t deadly, it does produce incredible pain and a good welt. It’s also possible for the spine to break off and embed in your skin, requiring professional medical assistance to remove.
When handling these fish, be aware of the above
and avoid placing your hand in front of their dorsal or pectoral fins. The dorsal fin is the one on their back and
the pectoral ones are the ones on each side, first back from the eyes. The fish will instinctively raise its spines
when removed from the water, so it should be easy enough to locate them. Only the tip of the spine stings, so you can
actually brace the web between your thumb and pointer finger onto the rear edge
of the spine. You then need to wrap your
remaining fingers on the belly, keeping them behind the pectoral spines.
If you or your kid does end up getting stung by these spines, clean the wound as best you can and apply an antiseptic. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to stop at the walk-in on the way home from the lake, either, just to make sure it is cleaned properly and won’t become infected.
Boo Boo Fish
In general, it’s probably a good safety tip to simply tell your children that some fish are “boo boo fish” that only an adult can handle. Kids don’t like boo boos and will be pretty good about respecting this rule.
Regardless of the species of fish, it is imperative that you take the hook out before handing it to your child. Otherwise, they’re just one random shake away from being hooked themselves.
Snapping Turtles
While all turtles can bite, a snapping turtle can critically injure a child. Keep an eye on your kids when they’re fishing near habitats that contain these predators.
I take my son out “minnow fishing” often and we try to net whatever we can. We chum up the water really well with bread which causes many minnows to go into a feeding frenzy. This in turn draws in snapping turtles, and every once in awhile you’ll see them stick their head out and take a *SNAP!* Don’t let your kids dangle their feet in murky water that you’re chumming, as their toes might be mistaken for chum in the feeding frenzy.
You know, you set out to write an article about safety tips while fishing with kids, and you wind up mentioning turtles of all things. As rediculous as this might sound, I maintain that this is good advice, and not something everyone thinks of!
Alligators
I think every parent across the country remembers where they were when they heard the tragic story of the two-year-old killed by an Alligator at Disney World in 2016. It was absolutely horrific and I won’t link to it or go into the details. It pretty much shut down my entire office as all of us were in tears and shock.
What I will say is that depending on where you’re fishing, you need to be very, very careful. If you’re fishing from a bank in Florida with your kids, you are putting them in range of an alligator’s surprise attack.
Such situations are thankfully extremely rare, yet I have to imagine fishing makes them more likely. I have no proof of this, but I will say I have seen plenty of pike take a swipe at struggling, hooked fish, and I see no reason why the commotion of a fight would not attract these other apex predators.
It might be overkill, but I would stick right by my kid’s side if fishing by a bank anywhere near one of these creature’s habitats.
Bears and Other Terrestrial Predators
A lot of the fishing blogs and books out there are going to coach you to walk stealthily to your next fishing spot. That’s all well and good if you’re on a grassy lawn or someplace else with good visibility, but if you’re taking your kids for a stroll around a wooded pond, make a little noise, would you? The last thing you want to do is surprise a bear or other critter.
When I used to go fishing a lot by myself in the woods, I’d carry along a hefty can of bear spray for just this occasion. Luckily, I never had to use it, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have (it would also work quite well on angry dogs).
The Circle of Death
What a subheading for a family-friendly fishing site, eh? Scary and to the point – “The Circle of Death” is a very real situation that you must be aware of.
Many boats have powerful motors, and if the driver of said boat were to fall into the water while the motor was running, they’d have a bad situation on their hands. If the steering wheel is released while the motor is running, the torque of the engine will often put the boat into a circular turn. If you’re in the water while your boat is doing this, you are in exceptional danger as you can be hit by your own boat, or the propeller. This phenomenon is called “the circle of death.” You probably want to avoid that one!
The Kill Switch
There is an easy solution to avoid this situation – it’s called a kill switch. Unfortunately, not everyone who goes fishing has heard of this safety tip. This tiny little tool is all you need to avoid the exceptionally scary danger of the circle of death.
The kill switch is a key attached to a lanyard. It connects to the boat (usually near the throttle). Keep the key in place and the lanyard attached to you at all times while the motor is running! If you move too far away from the switch, the switch will flip, and the motor will shut off. This is critical if you are ejected from the boat. You would do well to pass on any boat that does not have this, and you should make it a point to insist that the driver where their kill switch when the motor is running. Many life jackets come with a clip that attaches to the kill switch. As you should always wear your life jacket while the big motor is running, you’re killing two birds with one stone.
