Given that I’ve been fishing with my children for a few years now, I thought I would give parents some tips on how to take their kids out fishing with them at various ages. This will be the first in a series of posts that will continue each year as my children grow older. Here, I’ll talk about how to fish with a baby or infant as defined as a child that’s between 0 – 18 months old. You can also read my post about fishing with 2-3 year old kids here.
I’ve already given a high-level accounting of this in a post where I discussed what is a good age to take a child fishing. In it, I discussed how to best prepare them each step of the way. Here, I’d like to dive into the specifics of actually heading out: what you should expect and what you should bring along.
My wife and I had to figure this out by trial and error and I’ve wasted my share of time and money figuring this out. Hopefully, this series will help save you some grief.
Set Your Expectations
Regardless of the age of your kids, the first thing you’ll always need to do is set your expectations. I hope it goes without saying that if you’re taking your baby along fishing, you’re not actually expecting to catch a fish. Rather, your goal is to just hang out with them outside and start introducing them to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. Any fish you happen to catch is a bonus. If you’re going it alone without any spousal backup, don’t count on it happening!
More so than anything else, fishing with a baby or infant is investing in their future. They probably won’t get too much out of the experience now, but in a few years you’ll have fun going through old photos with them and showing them how they “liked fishing” from a young age. This will help them develop a sense of self and some pride in their early fishing acumen. Perhaps this will encourage them to want to head out more with you when they’re older. My son beams with pride every time Facebook shows up with an old timeline photo of him fishing as an infant.
Catching fish is a plus, but depending on how young your infant is, they might not even notice it if you catch one, or have any idea what to think of it. They could have a whole range of emotions, but apathy seems pretty common for the youngest children.
Pick a Good Time
Fish tend to bite best early in periods of low light, such as dusk and dawn. Unfortunately, this is completely irrelevant when fishing with babies. When you consider a good time to go fishing with an infant, it has nothing to do with the fish and everything to do with their nap and feeding schedule.
You know your child best and should aim to go out with them when they’ll have the least amount of reasons to be cranky. They need to be rested, fed, and lively. If this means that you’re headed out at high noon, you’re headed out at high noon. If this means you’re going out at 3 p.m., that’s your time. Don’t try and plan a fishing trip with infants around when the fish bite. That’s just asking for trouble.
This can complicate things, to say the least. Depending on where you are and what time of year it is, the sun can be pretty brutal at these times. You’re going to need to consider this and either find a good spot in the shade to fish, or invest in some good infant sun gear. Always go in before they get too hot.
Dress for Success
Your baby needs to be comfortable while out fishing. This (along with making sure they’re fed and rested) is something that you can control, so you should control it.
If it’s cold, make sure they’re bundled up with extra clothes, and make sure that those clothes stay dry. While I wouldn’t recommend taking babies fishing in the rain, waterproof clothing is also useful for keeping water spray off of children when driving a boat.
If it’s hot, make sure they have on light clothes. There are some great infant clothes out there that have built-in SPF protection and keep your kids cool. They are long sleeve which is a bit counter-intuitive, but they are very lightweight. I’ve yet to hear my son complain about wearing one even on the hottest of days.
If you’re headed out on a boat for your fishing trip, bear in mind that the sun will be bearing down on you, your baby or infant, and also the seats. People tend to forget about the latter, but all surfaces on your boat will heat up and can hurt exposed skin. You’re better off dressing your baby in some light pants that cover their delicate inner thighs than just a onesie.
As a reminder, all states require children to have a life jacket on. Some require this only when the boat is underway, and others require that children wear it at all times while on a boat. Because this is the one piece of clothing that your kids can’t take off, it makes sense that you should invest money in something that is comfortable and functional.
My Recommendation: Mustang Survival
While I don’t always advocate buying the very best of any type of gear, when it comes to life jackets, I spare no expense. I have invested considerable money over they years outfitting my entire family in Mustang Survival’s line of life jackets. I can’t recommend them enough. They are as comfortable as a life jacket can be, and they give me the peace of mind knowing that my kids are safe in them. They also hold up very well to pool testing, as I’ve observed that they keep my children’s heads above the water, as designed.
If you’re interested in learning more about Mustang Survival jackets, please read my full review of why Mustang Survival makes the best children’s life jackets, bar none.
On That Note… Is Boating Safe for Babies?
Boating is perfectly safe for babies and infants, but only once they are old enough to properly fit in their life jackets. This is not something that you want to stretch, the reason being that a properly-fitting infant life jacket is designed to right them and keep their head above water. If the life jacket is too loose, it will not work properly and may not keep your child’s mouth and nose out of the sea.
You must wear your kill switch whenever you are boating. This is even more critical if you’re fishing with babies or infants who can’t swim. This is a device that clamps onto you and the boat’s ignition switch and will kill power to your outboard once it is detached. It functions exactly the same as the safety tethers on treadmills.
If the driver isn’t wearing this and is ejected, the torque of the engine will cause the boat to turn in a circle, meaning that it will come around and strike anything or anyone in the water. This is an exceptionally dangerous situation and one where an infant would have no chance. Insist that your boat’s driver wear one at all times that the motor is running.
Bring Your Own Shade
It’s pretty rare to find a shady spot to fish. You’re mostly in the middle of the water with the sun bearing down on you and then also reflecting off the water’s surface. Babies and infants don’t do well without shade, so you’re going to need to bring shade with you on your fishing trip. Their car seat can work just fine, or you could invest in a little shade tent. Just make sure you have a place to put it when it is completely unfolded. These things are borderline impossible to get back into their case. Tthe instructions stink and make no sense. I hate, hate, hate them, but they’re a necessary evil with little kids around the sun. And no, I will not provide a link to one!
