A gentleman recently posted in a Facebook fishing group that he felt that several recent fishing tournaments on Lake Champlain had hurt the fishery. I respectfully disagree. I’ve just returned from a week of fishing with my family up at Lake Champlain, and the fishing was very consistent and fun.
Here’s a look at how we did. Hopefully it will be of some use to your own family, especially if you’re planning a fishing trip to Lake Champlain in July!
The Weather Conditions
We showed up on Saturday, July 1 after what had been a rainy few weeks in the North Country. I was pretty excited about this to be honest, as my Lund Impact can be tough to launch in the shallows at the house. While it’s not a big deal to go use the town launch down the street, with kids, it’s just easier if it works at home. I was hoping that the rain had sustained the lake at a level where I’d be able to get Penelope off her trailer, and (with some heavy pushing) it was.
It seems like the lake has finally normalized a bit since the droughts we saw a few years ago. Normally, I can at least use the dock if not the launch through about early August, and I think that will be the case this year.
The week ahead was the usual Champlain July doldrum of doom and gloom. The weather reports figured there’d be thunderstorms the entire week save Thursday. If I could give anyone reading this any advice: trust your smart phone radar. Not the report. The counties up north are enormous. A 50% shot of rain in Essex County still has a very good chance of missing you. You have to be smart and safe about it and keep an eye on things, but don’t cancel a trip just because of a lousy weather report.
The weather might have been crazy but it produced some amazing sunsets.
The Lake Conditions
As stated the lake was of relatively normal water level of around ’95. The rain throughout the week actually brought it up a few inches which made retrieving the boat easier than launching it. If you’re familiar with the Crown Point area, it was possible to drift a deep v across the entire entrance to Putnam Creek, though I had to raise both motors to do it.
The water in the south was quite clear in many locations. The temperatures were consistently high. Everywhere from about 72 to 80 where we were fishing. Absolutely perfect temps for pickerel and largemouth bass as you’ll see, but northern pike were hard to come by.
The Techniques that Produced
Tristan and I fished hard for six straight days. He can cast on his own now, and he brought up his birthday baitcaster with him and was having a ball learning on it, so he wanted to fish spinnerbaits as much as possible. Much of the time, we casted them, but given that he’s still little (and was getting a little sore from all the fish we were catching) we did troll with spinnerbaits quite a bit as well. If you’re new to the technique, I wrote this article a few years back with some tips.
In addition to spinnerbaits, we also fished a lot of plastic worms, gulp, and frogs & buzzbaits at dusk. We didn’t spend much time at all with crankbaits or anything with a treble hook.
For the most part, we found the fish active and willing to hit a fast moving target. I’d estimate 85% of fish were caught on a variety of spinnerbaits. The #1 producer was a 1/2 ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait in white. We caught so many pickerel on these that I now have to completely restock as my supply was eventually hammered. They do hold up well but every lure has its limits. In any event, on Champlain, I’d argue these are some of the best spinnerbaits you can use. You should really pick up a few from that link I posted.
The Places We Fished on Lake Champlain
Here’s a look at a few general areas we fished hard. Some were productive and others were not. However, bear in mind, I’m a dad fishing with an 8-year-old. I’m looking for numbers and action and not necessarily “bigguns.” This blog post really is aimed more for the parent who is vacationing up there, so perhaps one of you pros would do better in these areas that we did, using different techniques.
Bulwagga Bay
Longtime blog readers will know that I love fishing Bulwagga Bay. It’s like a mini lake all in and of itself with all sorts of habitat for pretty much every species of fish the lake offers (at certain times of year that is). We started by fishing the western shore and had a few hits here and there. There were too many boats given the holiday weekend to set up a troll as I like to there, but Tristan managed a few good bass on spinnerbaits including this bruiser here.
A nice bruiser of a bass from Bulwagga Bay.
We also invested some time on the eastern shore and found some huge bluegill and yellow perch along the various rock points that are on that side.
We did not spend much time in the south though there were some bass boats plugging away at the vegetation and they seemed focused on specific areas.
The Putnam Creek Delta
We spent a lot of time in the general area of Putnam Creek. Many chain pickerel came out of here. The bay just south of the creek is completely slopped over so you’re looking at frogs if you go deep. Spinnerbaits can be used along the edges but there aren’t as many fish.