My The red lanyard seen is my kill switch. This connects my life jacket to the boat. If I move too far away from the connection, it will trip the kill switch, cutting off the motor. This simple device could save many lives each year, but only if it is worn.
Not wearing your a kill switch while you have your kids in the boat with you is like not buckling THEM into their car seats while you’re driving down the road. They’re just as likely to be ejected with you and just as likely to be hit by the prop. It is a truly horrible way to go and you wouldn’t be able to do much of anything from the water to stop it. Insist that whoever is driving the boat is wearing their kill switch.
Coronavirus and Other Illnesses
It’s sad to say but our world is changing. The recent Coronavirus pandemic has definitely changed the way we need to interact with the world. Now, we need to consider if our fishing spot will be too crowded, or if the facilities will be reasonably clean. I wrote an article discussing safety tips for fishing during COVID-19 which you can check out here for more advice.
Stay Safe Out There!
I hope these safety tips didn’t turn you off from fishing! It can be a safe enough experience with the proper precautions and a modicum of common sense. Just remember to prepare for the common dangers you’re likely to encounter, and to be aware of the less common ones so you can prevent them as well.
Safety truly is one of those situations where “an ounce of prevention” is often all you need, and hopefully this article helps you prepare just that. Stay safe out there!
As always, if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it so it can help others. Remember that you can find more useful safety tips as well as help on learning to fish in my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide.
I took the family up to the southern end of Lake Champlain for the Memorial Day holiday. Fishing was pretty tough earlier in the week given a recent cold front and heavy rain on Tuesday. We were fishing near a creek mouth and found that the water temp in the immediate vicinity dropped as low as 57 degrees Wednesday. Further back from the mouth and into an adjacent bay the temps started climbing to 62 and finally around 64-65 furthest back in the bay.
I was with my son who was about to turn 4, so I was
targeting chain pickerel and panfish.
The trick to getting pickerel is to fancast weed beds in anywhere from
4-8’ of water with spinnerbaits. White
with willow leaf blades was the ticket this trip—very few were caught on
chartreuse and none on red, even on overcast days. They were pretty scattered throughout the
bay. Normally, the end near the creek
mouth is best but I think the cooler water was pushing them away. They aren’t like their pike cousins – they don’t
seem to seek the cooler water and prefer warmer temps.
Another tactic that we used with some success was
trolling with spinner baits along these same flats. I am new to the tactic and might have been
going too slow as I was only clocking about 1.5 mph. Many sources online seem to suggest that 2-4mph
would work better. It certainly might
have helped keep the weeds off the lures, anyway. Regardless of the slower speed, numerous fish
were caught with this method including the larger pickerel of the week.
For panfish, I took advantage of the bass spawn to locate
giant schools of blue gills and pumpkinseeds robbing the bass beds. They’re easy to spot this time of year as you
can see their shadows and even if you can’t, their location is pinpointed after
one of the guarding bass lunges at them, causing everything to scatter. They come back moments later, never giving
the parents a rest. These schools
produced good action and I like to think that we did the bass a favor as well
as every panfish that we picked off presumably was one less that could rob a nest.
The water was very high (over 100’ while we were there)
which meant that many areas that are normally marsh or even forest were accessible
and this is where we found many of the bass beds and with them, panfish schools. This made it a little tough for my son to
cast as we were surrounded by trees, but he was a good sport about allowing me
to make the casts and him to reel in the fish.
It’s still catch and release season for the black bass,
but I couldn’t resist throwing a wacky-rigged Senko out to a few of the beds to
see what we could catch. I still handed
the rod off to my son with whatever bit, the largest being just shy of 20”, but
with a very thick back. It was all my
son could do to lift it!
The high water allowed me to get further back into
several bays with my Lund than I have ever tried before, and it paid off. Although the 20” bass of approximately 4.5lb
was the largest, we also caught several in the 3lb range, which isn’t too bad
considering I spent very little time targeting them. Senkos produced nearly all the bass with a
scarce few coming from spinnerbaits.
