By the time a child is four years old, it’s prime time to take them fishing. By this age your child should be completely capable of reeling in their own fish, and can probably learn how to cast as short distance fairly well. This makes it possible for your 4-year-old to catch their first fish, “all by themselves” at this age, which is a proud moment for any parent. All the same, fishing with a 4-year-old certainly has its share of challenges! I’ve been through it twice now so I thought I’d give you some tips.
Note that this continues my series of posts that include fishing with babies, and fishing with 2-year-olds. Please check out either of those articles for advice specific to that age group. You also might want to check out my Illustrated Guide to Taking Kids Fishing, and, of course, I’d encourage you to purchase my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide for in-depth help.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into how you can go fishing with a 4-year-old!
What to Expect When Fishing With a 4-Year-Old
What can you expect when taking a 4-year-old fishing? In a word, chaos. Well, I’m half-joking. You should expect to spend a good amount of time untangling line and (hopefully) unhooking fish. You should also expect them to get bored nearly instantly if the fish don’t bite, so make sure you maximize your chances of success early on.
4-year-olds are also at that age where they really want to do everything themselves. Whereas a younger child might be content letting you cast, expect your 4-year-old to want to try. I suggest wearing some long clothes and eye protection!
Finally, 4-year-olds may or may not want to touch the fish they catch. Most of the sunfish and perch they’re likely to catch have sharp gill plates and spines that can prick them. You should probably bring along a towel to help your kid handle them. Note, a towel isn’t that great for the fish as it can wipe off their protective slime, but it may be the only way to get your kid to hold them.
Can a 4-Year-Old Catch Their Own Fish?
I’d argue four years old is about the age where a child can reasonably expect to catch a fish “all by themselves.” While you can certainly hand a rod to a child younger than that and help them reel it in, chances are you speared the worm, cast it out, and hooked the fish for them. While you still might want to put the nightcrawler on for your child, they should be able to handle just about everything at this point.
With that said, don’t expect it to happen instantly. There are a lot of motor skills a kid needs to learn with fishing. If this is their first time out, of course, help them! I’m just saying they are at the right age where they can catch one by themselves and report back home all proud.
Tips for Fishing With a 4-Year-Old
By the time a child is 4-years-old, it is possible to take them fishing alone without the help of another parent. All the same, the following tips will help make the trip more enjoyable for you both.
Pre-fish and scout to keep your child’s interest
One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give to parents is to pre-fish and know what you’re getting into. Don’t show up to a fishing spot for the first time ever with your kid in tow. Go there a few days earlier just to check it out and see what it has to offer. Some things to consider:
- Are there locations on the bank where you can cast easily?
- Is there any place to play if the kids get bored?
- Can you see fish activity in the water near where you’d fish?
- Can you work a worm through the water without it getting all gunked up by slimy vegetation, or caught on rocks or wood?
You also might want to conduct an internet search of the location you plan to fish and the word “fishing reports.” This should take you to different forums and blogs where anglers share information on the location. It can give you a pretty good idea if it is a decent place to fish. Also, if you have time, don’t be afraid to join those forums! Most anglers will fall all over themselves to help a kid, so just tell them you’re planning on taking your little ones out and they’ll give you good tips to put them on fish (most guys on these forums aren’t after the sunnies you’ll be chasing with the tykes, anyway).
Another website to check is takemefishing.org. It can help you find a good fishing pond in your area!
Tip – This website (and I!) can help!
This website also has various ways to help. First, I wrote a post about how to scout out fishing locations that you might find useful. Secondly, I am MORE than willing to help you if you send me an email. Just tell me where you want to fish and I’ll do my best with map study and such to help you out. My goal with this website is to make sure you have the best fishing experience with your children! Take me up on the offer!
Choose a Location with a Plan B
Unless they’re *really* into it, most kids aren’t going to stay focused on fishing indefinitely. You’ll want to plan your trip to a location where there is something else for them to do. This could be a cool walk in the woods, a nearby playscape, or even just bringing a ball with you, or pack of cards when you’re on the boat. Always, always, ALWAYS have a “Plan B” when fishing with kids so they don’t get bored.
Bring a bucket
One of my main maxims when fishing with kids has and always will be, “get a fish in the bucket or livewell as fast as possible.” This takes SOOOOO much pressure off of you as a parent. The second you get a fish inside of a bucket (or even a frog, in a pinch) your kids have something to look at and play with when the bite slows down. Even if you plan on releasing everything when you leave, bring a bucket along to fill with some slimy friends for the kids to hang with. Just make sure you follow your local fishing regulations and don’t put in species that aren’t the appropriate size or out of season!
Wear the Right Clothing
By the time they’re four, children are going to want to dress themselves to some degree. It is questionable if you should let them before the fishing trip. Granted, you want to avoid a meltdown, but they really ought to be dressed for the occasion. Fishing is obviously done outside in the elements. The sun can really catch up to you on or near the water as it reflects off the surface. Make sure your children are dressed appropriately with hats and sunscreen so they don’t get a bad burn!
Bring (a few of) the Right Rod and Reel(s)
When fishing with kids, I definitely recommend bringing more than one rod. The reason is simple: your 4-year-old is going to tangle that thing so often if you don’t have at least two, they won’t be fishing much. Bring at least two rods that are rigged up for them so they can fish while you repair. I’ve honestly found I’ve needed as many as three at times just so I could keep a nice “assembly line” going.
I once wrote an article about the best fishing rods for kids, but to save you the read, just get a couple of Ugly Sticks. They’re relatively inexpensive, extremely durable, can take a beating, and catch fish. They can often be purchased in combos with a reel, like this one here. They aren’t glamorous and you aren’t going to impress the well-to-dos out there, but they do the trick and are what I’d recommend to any parent. A four year old will want the 5′ model in light or ultra light. This is fine for panfish and given it’s an Ugly Stick, it’ll also hold up fine to bass or the occasional small catfish.
Keep the Lures Simple
Don’t go overboard with lure selection when fishing with 4-year-olds. A simple (small) hook and worm will do. If you want to get fancy, a sinker is helpful as well. I avoid bobbers because they tend to cause you to sit and wait, which children hate. There’s often a large number of little nibbles going on beneath the surface that you’ll miss with a bobber. I know it’s controversial, but I hate using them with kids.
Likewise, this is not the time for that fancy braid or fluorocarbon. Get yourself some 6lb test Berkley Trilene XL and call it a day. It’s what I learned on, it’s what my kids learned on. It works.
Bring Snacks (and Wipes!)
It doesn’t matter how hard it is to get them to eat dinner, no 4-year-old will turn down a snack. Fishing is serious business and works up the appetite! Bring along some food for them, but don’t forget to bring some wipes too as their hands will likely be filthy! Sometimes a snack can also help distract them if the fish aren’t biting. We would tell our kids that they should probably eat so the fish would get hungry too. This can buy you a few moments to try and hook a fish yourself that you can hand off to your child, which is an added plus.
Conclusion: Four Years Old is Prime Time to Learn to Fish!
Taking a four-year-old out fishing can be an enjoyable experience for the parent and child. The kid is old enough to do a lot by themselves, and will be an absolute chatterbox all week about whatever they catch. Just remember that they are still a child, and will be prone to losing interest quickly. Make sure you bring distractions and fish at a good location that offers other entertainment.
I hope this article was helpful to you and your family. If there’s anything more I can do to help, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or to send me an email! Also, your child might be interested in My Awesome Guide to Freshwater Fishing. It was written just for them!
Thanks,
John Paxton