While there are bass in this bay, I’ve really found it to be a major pickerel producing spot, which is why if you have kids with you and you want them to catch “something big” I recommend it. Unfortunately, that can make it a very frustrating spot to fish a frog. You can tell when a pickerel hits a frog as opposed to a bass because it almost attacks it like a dolphin sailing through the water whereas a bass has a giant localized “plop and boil.” You’re going to have to identify them this way because you sure won’t get many chances to reel one in. The way pickerel snatch a frog coupled with their bony mouths makes them very hard to hook. You will tear the heck out of your frogs trying, however.
Giard’s Bay
Per Google this is the spelling, but what do they know. This is the bay north of Yellow Lighthouse Point. I always try it for a spinnerbait trolling run or two, and I’m usually disappointed. This time was no different, but I mention it as a fishing report also ought to have what didn’t work. The reason I keep headed back here is I have caught some nice pike in the area. Pike and I have an abusive relationship where I’ll go fish a half dozen “memories” any given trip trying to find them.
Ticonderoga
We spent an entire day south near Ti. The area near the fort was the most productive, but we were so exhausted from casting the day prior that we mainly trolled the area just south of the fort to the La Chute River. It’s a challenging troll as the weed line takes some near 90 degree turns, but we caught a number of fish there including these nice crappie.
If you decided to troll this area, be very careful of the old pilings near the fort. One year my friend got both his outboard and his trolling motor caught on the rocks at the same exact time and it wasn’t fun! With trolling, you could easily collide with these if you didn’t know to look out for them, so I’d recommend finding them first and then avoiding trolling near them lest a hooked fish breaks your concentration.
These crappie came on the same troll in Ticonderoga near the fort. It was interesting to catch a white and black one more or less at the same time!
Mill Bay
Since we had already made the trip down to Ti, we decided to head even further to Mill Bay. Now, I can’t fit my boat through the entrance to the actual bay itself, but we didn’t really want to go there anyway because it looked nearly dried out and choked with weeds. Instead, we fished the rip rap around the entrance for a bit. We mostly fished with drop shots and plastic worms, which produced a few bass, but not enough for us to stick around for long.
Of interest, there really weren’t any weeds to be found in this immediate area, which I found odd. To be fair, I don’t go there often enough to know if this is unusual, but if you’re looking for a weed pattern as we were, you wouldn’t find it there.
The Bay North of Stony Point
The bay just north of the paper mill on the NY side doesn’t have a name as far as I can tell. I’ve always called it “1000 Cast Bay” because it feels like it can take that many to cover all the water in it. It is, however, one of the better bays to troll. There’s a weedline that follows the contours on a humminbird fish finder very well and is almost shaped like a shallow “V.” While there’s weeds on either side of it, this is the edge of the heavy stuff and so as close as you can practically troll.
We lost what we believe to have been some larger pike while trolling, based on how hard they fought, but we also caught many bass. Tristan caught his personal best chain pickerel, this fine 25″ specimen. This would have been a VT Master Angler fish for an adult and blew the youth category out of the water.
This chain pickerel was an absolute beast.
Other Photos
I had the pleasure to take my friend out with his children and their buddy alongside Tristan. If you ever hear someone say that bass boats are just as family friendly as Deep V’s, ask them if they could pull this off.
Note that literally every fish in this picture was landed from a drop shot with a simple nightcrawler. Most were caught on the same Ugly Stiks I’m always harping on you to buy. All were released safely after the photo.
A squad of kids landing fish is what this blog is all about!
Tristan and I went out the next day and continued to hammer them, bringing home a respectable limit of our own. Again, all fish were released safely after posing for a photo.
My New Favorite Family Photo
I wrote on Facebook that this is one of those photos I hope make it to my collage when I die. You can clearly see I’m exhausted in it, and am totally rocking the Dad-approved white New Balance sneakers that so many ladies give me such grief about, but in my view they make the photo.
Other Thoughts
This was one of those trips that reminded me just how good the fishing on this lake can be. While we didn’t catch a true giant bass, we had a few 4-pounders, which, to a kid, is dynamite. We also had no shortage of white perch and other panfish to target. I managed to put five different kids on fish throughout the week, some with minimal experience who were only four years old. It’s not every lake that you can do that this easily. So, while I respect the opinion of the gentleman who was concerned about all the recent fishing pressure, it didn’t hurt us.
I hope this helps someone headed up there soon!
Thanks,
John Paxton
Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!
So I finally had that moment in life that every father both dreads and also looks forward to. My son whooped my butt fishing. Look, he’s always been a good fisherman, and there have been days he’s caught the biggest fish, sure, but I’ve usually held my own. Not this weekend. No, folks, aside from my errant thumb, you won’t find a single picture of me below. This weekend was all about Tristan. He caught the most fish, the biggest fish, the first and the last fish. He caught the most species by far, and he even managed to catch is own shoe. He was an absolute machine this weekend, choosing to leave his seventh year in grand fashion before turning eight in a few days.