Places that did not work at all were rocky points. Sometimes this early in the year you’ll find a large number of bass grouped up in these areas preparing to spawn but it wasn’t to be. On the other hand I only did try a few of them because I was fishing alone with my son and I didn’t want to bore him during the hunt. Unfortunately, it is impossible to scout or pre-fish as the only thing he wants to do when he gets there is start, and he won’t accept any delays! It’s hard to fault him for that!
Want to Take Your Kids Fishing on Lake Champlain?
As you have read, I had a great time with my son on Lake Champlain. If you’re interested in learning some tips about how to fish with your own children on the lake, go check out my definitive list of fishing resources for Lake Champlain. You’ll find tips on charter captains, fishing forums, and other places where you can learn how to make the most out of your time there.
Finally, you should definitely consider giving Captain Mickey Maynard a call and scheduling a charter. He fishes out of Plattsburgh, NY on Lake Champlain during the spring, summer and fall. You can find his website here.
OK, so you want to take your kids fishing, and you’ve followed my advice from an earlier post I wrote about how to get your kids interested in fishing to start acclimating your child to reeling in a lure and maybe even casting. You’ve probably also gone out a few times (or perhaps are preparing for your first fishing trip with your children) and are looking to increase your success rates and, therefore, fun. It’s great that you’re so concerned as it is important that your kid’s first fishing trip goes well, and this article will share a few tips to help make that happen.
Of note, if you find this article helpful please bear in mind that I have a book for sale, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, that expands on this topic considerably and can help ensure your fishing trips with your children are positive experiences. Consider giving it a read.
Step 1: Prepare Your Attitude
The first step in preparing for a fishing trip is preparing your own attitude. Remember that this trip is not about you. You are not going to reel in a single fish – you’re going to hand the rod off to your kid and let them take control. You also aren’t going to relax much – your goal is to have your hands full the entire time. You’re going to spend much of the day untangling lines, unhooking fish, and retying lost rigs. You’re going to do all of this with a smile on your face!
If you are prone to frustration, you need to zero in on
what frustrates you and eliminate as much as you can. Get a good night’s sleep. Eat a hearty breakfast. Have a few rigs pre-tied so that you can feel
like you get to spend a minute or two actually watching your kid enjoy him or
herself.
Remember, there’s nothing worse that could happen that
day than snapping at a kid who has been looking forward to spending this time
with you for a few days or weeks. You don’t
want to ruin all of that for them in an instant and make their head hang low,
so make sure that your mind is in the right place before you begin.
This is going to be a challenging, hectic, chaotic
morning for you if the fish are biting, so prepare your mind for that!
Step 2: Scout Good Fishing Spots
For adults, half the fun of a fishing trip is the preparation that goes into finding fish. It’s that old adage that “Anticipation is half the fun,” after all. Most children would prefer to skip that step and expect instant action. This means that you need to prepare for the fishing trip behind the scenes, well before they arrive at the lake. The good news for you is that this might very well mean pre-fishing, or, to put it another way, a great excuse to tell your significant other that you “have to go fishing ahead of time so the kids can be successful.”
Your goal here is not to catch every fish in the lake,
but you are trying to locate the panfish or other easy to catch fish ahead of
time, so that when you arrive a day or two later, you can reasonably expect to
find them quickly. Bring a good pair of polarized
glasses and look for activity. If the
lake is clear enough and the lighting is right, you might be able to see the
fish. If not, look for signs that they
are there. Small fish jumping or making
swirls on the water is a good sign. The
presence of fishing-eating birds like herons is also important – they aren’t sight-seeing,
after all.
You also might try bringing a light rod rigged with a drop shot of some kind. Gulp! Alive! Minnows and PowerBait Minnows in smaller (1″ to 3″) sizes and natural colors work well for scouting as you’ll get many taps indicating the presence of smaller fish (you’ll also likely catch a few, but you’re mainly interested in the taps for now). These lures also are a great alternative to live bait if you’d prefer not to use it.
Little minnow baits like these are great scouting lures. You’ll get many taps but won’t spoil the fishing spot as the baits are a little too big for most panfish unless they bite it just right.
You’ll want to find locations where fish are active but are also accessible to small children. Note that the most accessible locations aren’t always the best fishing spots, but you still want something with some sort of clearing where you can move around and where young feet can walk without tripping and getting hurt.
Look for something deep enough to hold some fish and preferably an area that has a clearing of open water where you can soak a worm without it being fouled in weeds or other cover. An added bonus is if you can see signs of life — in clear enough water, you may even see fish.