If you do go with the car seat, make sure you don’t leave them strapped in, especially if on a boat. That would be a massive safety concern around water.
Take along a Snack & Water
Infants get hungry when they feel like it, even if that’s in the midst of a fishing trip. The last thing you want to do is be out in the middle of the lake without anything for your baby to chew on. Just remember that not everything lasts well on a boat. Also, you could be somewhere far from help. I’d definitely recommend leaving anything remotely resembling a choking hazard at home. Grapes have absolutely no place on a fishing trip with infants, babies, or young children. Or, for that matter, adults.
Likewise, have water and a way to keep it cool. Many people think to bring along a drink but don’t consider just how fast it will heat up on a summer day. A little cooler is indispensable for a fishing trip with kids.
Bring a Friend to Play With the Baby While You Fish
I’ve seen some posts by people who put their kids in backpacks or harnesses and wade into rivers with them on their backs. I’m not going to tell others how to raise their kids, but missteps happen and it’s easy to see how one there could be tragic. To me, the photo op isn’t worth the risk, at least near rivers. I think you could get away with this just fine next to a calm lake or pond. The worst that should happen there is you get wet and an earful from your spouse.
You want that spouse on your good side. I recommend bringing them, a grandparent, or just any old friend along with you as backup. In fact, it might make sense to have them be the primary people fishing so that you can concentrate on really selling the experience to your baby and “oooing” and “ahhhing” them into smiling and enjoying themselves.
Take turns fishing and entertaining your kid, if they’ll let you. Sometimes they just want one parent, and I’d recommend that they get them in this situation. If they don’t, they might associate fishing with not being able to cling onto Mom or Dad, which could negatively affect their interest.
Get a Fish in the Livewell or Bucket as Fast as You Can
This is a common theme on my blog, but it is all the more important with younger children. Your goal is to get a fish–any fish–into the livewell or bucket as fast as you possibly can. If you catch even one sunfish and plop it in there, your baby will fall in love. Kids love water, animals, and slime from a very young age. Even an infant wants to peer into the bucket and try to pet their new fish friend. Just make sure the fish you put in there is legal unless your child also has a thing for game wardens!
Sell Every Moment of It
Remember that you’re dealing with a small little person who gets a big kick out of seeing you cover and uncover your eyes with your hands. Any little thing can be a huge moment of wonder and joy to them, so make sure that every step of the way is celebrated.
You want to be the ultimate cheerleader. Every time your spouse casts, do a little cheer. You can have fun with it and be a little sarcastic: “Yay! Daddy didn’t get the lure stuck in the tree!” You can also show them how the lure “bloops” into the water and make that sound each time it splashes down – “Bloop! Bloop! Bloop!” – your kids will love it!
You want to have a grand performance for your little one. Keep changing it up every 10-15 seconds to match their attention span. Each turtle, squirrel, or bird you see should be named and have a nice little voice or theme song that you sing. If you notice them looking at something, look at it too and make a big deal out of it.
When you catch a fish, make a huge deal out of it no matter how small it is. Act like it’s the greatest thing that ever happened. Go ahead, use whatever high squeaky voice gets your baby amped. If they want to touch the fish, let them. Just make sure you have wipes on hand so you can clean them off before they stick their hands in their mouth.
Bring Distractions for Your Baby, or Have a Short Fishing Trip
Bring along some toys or other distractions in case your full performance isn’t captivating enough for them. Those little teething wafers work pretty well as it seems to take their full attention to eat them. Rattles or other things that can grab their attention and are safe for them to grab are important.
If you don’t have child-safe distractions, you could try showing them some fishing lures. This runs the considerable risk of a meltdown when they reach for them and you won’t let them grab them given the hooks. My son used to absolutely love looking at my crankbaits (through a plastic case, of course).
The bottom line is, bring something to distract them, or plan on going home early!
Know Your Exit, and Factor in the Commute
Babies and even infants can only handle short fishing excursions, and this includes the entire time in the car. Now is not the time to take the kids to that prized lake an hour away that holds all the best fish. The little community pond five minutes down the street is a far better choice.
If boating, you’ll also want to consider the time at the ramp. In a perfect world we’d all be able to spend our 2-3 minutes launching and retrieving and not have to wait for anyone.
Unfortunately as many of you know that is not the case. There are often long lines to launch or retrieve a boat, sometimes filled with people who don’t know what they’re doing. You need to factor this in and give yourself at least an extra twenty minutes or so leeway to get back in.
Failure to do this will mean that you’re gently floating near the ramp with an infant screaming to high heaven, waiting for that weekend warrior to figure out how to retrieve his jet boat.
Long holiday weekends are a bad time to take your infant for a boat ride. You’re far better off waiting for a day that won’t be as busy.
Have a Good Time!
Just remember that there will be plenty of times to go “fishing.” This time, you’re just having fun with your new baby. Think of it as showing them something that is important to you. Taking a walk around a pond with them and showing them their first duck or driving slowly down the lake watching the sea gulls is enough.
Keep things in perspective, keep a good attitude, and don’t worry so much about catching fish. Just try to ensure that they are comfortable, safe, entertained, and loved and you’ll start to build an interest that may last their entire life.
As mentioned earlier, if your baby is a bit older (say, 14-18 months or so) and you want to try to get them involved in the action, I did write a post with some advice on how to do so. You can read that to help your child learn to cast, or catch their first fish.
The purpose of this article was to give you a better idea of some of the little things that you might not consider, while you have time to do something about them (you don’t want to realize you should have brought shade while you’re stuck in the middle of the lake).
I hope you found this article useful. If you did, please consider sharing it so that it can help others. If you’re interested in learning more about taking kids fishing, check out my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide
Thanks,
John Paxton