Here’s a look at what he accomplished, for posterity.
Saturday, May 27, 2023
We got a late start on Saturday as the dock was being put in and our friends deploying it were using our boat launch. This is just as well as I took my daughter, Amber, with me too, and she takes after her mother and likes to sleep in on fishing trips.
We didn’t get out on the lake until it was about 11 a.m. or so. The water is still reasonably high but has gone down a bit since last week. The weeds are also starting to grow in though the bulrush is only about 6″ off the surface if that makes sense. Water temps throughout the trip ranged from 63°F to around 67°F depending on where one was. It had been quite hot a few days and remained so while we were there.
The First Fish
In keeping with this blog’s mantra of “When fishing with kids, get a fish in the livewell as soon as you can,” we set off for a spot I know holds a ton of panfish. The “bad” news was that the first fish my son caught wasn’t legal for the livewell this time of year. The good news is because it was a 4.5lb largemouth bass!
I had just gotten done telling Tristan that I felt some nibbles when he started saying “I feel nibbles too! I feel nibbles too!” in a funny voice. I kept fishing but then glanced over and saw his Ugly Stik bent over in half! I dropped my rod and rushed over to unfold the net and land this bass. The darned kid has been fishing so long and caught so many fish that something like this doesn’t even prompt him to scream for the net – he just uses it to razz on me!
Tristan’s first fish of the trip, and his personal best largemouth bass, caught on Lake Champlain on a nightcrawler.
We kept fishing this area with my Terrova’s spotlock engaged, much to the amusement of Grandma Jean who had never seen such a contraption. Amber got her share of panfish that were legal for the livewell and spent most of her time naming them “Nemo” and “Dory” while Tristan kept going for the big ones. Unfortunately for him, four-year-olds have a short shelf life so we headed back in after a short trip.
Frogging at the Dock
Tristan was undeterred. I went up to the house to handle a few things while Grandma watched Amber splash in the water and Tristan took out a frog rod. He’s always had a blast using these and just loves to see the explosions. While frogs aren’t exactly a lure I’d advocate using with most kids because they’re hard to land fish on, Tristan has gotten pretty good at it. Here’s some evidence: a nice sized bass he caught on one while I was off doing chores!
Largemouth bass caught on a frog in some bulrush on Lake Champlain.
A Few More for Evening
Emboldened by his frog catch, T asked me to take him out in the evening frogging. Surprisingly, we got very few strikes and didn’t land any. I didn’t notice any bass attacking the frogs and the few strikes we had were likely pickerel. If you’re too far to see the fish outright, you can tell because pickerel will almost strike a topwater lure like a dolphin breaching the surface whereas bass just nail it like a bulldog shaking a lunch box open.
Since they weren’t going for the frogs, we tied on some spinnerbaits and chatterbaits and T managed this pickerel below on the latter. A main goal of mine has been to try and get him casting more and more this year so I can prep him for an eventual bass and pike trip with our friend Mick Maynard of Lake Champlain Angler Fishing Charters. He’s taken Tristan out once already, jigging for Lake Trout which is a more appropriate option when the kids can’t cast well, but I think T’s nearly ready for a good bass and pike trip. I’d better get one on the books.
If these were the only fish he caught the entire trip, he (and I, as his father) would have plenty to be proud of, but he had far more in store the next day.
Sunday, May 28, 2023: GAR AND CATFISH!
We stayed up a little later than we should, reliving my youth and watching 80’s swords and sorcerer movies, but we did get out again in the late morning on Sunday. Looking back on the photos, I guess T thought the secret sauce was the shirt he wore to catch his big bass the day before because he put that smelly thing back on! Can’t say I blame him.
We started our adventure with my daughter and grandma in the boat. Amber’s too little to cast on her own and frankly isn’t as into it as Tristan always has been, so she fished up front with me. I’d do the usual parent thing, casting out, hooking a fish, and reeling it in and then handing her the rod. This is fine for her and she just likes to see how many white perch she can get in a livewell and if she can remember all their names.
Meanwhile, in the back, Tristan went to work. We fished the Vermont shoreline near Crown Point. It’s a well known spot so I don’t think I’m giving much away since there’s always a line of boats doing the drift. Anyway, T got his fill here with a decent smallie that gave him a good fight.
Smallmouth bass caught on Lake Champlain.