This is an ideal location – it’s open enough that kids can cast on their own, and active fish are present. Note that there is also a weedline not too far away – perhaps bigger fish are lurking!
Pay attention to things like weed cover. The perfect shoreline is no use if the water is full of weeds and every cast will be fouled. There are certainly lures that can used in such situations (frogs, topwater spoons, punchin’ baits) but few of these are well-suited for children, so save these spots for your own adventures.
This is a poor location for children to fish. Sure, the shore is open enough for casting, but the water is chock-full of weeds and all but the most weedless lures will immediately foul.
It is worth mentioning that many of the better spots for this will be well-known if fishing from shore, and will likely be taken quickly by others (especially on a weekend) so it doesn’t hurt to have a few backup spots.
Step 3: Pack the Best Tackle for Kids
Make sure you have prepared at least two rods for any fishing trip with kids. You are all but guaranteed that one will always be tangled or have some other sort of problem with it. Two rods will also allow your kid the chance to hold one while you hold the other. When you hook a fish, tell them “fish on!” and hand your child the rod.
Fishing Rods
You’ll want the rods to be something of appropriate size and dimension that they can handle, but not so “toy like” that you’re wasting your money. I don’t recommend purchasing the novelty rods with the latest cartoon character or princess on them. They aren’t much cheaper than a decent set up, and you won’t get nearly as much use out of them. If you have time, I wrote a whole article discussing why youth fishing rod combos aren’t worth it.
Rather than going for the cheapest combo, invest in something that will last. You don’t need to break the bank, either. An Ugly Stik Elite is reasonably priced and would work great. They are very difficult to break, perfect for panfish, are kid-sized (my son has been using a 4’6″ model since he was two with no issues), and last a lifetime.
Some rods come with reel combos although these are usually fairly basic. That’s not a bad thing if you’re fishing from shore with kids because that reel is guaranteed to be dropped in the dirt and sand repeatedly. The rod should last a lifetime. Reels don’t hold up very well to children.
Fishing Reels
Speaking of reels, there are three basic types: spincast, baitcast, and spinning.
Spincast Reels
Spincast reels are considered the “easiest” for kids to use as they just push a button to release line. I’m not a fan of them because they’re not widely used beyond children, for one, and those kids are going to grow up some day. I like to purchase stuff that my kid could potentially use for a life time. They’re also difficult to find in a left-hand retrieve, which I prefer.
Baitcast Reels
Baitcast reels are not for children, period. Sure, you can search for some tricks on how to make them easier for your child to use, but they’re basically akin to a manual transmission on a car. You probably don’t want one on a power wheel unless you really want to frustrate your toddler. Save these for later.
Spinning Reels
That leaves spinning reels. These are admittedly a little difficult for small hands, because you need to hold the line after releasing the bail until you’re ready to cast. Adults do this with their pointer finger, but my son has to use his other hand as he is still small (he just turned 4, after all)! He’s able to get good distance with these and more importantly this is a tool he’ll continue to use throughout his life. I just started him with these and he does just fine with them. It took a little bit of practice, but that was discussed in my prior post.
Despite what you may think, small kids do just fine with spinning reels. My son has been casting these for years now, and he’s only four.
Preparing Your Fishing Line For Your Trip
Once you decide on a reel, you’re going to need to consider line. As this is the point that actually connects you and the fish, it is quite important. Again, there are three main types: braid, fluorocarbon, and monofilament.
Braided Fishing Line
Braid is very strong for its diameter and difficult to break. You can easily have 20lb test for the same diameter as 6lb test monofilament, meaning that fish breakoffs are mostly a thing of the past. All the same, I don’t recommend braid when taking kids fishing for two reasons:
Since braid is the most pliable of the line, when it tangles, the tangles are epic.
Braid can easily cut little hands and fingers. Because braid is basically very strong string, if your kid is holding it when a fish takes a run, they can get a nasty cut. It’s not worth it.
Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
Fluorocarbon lines are nearly invisible underwater, which makes them a good choice for clear water. Their downside is that they have such bad memory (they kind of “set” in place – the exact opposite of the limp braid) that they can be difficult to use, and line spools are pretty common. For this reason, flourocarbon adds an unnecessary high-maintenance situation for a parent to deal with. I don’t recommend it.
