My five-year-old is completely enamored with fishing, so much so that he even walks around saying, “Fishing is my life!” It’s cute, very convenient for me as I also love the hobby, and something I want to encourage. Reading him kids fishing books before I tuck him in is a great way to do this.
Over the past few years we’ve collected many fishing books that are well suited for toddlers and preschoolers, and even one or two that are better suited for older children. I thought I’d take a couple of minutes and go through a few of them to let you know my thoughts and impressions of each in case you’re trying to decide which one to buy. I also want to bring some attention to the authors (one was even written by an eight-year-old!) in the hopes that they’ll keep on writing books in this genre!
I’m going to divide this into two sections. First, we’ll have the best fishing books for teaching kids to fish. These are your nonfiction works that your child will look through while they’re planning their next fishing trip. Then, I’ll talk about some fishing books that make good bedtime stories. If you’re interested in books geared to adults, I also have a post about the best fishing books I’ve ever read. Check it out some time.
Non-Fiction Fishing Books for Kids
The following are fishing books for kids that are designed to teach them how to fish. These are non-fiction and aren’t great bedtime stories, but are perfect for long car rides to the lake. Many are filled with pictures that will excite your little angler and keep them engaged.
The Barefoot Fisherman: A Fishing Book for Kids
A solid kids fishing book written by Paul Amdadahl, The Barefoot Fisherman: A Fishing Book for Kids is structured more for kids who have gone fishing a few times, this will give them various tips for a number of species they’ll catch (like sunfish and bass) as well as some that’ll keep them dreaming (like Sturgeon)!
Kids Gone Fishin’ – The Young Angler’s Guide to Catching More and Bigger Fish
Written by David Maas as designed for kids who are just starting out, Kids Gone Fishin’ is a colorful book full of fun text choices and interesting pictures. It’s cited as being one of the better kids fishing books out there for kids who aren’t that familiar with the sport. Consider picking it up to get your kids interested in fishing.
Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide
While I wrote this book for parents, it would also be useful for older children to read. Note that it is in black and white and designed for adults, so it’ll take a stronger reader. However, if you want a fishing book for your kid and they happen to be an older child, this could definitely help them. It was designed to teach parents who know nothing about fishing how to go out with their kids and be successful. There’s no reason it can’t also help kids so long as they’re strong readers.
My Awesome Guide to Freshwater Fishing: Essential Techniques and Tools for Kids
This is my second book and one that is designed primarily for children ages 8 – 12 years old. It is written in easier language than the first book and designed with bright colors and interesting graphics to keep children intrigued while they read. Pick up your copy today!
Fictional Fishing Books for Kids – Bedtime Stories
The following are a series of fishing books for kids that I’d describe more as bedtime stories. For the most part, they aren’t designed to teach a kid to fish so much as to keep them engage. These books are a good way to keep kids interested in fishing. Just don’t expect them to teach a kid how to cast!
The Three Little Bass and the Big Bad Gar
This book was written by eight-year-old, James Miller, and illustrated by his mother, Kris Taft Miller. It’s a new take on the timeless “3 Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf” fable. This is always a good message to reinforce to children (hard work pays off).
It’s a fun read with big type face that’s easy for kids to follow. The illustrations are crisp, clean, and pop off the page. I have a ball using a weird voice when I read what the gar says: “Plishily Sploshty Plishty Ploo, I think I want to feast on YOU!“ My kids get a big kick out of it, while my wife rolls her eyes.
I think it’s absolutely awesome that this eight-year-old liked fishing so much that he sat down and wrote a story all about it. Even better, he actually went out and published it. It just shows great drive, creativity, and gumption out of this young man.
It takes a lot of guts to write for other people and publish something. This young man (and his mom) should both be proud of themselves. I’d recommend buying their book and telling your kids exactly who wrote it. Talk about how he had a dream of publishing a story, pursued it and made it a reality.
In my mind, The Three Little Bass and the Big Bad Gar lets you win as a parent twice. First of all, you get a fun story about why your kids should apply themselves and do a job right. Secondly, you get to show your children that if you have a dream and are willing to work for it, you can make it come true, just as young James Miller did.
The Three Little Bass and the Big Bad Gar
Curious George Goes Fishing
Everybody loves Curious George, so when I was searching for children’s books about fishing, I picked up Curious George Goes Fishing
It’s an easy read with fun illustrations. I’d imagine it would be fairly easy fishing book for a beginning reader to tackle themselves. I do question George’s choice at the end. I won’t spoil it for you, but he makes an interesting statement about another hobby being better than fishing, which is obviously preposterous. Regardless, my son enjoys it, and I’m glad I picked it up.
A quick word of warning: one of the characters is smoking a pipe. I know some of you might hesitate to expose your children to that image. I just didn’t want to surprise anyone.
Gone Fishing
This was the first fishing story book that I bought my son. I saw it at Cabelas one day and had to grab it. Written by Earlene Long and illustrated by Richard Brown, Gone Fishing is
I’ll admit I bought this book exclusively because of its cover. It reminded me of going out with my own son, and I knew it would make for a great bedtime story. After seeing how it has influenced his time on the water, it’s clear that buying it was a great decision.