It was only after we’d dropped off his sister that Tristan really started to knock me out. As we drifted along, we saw a large group of gar spawning on some rocks. Tristan, naturally, got all excited and wanted to catch one. I just chucked “knowing better” that spawning fish aren’t going to be interested in eating. Well, I was wrong because this gar right here smacked Tristan’s nightcrawler and bent his rod clear over. All I heard was “I told you, Dad! I TOLD you!” while he fought the fish in. Netting it, I was just happy that I had lost a giant carp last year that compelled me to upsize the net as this was a breeze and I wouldn’t have wanted to lose it on him!
Long nose gar caught on Lake Champlain.
He wasn’t so crazy about picking up this fish without a rag, which I’d say is probably fine for this species. You really want to be careful about doing this with most fish because they have an external slime that protects them from disease and such, but these gar are completely armored and in any event, no one is going to tell me this rag is going to do more damage than the rocks they’re going to be swirling all about as they spawn over the next few weeks.
The VERY NEXT CAST
On his VERY NEXT CAST his rod bent over again. At first I thought it might be another gar, but this one fought different. It’s funny, but you can usually tell what sort of fish you have on based on how it fights – or at least narrow it down considerably. While gar make long fast runs relatively close to the surface, this fish was going deep. The two fish on Champlain that do that consistently are catfish and carp, so I figured it was one of them.
This fight lasted a good 3-4 minutes though to a father it probably seemed like twenty. Honestly, when you saw the relief in his face and heard him complain of the aches in his arms, it probably seemed like twenty to him as well! This catfish went about eight pounds, which to a kid is huge. Again, I had a very proud moment as a father watching him expertly bring this one in. It’s not that easy to land a fish this big, keeping it away from the motor. I didn’t touch his rod once and the most guidance I had to give him was “Take it easy… Take it easy.” He did the rest!
A nice channel cat to top it off!
Until Next Time!
Well, you know that even a day like this wouldn’t satisfy Tristan, so we were back out at it until night, using my navigation lights for pretty much the first time ever, trying to catch more. He actually had what I’d estimate to be a 4-5lb northern pike on the line right to the boat, but the boat got stuck in the hook for my bow storage netting and I couldn’t get to it in time. Honestly, with fish like pike and pickerel, sometimes you’d rather they shake off right next to the boat unless they’re true trophies, but try telling that to a kid!
I’ve never had to use these navigation lights before.
We’ll be back soon enough. Maybe next year I’ll finally sign him up for the Vermont Master Angler Program as I believe he would have had three fish this trip that would have qualified!
If fishing with kids has taught me one thing over the years, its that fishing with confidence matters. This goes for both the parent, the child, and even the professional anglers out there. The more confidence you have while fishing, the more likely you are to catch fish. When I take my kids out on the lake, if they (or I) aren’t feeling it, it seems like we can’t catch anything.
The concept of “being snake bit” is well-known in sports. Essentially it means you’re on an unlucky slump where nothing will go your way. You might see a hockey player who can’t hit the net to save their life. Perhaps it’s a baseball pitcher who keeps missing the strike zone. In fishing, being snake bit means you can’t get a fish to chomp your lure no matter what you try. After awhile, it can be easy to stop trying.
Well, it’s one thing if you’re just out there fishing by yourself. It’s quite another if you have little ones in tow counting on you to put them on fish. Let’s talk about why you need fishing confidence and how to get it before your next trip.
Why Confidence Matters In Fishing
Confidence is an extremely positive tool in life and those who have it will usually credit it with at least some of their life success. Those who lack it may well spend considerable efforts and dollars out there trying new self help programs, pills, or trappings to try and gain it. Fishing is no different – those with confidence usually are ahead of the curve while those without it expend considerable effort trying to gain some.
The Power of Positivity
I’m a firm believer that self-fulfilling prophecies are a real thing in fishing as well as life in general. If I don’t think something is going to happen, chances are it won’t. This probably isn’t so much an issues with the cosmos as it is with myself – I need to believe in something to happen to give myself the energy to see it through.
Keeping a positive attitude is critical in fishing because you just never know when the fish will turn on or move into an area. Some tournament fishermen who are confident in their spots will sit on them all day without getting a bite, but they know that eventually the fish will arrive.
Likewise, positive thinking gives you the motivation to make “just one more cast” and you never know – it might be the cast that connects with the fish you’ve been dreaming of your whole life.
Just as importantly, even if it doesn’t pan, out, thinking positively will make your time on the water much more enjoyable than if you sulked about assuming you would fail!