Monofilament Fishing Line
When fishing with kids, I prefer monofilament line. While there’s nothing fancy about monofilament, it is my line of choice for taking my son fishing for several reasons:
Tangles (if caught early) aren’t too bad.
It’s less likely to cut little hands, making it safer to use with kids.
It’s easier to break the line on purpose after your lure winds up high in a tree.
Monofilament does have a few disadvantages. For example, you will want to be a little careful about how you land larger fish so that you don’t overstress and snap the line, but that just means supporting its body somehow as you lift it from the water. For most child-sized applications, 6lb test is just fine.
Fishing Lures
Once your rod, reel, and line are set, you need to prepare your fishing lures to have a good trip. When fishing with kids, your best bet is to use worms or smaller artificial drop shots. I’ve discussed the Berkeley Gulp minnows above, and they work well. Nightcrawlers also work great, especially for panfish. I find that a full nightcrawler will often catch a bass too, but most of it tends to be robbed by the smaller fish, and you don’t tend to actually hook the smaller fish until the last bit of crawler is left on the hook. If you’re going for numbers (and you are, if you’re going with kids) you might as well just cut the nightcrawler into thirds and put just a bit of it around the tip of the hook.
A Note On Hooks
The hook you use should be small as you’re trying to get
it to fit into a small fish’s mouth, but you also want it to have a long shank
so that you have some chance of unhooking the fish quickly and with minimal
effort. Eagle claw makes a variety of
hooks that are appropriate for this, as do other manufacturers. Just walk into your local sporting goods shop
and look for a hook that you think might fit into a mouth about the size of the
tip of your pinky finger and you’ll do alright.
There are many ways to rig the worm, but the two I use most are to simply thread the worm on a bare hook and also to attach a sinker on a tag line as a drop shot.
Having nothing but a worm on a bare hook has the advantage of sinking slowly and giving fish a long look at it and strike on the way down. The drop shot allows it to sink fast, but stay off of the bottom.
Bobbers
Some people use bobbers, but I don’t recommend fishing with bobbers with kids. Many models immediately put pressure on the fish letting them know something is wrong, and I find that I don’t catch as many fish with them. Sometimes, a bobber comes in handy, especially when fishing over heavy cover as you’ll want to keep the hook up so it won’t foul. Even so, I prefer other techniques.
Since you’re bringing at least two rods, it wouldn’t hurt to rig them both ways to see what the fish prefer that day. When you notice that one rod is getting all the action, make an adjustment to the other. The key is to prepare for your fishing trip ahead of time so you can spend more time with a lure in the water when you get to the lake.
Step 4: Pack for Your Kids First Fishing Trip
You’ll obviously need to pack your fishing tackle but
aside from that, pack a small cooler with lots of snacks (even those dreaded
bananas – they have no effect on panfish, trust me). Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat! You also might want to bring a couple of toys
or something else that is interesting and can pass the time while waiting for the
first fish to bite. They won’t pay any
attention to the toys once that happens – don’t worry!
You’ll also want a good pair of needle nose pliers, scissors if ignoring my sage advice above and using braid, sunglasses for you and the kids, and a camera/cell phone of some kind. If you have a small tripod, that would be best, as it can be tough to take a good selfie with a fish and child at the same time. You’re going to want to set up your cell phone camera for voice commands and rest it up against something if you don’t have a tripod.
Step 5: Set Achievable Expectations
Remember how I mentioned that the first step in preparing for your fishing trip is to adjust your own attitude? Well, you also need to adjust your kid’s. Don’t promise the world. Under promise and over deliver works very well here. Tell your kid that you’re going to try to catch a fish and see what happens. Hopefully, if your scouting above worked out well, you’ll look like a hero in a few hours. Talking about looking for turtles and frogs and bugs can also be a big help because then your kid always has something to do.
Talk a bit about the process of fishing with your kids. Let them know what to expect, that you’ll be doing most of the casting and they’ll be doing all of the reeling in, how long of a walk it’ll be to the first spot, etc. Remind them that you’ve packed a lunch and you’ll be having fun spending time together outside.
Make sure your children are aware that the fish are going to try to get away, and sometimes that happens. If it happens, they’ll get the next one! When a fish breaks off, just happily say “Oh well! He got away this time!” and then cast right back out! Don’t dwell on anything bad that happens – not a single negative word! Your job here is just to have a smile on your face the entire time like everything and anything that occurs is all part of the process and enjoyment – because it absolutely is! It doesn’t matter if you catch zero fish or 100. You’re spending time with someone you love who looks up to you and adores you. Let them marvel at how well you deal with a little adversity with a smile on your face – it’s a lesson that will serve them well for life!