This book helped reinforce to my son that fishing for little fish is fun. This is very helpful because they are much easier to catch. The father and son each take turns catching a big fish and a little fish and both are equally celebrated. When I’m out fishing with him now, he even quotes the book, “A little fish for me!” with a big grin on his face.
We read this one a lot. It’s only 31 pages with about a sentence on each, so it goes by at a good clip. I would highly recommend it.
Just Me and My Dad
Mercer Mayer’s Just Me and My Dad
If your child is into outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, fishing, campfires, and the like, they will enjoy this book. The illustrations are detailed and fun to look at for kids and my one-year-old is especially intrigued by them.
I also like the subtext of the book. Many things go wrong, but they make the best of it, and have a great time. This book is a good one to read to little anglers so you can remind them of this moral when a fish breaks the line or something else goes wrong.
If you’re interested in getting some help reinforcing that message, consider picking up a copy of Just Me and My Dad
The Berenstain Bears Gone Fishin’!
My brother-in-law hates these books because he complains that Papa Bear is portrayed as a bumbling goof, and as you can see right from the picture of him catching a boot on the cover, this book is no different.
I suppose if that bothers you, you’ll want to look elsewhere. I, on the other hand, embrace my inner-idiot as seen by my post about all the silly fishing mistakes I’ve made over the years, so it doesn’t bother me and I can just enjoy this book for what it is – another great tale by the Berenstain family.
Gone Fishin’ is an “I can Read 1” level book, which means it has simple sentences which would make it a good one for beginning readers (source). It also has the usual fun illustrations you’ve come to expect from the series, so even my toddler enjoys it.
The bears do take the fish home to eat it, which may or may not be a plus for you depending on what you’re trying to teach your kids, but, you know, they’re bears–they eat fish.
I was glad to purchase a copy of The Berenstain Bears: Gone Fishin’!
Edison’s Tackle Box
My preschooler son loves this fishing book book. This is odd as it’s aimed at slightly older children. I think it’s because he’s getting to the point where he wants a tackle box of his own, so it’s exciting for him to read about how Edison packs up his gear and heads off to the pond to fish with his dad.
This is a good-sized read that has some meat to it. Your kids will be satisfied with this one as their “main book” of the night, but if you’re exhausted it can be a bit to get through.
Little kids will also enjoy it as the illustrations are fun and filled with neat little details. It’s the kind of book that I would have stared at as a child and I see my son and daughter doing the same.
I enjoyed how this book teaches kids all the things they need to go fishing. They’ll learn some techniques, and most importantly how to help clean up for the day after they’re done fishing! That alone makes it worth the price!
If you need a little help getting your kids excited about cleaning up their fishing tackle, then pick up your copy of Edison’s Tackle Box by Meghan Colvin today.
Fishing With Daddy
If your kids are a bit older and you’re looking for a story book with a little bulk, Fishing with Daddy
What I like about this book as a fishing father is that it talks about the entire process of fishing. They dig up worms, get their tackle in order, sit by a lantern going for catfish at night, go on a boat ride, etc. The book basically encapsulates all the great memories a kid can have about spending time on the water with her dad.
This is also one of the few books that is about fishing with your daughter. Not enough girls are brought along fishing, so it’s great to finally see a fishing book written by a woman talking about her time fishing with her dad.
This fishing book isn’t well suited for a toddler, but as my daughter grows older, it will be one of the main ones I read her.
H is for Hook
H Is for Hook: A Fishing Alphabet
I’m still going to call it interesting though because it almost seems like it’s chasing a few different audiences. Every page has little poem about what a certain letter stands for (L is for Lure, for example). That’s the easy “story book” part. That part is probably appropriate for preschoolers, or even toddlers. However, off on the side, there are detailed, multi-paragraph explanations where the author explains what the item is, in depth. These sections of the book would lose younger children, no matter how much they like fishing.
It’s a pretty neat way to structure the book. I’m looking at this as a book about fishing my kids can grow with:
- My toddler loves the vibrant illustrations;
- My preschooler likes the pictures, but also likes the short poems;
- I actually enjoy the sidebar and have learned a bit myself!
I don’t read the sidebar to my son because I think that would bore him quickly, and it would also turn a quick read into a marathon, but I could see this changing when he gets older and wants to learn more.
This is both a story book and also a “how to” book combined into one. If you’re just judging this one by the cover you’re going to miss out. A lot of the alphabet books are for little kids but this one is actually appropriate for, well, anyone frankly. Even an adult who was new to fishing could learn from it.
I really wish I had a book like this when I was a kid. I recommend that you purchase it.
Closing Thoughts
One of the best reasons to take your kids fishing is because it sparks their love of reading as they want to learn more and more, but you need to have age-appropriate books to capitalize on this. Thanks to these authors, you have that opportunity.
As I discover more books about fishing that are suited for toddlers, preschoolers, or older children, I’ll be sure to update this page. If you’re aware of other books out there to recommend, please post a comment and I’ll take a look!
I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, please consider sharing it so it can help others.
Thanks,
John Paxton