Inspired Leadership of Self and Others
Given my blog and the books I’ve written, I have a reputation with my friends and their kids that if they come out fishing with me, they’re going to catch something. This could be a terrible burden if I let it, as I would never want to let someone down who made plans to fish with me. Even so, I am fully aware that sometimes, the fish just don’t cooperate right off the bat. While I’m always careful to have a Plan B when fishing with kids and follow my own advice about stress free tips for fishing with kids, it’s critically important that they never see me lose my smile. A guest out fishing with you is relying on your knowing what to do and if you let on that you’re worried, they will too. Then, all the confidence leaves the boat. We don’t want that!
Ways to Gain Confidence In Fishing
Now that you know why you need confidence in fishing, how do you go about getting it? Well, pretty much the same ways you’d gain confidence in any other sport or life endeavor. Practice, Preparation, and Proper Equipment.
Practice
Athletes gain confidence in themselves by practicing as perfectly as possible before the game. You can do the same thing with fishing. One of the most important things you can do is cast accurately and quietly. You want to present your lure exactly where it needs to go and have it enter the water without making a giant splash (normally).
You can practice casting in any open field with an old plug that has the hooks removed, or, if you’d prefer, they also sell this great set of practice casting plugs. This set comes with a variety of weights which is actually preferable to using a plug, as you can see the effect of casting different sizes. Frankly, I think I just found a good birthday present for my son as he wants to start using a baitcaster this year (he is 8) and I want him to get practice out in the yard first.
Preparation is huge in fishing, especially when you haven’t been to the waterbody before, or for a long while. Make sure you do some scouting, at least online. Fishing forums are a great place to start, as is google. Odds are, you found this article using that – go ask a specific question as you might find a fishing report for your lake that either is very recent, or at least is from the same general time of year from years ago.
Another great resource are Facebook groups. For example, Fishing 802 has a number of great tips about fishing in the 802 area code (Read: much of Lake Champlain). There is a wealth of knowledge there (not to mention some anglers who don’t know how to wipe coordinates and other meta data from their photos)!
If you’re fishing with kids, make sure you check out my article on preparing for a fishing trip with kids. It is filled with specific tips to help you enjoy your time out there. You also might want to see my article about making fishing with kids stress free while you’re at it.
Proper Equipment
You can’t have confidence while fishing if you don’t have confidence in your equipment. While you don’t need to rush out to buy the most expensive rods out there (if you do, buy them used) you should have confidence in your equipment. Don’t get the cheapest rod and reel combo out there. Don’t just drop your reel in the sand and forget to clean it. Check your line before you go out and ensure it isn’t frayed. Make sure your lures are of decent quality and appear relatively stable. In short, control the variables within your control.
I make a point to try and learn a new technique or lure each year. This can be scary because I don’t always know exactly how to work a lure, and am often going by instructions I got from the internet without a firsthand guide. Thus, I try to set myself up for success by doing the following:
I will use a new lure in an area I know has fish in that time of year. If there ever was a moment to go to a tried and true “honey hole,” it’s when you’re trying to build confidence while fishing a new bass lure.
Any variables that I can put in my favor, I do. This means picking my spots with the weather and time of day. I’m certainly not going to try a new bass fishing lure at high noon the day after a cold front!
If it’s possible to choose a variety of sizes with a new lure, I try to pick one that has a better chance of catching a wider range of fish. I wouldn’t want to try and build confidence when fishing new bass lures by picking the “jumbo” size that only a monster is likely to hit.
How to Shake Off a Bad Fishing Trip
There’s much wisdom in the phrase, “A bad day of fishing beats a good day at work.” Sometimes when the bite isn’t that great, I focus on the beauty around me and try to take it all in. Also, remembering that this isn’t a life or death situation or one that has irreparable consequences is important too. Lost a giant fish? You also gained a great story. Didn’t quite make the tournament cut? Well, what did you do wrong and what would you do in the future?
On that point, keeping a fishing log can be a great way to boost your confidence. Unsuccessful trips are just as important for a fishing log as the days that work out great! If you had a bad day fishing, consider drowning your sorrows with some sympathy shopping and treat yourself to this great leather logbook. It is organized so it will remind you to capture all the important details of the day including waypoints, water temps, and fish species as well as your thoughts and is the best one I’ve seen.
Conclusions
I hope this article helps you keep things in perspective so you can build and retain your confidence while fishing. It’s a wonderful asset to have out on the water that will help you have a better time on your own, and especially if you bring your kids out with you.