Step 6: Have Some Distractions
One of the biggest challenges when taking kids fishing is going to be their own attention span. Young children barely have one, so a critical part of preparing for your fishing trip should be to pack some items to keep them occupied if the bite dies down a bit. One of the best things for this is a couple of fish in the live well or a bucket. These are a prime source of wonder for kids and they’ll gladly peer into it if you remind them about it. Sometimes when I can tell my son is getting impatient I tell him, “Go check on the fish in the live well!” He remembers that they’re there and scurries off. This buys me a few minutes to figure out how to hook another one for him to reel in.
Other distractions could include a favorite toy, lunch, or just playing a game. Sometimes putting down the rods for a couple of minutes and taking the boat for a spin does the trick, as does running around and playing tag if fishing on foot. They’ll often want to get back to fishing later, but a little break in the action helps their attitude (and after dealing with enough tangles, you’ll find it helps your attitude as well)!
A fish in the live well can provide the perfect distraction when the bite dies down.
Taking just a bit of time to plan your kids’ first fishing trip can pay off and help you bring a big smile to your little ones. Fishing is definitely a strategic sport and “thinking person’s game,” so invest a bit of time to make their first fishing trip, and every one after, run smoother. If you found this post helpful, you might enjoy my Illustrated Guide to Fishing with Kids as well.
As always, if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it so it can help others. You also might consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, as it is filled with more great tips to help you prepare for a fishing trip with your kids.
I knew from the moment my son was born that I wanted to get him interested in fishing. Yes, I love the sport, but there’s also a ton of great reasons that fishing would make his life more meaningful, and I truly believed that it would be in his best interests to take it up.
Even so, one of my worst memories of childhood was being forced into activities that I hated. I knew that going fishing had to be my son’s choice, but I was hoping to influence it. Thus, I had to introduce him to fishing in a way that would interest him.
Below, I’ll discuss the reasons I hoped my son would enjoy fishing. I’ll then discuss what I did to help his initial experiences go as well as possible.
I’d also like to mention that I have a book for sale, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, that expands on this topic considerably. If you enjoy this post, consider purchasing it as it contains many more great tips for fishing with your kids.
Why I Wanted To Interest My Kid In Fishing
Fishing is a wonderful pastime to share with your children and one that will benefit their lives in many ways:
It will help get kids away from the electronics;
They’ll learn independence;
Fishing will help make reading fun;
Spending time in nature will make them more thoughtful and caring stewards of this planet.
Fishing: The Anti-Screen
Screen time is a serious problem with kids these days. It seems that ever-younger children are more interested in an I-Pad or smart phone than a box of toys. After all, it’s tough for static toys to compete with the crazy colors and sounds of the latest YouTube phenom.
Well, I’m here to tell you what all the other fishing parents know: Baby Shark has nothing on a bluegill.
If you get your kids involved in fishing they’ll want very little to do with the screens. Instead of fights over the smartphone, you’ll start seeing them pout about leaving the lake early. It’s a great problem to have!
Fishing Teaches Kids Independence in a Healthy Way
Kids can’t wait to grow up. They need a good measure of control in their lives and if they don’t get it, they start acting up. Fishing is a great outlet for this because it allows children a healthy and safe way to gain independence.
Every kid wants to push boundaries and see what they can get away with, so you have two options:
Be the “End Boss” or “Level” they try to beat; or
Let the fish fill that role for you.
It’s great seeing how determined my son is to cast his own rod, and hold his own bass. All of these things have a small amount of “danger” to them, which makes it exciting for him, but none of them are so bad that he’s likely to get seriously hurt, especially since I practice what I preach in my article on Safety Tips for Fishing With Kids. Anyway, letting him take some control on a fishing trip is far better than having him try to pull away from my hand in a parking lot.
Fishing Helps Kids With School
You might find that your child’s new fishing hobby sparks another vital one: reading.
Some of my earliest memories were of thumbing through the old In-Fishermen books on northern pike or smallmouth bass. I’d look at the pictures of the trophy fish and study the diagrams of prime fishing locations for hours. I’m pretty sure I knew how to read a topographic fishing map well before Goodnight Moon.
