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:
- The Sun
- Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
- Drowning
- Hooks
- Braid
- Soft Plastics
- Lead
- Trotlines
- Wild Animals
- Circle of Death
- Covid-19
Common Fishing Dangers
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.
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’s Infant Foam PFD was the first life jacket my kids wore and I can’t say enough good things about the product. I liked it so much, that I bought their Child
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.
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.
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 interested in reading about what lures are relatively safe and work well for kids, check out my article about 4 kid-friendly fishing lures and 2 they shouldn’t use.
Removing a Hook From Flesh
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.
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.
Thanks,
John Paxton