Well, the second trip up to Crown Point, NY in 2023 is in the books. This was supposed to be a boys weekend with my buddy Andrew from past adventures, but the week worth of rain in the region forced him to call it off as he finally got the weather needed to get some work done locally. I considered taking my first solo trip in forever, but my son has had such a hard time with the divorce lately that I asked his mom if I could spring him from school early and drive him up with me. She said yes, and so we were off for another Adirondack Adventure together.
Thursday, May 4, 2023 – Crown Point
As mentioned, it had rained for several days prior and stopped as we arrived Thursday afternoon. The lake was higher than it was two weeks ago when I took Dad up. While this would bring an influx of cold and murky water, I was still glad to see it. I’m tired of the years of drought the lake has had. It will be nice to be able to use the dock in July this year!
Thursday and Friday featured the end of the front with fairly high north winds Thursday and still significant Friday afternoon. It was bad enough Thursday that I didn’t want to take Tristan north of the bridge, figuring if it was that dicey in Crown Point the bridge area would be a disaster.
Instead, we poked around the Crown Point area, not really having much luck until we made our way to the south side of an island that kept us out of the wind. When you’re fishing with kids, very often you’re fishing with worms, and that’s what we were using here. We got the skunk out of the boat with a number of panfish before Tristan tied into this nice sheepshead.
It’s a four hour ride up, so we called it pretty early on Thursday and sat down to watch a movie. We planned to hit up Bulwagga Bay Friday morning.
Friday, May 5, 2023
So the next morning, I made one of my bigger boneheaded mistakes of all time (guess I have a fishing mistakes blog post to update soon). I had my son get in the boat with his life jacket while I backed it down the launch. Unfortunately, being tired or just an idiot (and maybe a bit of both) I forgot to tie the boat to the trailer and poor Tristan took a little ride into Champlain by his lonesome. He handled it like a champ and with some coaching was able to paddle the boat to shore where I joined him. We laughed about it, and he spent the rest of the weekend razzing me (He claims he’ll continue to do this for life).
You did great, buddy!
As planned, we headed up to Bulwagga Bay. Unlike the week before, the salmon fleet was nowhere to be found. The only company we had were two bass boats that blasted past us towards the back bay. We worked the western rip rap instead, but didn’t have much luck. The bay was as muddy as I’ve seen it, which might have something to do with it. I forgot the #1 rule of taking a kid fishing (get ANY fish in the boat as fast as possible) and quickly decided that we’d better head back to some proven areas in the south to fix that.
We continued to poke around drop shotting nightcrawlers and Tristan eventually hooked this nice bass. He was pretty happy though it didn’t come through in the photo. Perhaps he was still annoyed at me for the morning’s mistake!
Tristan still not looking that happy with me about the morning’s mix up.
Lunch in Crown Point, NY
After the chaos of the morning, and with the weather picking up again, we decided to hit up War Cannon Spirits for some nachos and soda. This is a new place, having opened recently in what used to be the local Agway. It has character, charm, and some damn good cream soda. I’m not much of a drinker so I can’t speak for their whiskey, but the nachos and especially pretzels are delicious. Frankly, there’s not a whole heck of a lot in the area as far as eateries with the old staples of Frenchy’s and Frenchman’s both disappearing, but this is worth the trip. I wish the owners the best of luck and hope it brings some business to the region.
The dining room has charm and plenty of seating for lunch, though I think you’d better get there early if you want a place to sit for dinner.
The Evening Catfish Bite
It stayed windy for most of Friday and we decided not to go back out. Tristan wanted to see one of his friends who lives up there and eventually I’d pick him up and take them to the Windchill in Ti, but first we’d catch some “Polish” catfish. We called them this because what they wanted more than anything was Rosol’s kielbasa. If you ever make your way to New Britain, CT, pick up a few links. It’s great for you and cats love them too.
This catfish favored Rosol’s kielbasa.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
We had a late night Saturday with Tristan’s friend and didn’t wake up all that early. No matter as this time of year you’re often better off in the late afternoon than in the early morning. We started the day plugging away near the house and catching a number of catfish on kielbasa as well as yellow perch (no more forgetting rule #1 for this guy). And yes, I tied the boat this time.
We were off and on the lake throughout the day taking breaks as needed. We stuck around locally rather than making any long runs since this trip was really more about putting Tristan on fish than catching monsters. All the same, he had some good ones.