When I did finally learn how to read proper words, I spent a lot of time reading fishing books. These taught me about seasonal patterns of fish and the world in general. I learned about erosion and the classification of lakes and reservoirs. Concepts such as the circle of life and the need for a selective harvest were ingrained in my soul. I was reading technical books as an elementary school kid, and loving it. This would help me read and craft technical letters later on in life.
I see my son following down this path. When we go to the lake, he wants to know what
type of fish live there, where we’ll find them, and what they’ll eat. He asks questions like, “Daddy, are rock bass
called rock bass because you catch them near rocks?” or “Daddy, have you ever
caught a pickerel with a lure that looks like a perch?”
When I point out that there are many birds in an area and tell him that bodes well, he wants to know why. When I explain it’s because the birds also eat fish and they aren’t going to hang out in unproductive areas, you can see the gears turning in his head – he gets it.
It’s all pretty simple: if you get your kids interested in going fishing, they’ll also be interested in reading about fishing.
Fishing Makes Kids Thoughtful Stewards of Planet Earth
Fishermen are the great stewards of our natural lakes and
rivers. We have a vested interest in our
national waterways and tend to do what we can to preserve them. If we don’t, our hobby will eventually
end.
The people most likely to preserve this world are those out living in it. Thus, the best chance Mother Earth has is if more kids to go out in the world and respect it. Fishing is great for that.
How I Sparked My Kid’s Interest in Fishing
To reap all these benefits, you need to somehow spark your child’s interest in fishing. I’m very fortunate in that I was able to do this with my son, and I hope to give you a few tips for how you can get your own children interested in fishing.
My son is about to turn four, yet has been catching fish “all on his own” since before he was two. Sure, I’m there to help, teach, coach and guide him (and deal with the hooks, or “sharp things” as we call them), but he has long been capable of casting, hooking, fighting, and landing his own fish for years now.
To say my kid loves fishing would be an absolute understatement. He was potty trained on a boat, and one of his first words was “crankbait.” He longs for adventures to the lake, would tire of an I-pad quicker than a fishing pole, and would rather spend time climbing around on the boat than the playscape I built him! The hardest part of any fishing trip with my son is getting him to come home!
This wasn’t forced on him by me by any means, and he can stop whenever he wants. All the same, I hope that this passion lasts a lifetime. I have this theory that the more money my son spends on fishing when he is a teenager and young adult, the less money he’ll have to spend on getting in trouble! I also think it’s important for him to connect with nature in a time and age where you see less and less kids playing outside. Learning self-reliance and being able to catch his own food when “the zombies come” are nice perks, too.
The Five Steps I Took to Make Fishing Interesting for My Kid
With all that in mind, I started teaching my kid to fish when he was only a toddler. My goal was to try and spark this passion and acclimate him to the sport.
While there are a lot of great articles out there with some detailed tips, I couldn’t really find much about how to get a kid interested in fishing in the first place. Here is a high-level overview of the steps I took to accomplish this:
Step 1: Basic Acclimation
When my son was very young (about 10-11 months) I started taking him out on boat rides and showing him the fish that I would catch. At this point, of course, he was just spectating, but as anyone who has ever taken a toddler to an aquarium will know, children are fascinated by fish. In fact, one of our first “field trips” together was to the fish hatchery!
When I would show him a fish, I’d point out how pretty they were, let him touch them (not too roughly – you don’t want to hurt the fish!) and just explain what they were.
Every time I’d catch a fish, I’d make a big deal out of showing it to him, and his mother would help him towards the bow to see the latest prize. I wanted to get him acclimated to the water, so my kid would be as interested about fishing as possible.
Taking your kids to an aquarium can be a great way to get them interested in fishing.
Step 2: The First Casts
As summer ended, I decided to teach my kid how to reel in a fishing lure.
I went and bought a small spinning rod (specifically, the Zebco Dock Demon, though any small rod would work fine). After spooling on some monofilament, I took the hooks off of a crankbait and tied it on. I cast it out across the living room for him, handed him the rod and said “Reel, reel, reel!” and “Keep your rod up high!”
We made a game out of reeling in the line and watching the crankbait move across the floor. I wanted him to be used to this so that when I eventually handed him a rod with a fish on it, he would know what to do. Eventually, I started tugging on the crankbait while he was reeling it in, to show him what a fish would feel like.