The day had a high of 57 degrees or so and the water temperatures climbed to the high 50’s low 60’s in the bays we were fishing. I think a lot of the cooler rainwater had a chance to settle and sink so the bays started warming and the fish started getting active. We didn’t notice many spawning bass yet (just one nest DEEP in the flooded woods with the telltale sign of a parent chasing away panfish). However, clown colored x-raps fished around flooded timber was too much for many chain pickerel to pass up.
Chain pickerel love jerkbaits in the spring.
Towards evening, Tristan had luck with a cherry craw colored Rat-L-Trap. He caught several bass, the largest below. He was very proud as this was his first time using one of these lures. I’m sure all of you know the thrill of catching a bass on a “new” technique and his smile says it all. It was very hard getting him off the water to come home, and I could only convince him by promising an early start the next day.
This may be my new favorite photo of my son.
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Since I promised, we headed out early Sunday, right to where we caught them the night before. The water had cooled by 4-5 degrees over night and we didn’t see many boils. We did manage to catch a few fish (two chain pickerel and a largemouth bass) and I managed to get what I feel is a pretty sweet photo below, but we had to get off the water soon so we could clean up and head out. Until next time, Lake Champlain!
Sunrise on Lake Champlain.
Thanks for reading,
John Paxton
Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!
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.
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.
My son at 4-years-old, posing with this yellow perch.
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.
One of my favorite places to take my kids fishing in Connecticut has fields right behind it, just past that fence. Having a plan B is a huge deal when fishing with kids!
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!
You’re probably sitting there with a pale face, full of terror. Your kid just asked you to take them fishing, and you have no idea how. Perhaps you’ve never fished before.Maybe you fished once or twice as a kid yourself, but some adult tied on a bobber and ruined the sport for you forever. You might even like the hobby, but are nervous because you know how many times you come home without catching any fish, and don’t want to do that to your son or daughter. The pressure when taking kids fishing is real.
Taking kids fishing is an intimidating task for seasoned anglers, much less novices. There’s tremendous pressure to make sure the kids catch a fish. You want them to have fun, not wind up in the emergency room, or have your spouse telling you, “I told you so.”
You know it won’t be easy. Finding, much less hooking and landing a fish, is never a guarantee even for professionals. Just look at all the zeros on any tournament scorecard and you’ll see what I mean.
Then, there’s the matter of all the mechanics to consider. Little about this sport is intuitive, and that’s if you even get to the lake. Many a parent has quit after walking through a Wal-Mart aisle full of kids fishing poles, overwhelmed with anxiety trying to determine which fishing rod is best for their children.
Is this making your stomach turn a bit? Are you scared, wondering if you can pull this off, or if your kid is going home frowning and empty handed? Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered! Here’s my illustrated guide to taking kids fishing. Your one stop shop for everything you need to know!
What This Post Is
My goal with this post is simple. It will walk you through EXACTLY what you need to do to catch a fish with your kids. I will tell you exactly what kids fishing gear to buy (and will keep it simple, with gear you can find right on Amazon, or at Wal-Mart). I will teach you exactly what fish are best for children, and precisely when and where to find these fish to maximize your chance of success.
At the end, I will also devote some time to a FAQ about fishing with children as well as give you some good additional resources to help you out.
My goal for this article is that you should be able to catch a fish by doing nothing else than reading this post, and buying nothing else than the modest gear that I recommend. But, if I fail and you still have questions, you can also email me and I’ll personally help you for free. You can even send me your phone number if you want, and we can talk this through. I want your fishing trip with kids to be successful, and I’ll do everything I can to help.
Maxims and Mottos for Taking Kids Fishing
There are a few maxims or mottos that I live with when fishing with kids, but none is more important than this:
Get a fish in the livewell or bucket as fast as possible.
Your number one goal should be to get any fish you can (that is legal to keep) in your livewell or bucket as fast as you can. Doing so gives you considerable breathing room. First, your day is a success, because you have caught a fish. Secondly, if the action does slow down (and it will from time to time) your child has a new fish “friend” to play with.
A few fish in the livewell (or a bucket) will provide entertainment when the fishing slows down. Try to get a few in there ASAP!
Other Useful Maxims
Some other useful tips include:
Bring a spare rod or two that your kids can use while you fix tangles. Plan on fixing tangles constantly. Coach your children to tell you about tangles before they become unmanageable.
Make sure you have snacks and shade. Understand that children will find reasons to whine. Don’t give them any more than you have to. Bring snacks, provide shade, and make sure they’re comfortable.
Make sure you have a plan B. I recommend fishing places that have something else interesting to do. Fishing ponds next to a playscape are a great idea.