Before long, my son learned how to reel in the line, which is a critical step to catching fish!
Step 3: Fishing Next to My Son
Once there was open water, I started taking my son fishing with me more often. I would cast the line and try to hook a fish. Once once the fish was on, I would hand him the rod and have him reel it in. Again, I’d say “Reel, reel, reel!”
My goal was to set up for situations where we were likely to catch numerous fish. You really want to make sure that they’re successful while they fish, so your kid stays interested. I targeted panfish, and went to locations where they would normally be present. I further stacked the deck by chumming a bit (check to make sure this is legal in your area, but if it is, rabbit food works great!). We’d also bring his little ice fishing rod so he could practice reeling it in next to me. It was pretty cute to see him try to work it like a jerkbait just like daddy!
Remember, if you want to keep your child interested in fishing, you need to make it fun for them. Consider reading this article I wrote on how to make fishing fun for kids for tips on exactly how to do that.
Step 4: My Son’s First Casts
As he got a bit older, he started to want to do everything on his own, including casting.
I decided to use a spinning rod to teach my kid how to cast. I get that this is a bit against the grain as most people start with a spincast combo, but I wanted something that he would use his entire life, and there are for more applications for a spinning reel than a spincast reel.
Admittedly, the spinning reel was challenging for tiny hands, but he was able to get the hang of casting by using one hand to hold the line and the other to cast.
When I go fishing with a kid who is learning to cast, I try to find areas that hold fish, but also give the child enough space to catch them without getting hung up. You wouldn’t want to take a kid fishing along a forested bank, for example, as you’d spend most of your day climbing trees to get the lures loose.
Step 5: My Own Little Fishing Buddy
Once my son could cast on his own, we would go out on the boat together and each of us would have our own rod. I would still hand him anything that I hooked on mine, but he would also catch plenty of his own. This constant action helped to keep my kid interested and engaged while we fished, so he didn’t get bored.
Many times, I’d leave the boat docked while fishing with my son. Panfish tend to use the boat for shade and aren’t scared of being under it, especially if it hasn’t moved in awhile. This, coupled with the rabbit food, did a marvelous job of setting up a fun fishing trip for my kid, and allowing him to have success “all on his own.”
It was important to him to be independent and about the only things he didn’t do on his own were putting worms on a hook or taking fish off of one. Frankly, I think he could have handled both, but I didn’t want to risk him getting hurt.
One Last Piece of Advice: Stay Relax
You will never create or maintain your child’s interest in fishing if the experience goes poorly. Make sure you keep a level head and maintain your cool. I wrote an article about how to make fishing with kids stress-free and recommend that you check it out. While you can overcome a fishing trip or two where you don’t catch anything, one temper tantrum can ruin the sport for your kid for life.
You Can Do This Too!
By following these five steps, I had a blast teaching my child to fish. I hope they are helpful to your family as well.
Just remember that during all steps, the goal is to have constant action for the child. If you’re doing all the catching, go somewhere that you’ll catch a bunch of small fish so your children constantly have something to look at.
The need for constant action is a great reason to take a grandparent, wife, or aunt along who can also hook some fish of their own to help keep things going.
Really, the most important thing you can do in steps 3, 4, and 5 is locate or draw in a large amount of fish so that there aren’t many lulls in the action. If you can do that when you take your kids fishing for the first few times, you’ll hook them for life.
I hope this helped provide a high-level “vision” for how to get your kids interested in going fishing. In my next post I will focus on some tips for how to prepare for a fishing trip with kids to make the first few trips successful, which is critical to sustain their interest.
As always, if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it so it can help others.
and 
sizes as my son grew bigger, and once wrote a review of why 
and 
in smaller (1″ to 3″) sizes and natural colors work well for scouting as you’ll get many taps indicating the presence of smaller fish (you’ll also likely catch a few, but you’re mainly interested in the taps for now). These lures also are a great alternative to live bait if you’d prefer not to use it.
is reasonably priced and would work great. They are very difficult to break, perfect for panfish, are kid-sized (my son has been using a 4’6″ model since he was two with no issues), and last a lifetime. 
, though any small rod would work fine). After spooling on some monofilament, I took the hooks off of a crankbait and tied it on. I cast it out across the living room for him, handed him the rod and said “Reel, reel, reel!” and “Keep your rod up high!”