Safety Precautions for Fishing With Kids
Fishing doesn’t have to be dangerous, but just remember that you’re fooling around with sharp objects near water, often in the blazing sun, and with the intention of capturing wild animals. Things can go wrong. Here are some of the more common issues to be aware of.
The Sun
The most likely danger you’ll encounter when taking children fishing is the sun, especially if you’re on a boat with little shade. Make sure that you bring large-brimmed hats and liberally apply sunscreen. Consider avoiding the dog days of summer with little wind as they can be unbearable. If you have an option to add a bimini cover to your boat, set it up.
Keep an eye on your kids and remind them to drink water. It’s easy for them to forget to do this. My son gets so engrossed by fishing that if I didn’t remind him to take a drink now and then, he might pass out on the floor!
Don’t be afraid to call it a day or at least avoid mid afternoon. Often, this is the hardest time to catch fish, anyway. Granted, with kids, sometimes you’re working around nap time and can’t always pick your spots, but if you had a choice, I’d recommend mornings or evenings. The fish will bite better and the sun won’t be as brutal.
Hooks and Other Sharp Objects
Hooks are an obvious danger, as are scissors or even sharp pliers. You’d likely supervise young children making a craft at home with scissors, so be doubly aware while fishing with them on a rocking boat.
If you’ve followed my blog for any time, you’ll know that I try to avoid certain types of hooks, like treble hooks, when fishing with kids. These are three-pronged hooks that will stand up straight at all times and tend to be very sharp and thin. All of this is a true recipe for disaster if you ask me. If you search on YouTube or Google for videos or pictures of anglers jabbed by fishing hooks, chances are it’ll be a treble hook. Because of this, I recommend leaving them at home. If you must use them, consider pinching down the barbs.
I’d also highly suggest investing in some sunglasses for your children. First, they’ll help with the obvious sun issues. Secondly, they offer protection against errant hooks. While a hook getting stuck anywhere in a child is a problem, their losing an eye would be a tragedy. Sunglasses provide some peace of mind. If your kid doesn’t want to wear them, pick up a pair of polarized glasses and pitch it to them as a better way to see fish underwater (they reduce sun glare and allow you to see into the water better).
The Water
Kids love water, but water doesn’t always love kids. When on a moving boat, your children should always wear a life jacket. Some states even require them to wear one when the boat is moored, so check local regulations. While you can pick up any old life jacket, I swear by Mustang Survival life jackets for children. If you’re interested in finding out why, check out my review on why Mustang Survival makes the best kids life jackets. While they are a little more expensive than some other options, I don’t recommend skimping on your child’s life vest.
I trust Mustang Survival with the most important people in my life.
Another concern with water is that it can chill your kids quickly if they get it on their clothes. Remember how I told you to get a fish in the livewell or bucket as fast as you could? Well, guess what else is going in there? Your kids’ hands along with their sleeves. This can quickly chill them on a spring or fall morning, so be aware of this and keep some dry clothes to change them into if necessary.
The Animals
With the possible exception of fallfish, just about every type of fish you catch has some way of injuring your kids. Remember – these are live animals who aren’t in on the secret that you intend to thrown them back. For them, this is a life or death struggle and they’re going to use what God gave them to defend themselves as best they can. Here are some of the ways they do this:
Teeth
Teeth are obvious enough. If you catch a species that has them (like northern pike, chain pickerel, walleye, trout, bowfin, etc.) you should not handle these fish by the mouth! Doing so can result in a nasty bite.
Spines
Many of the smaller prey fish out there (such as sunfish, bluegill, and yellow perch) have sharp spines along their dorsal (top) fin that they will extend when caught. These are prickly and can hurt if they catch you just right. On the other hand, they can be folded back down or simply avoided. My son grabs fish fearlessly at this point and just shrugs off the spines as they don’t hurt that bad, but then he also plays hockey. You should at least warn your kids that the spines can jab them.
Bear in mind that some fish, like bullhead, have a toxin in their spine that makes getting jabbed by them especially painful. I’d recommend handling these fish yourself so your kid doesn’t get hurt.
Gill Plate
The gill plate on many fish is quite sharp. I really wouldn’t recommend having kids handle fish by the gill plate. Much can go wrong for the fish, and it functions almost like a blade that can slice a finger.
Further Reading on Fishing Safety With Kids
You’ll find that those are the most common issues to watch out for. Want more advice? Check out my article about safety tips for fishing with kids where I will put the fear of God into you over every little thing that can go wrong! Joking, but not really.
Fishing Gear For Kids
I promised you at the beginning of the post that this article would tell you EXACTLY what kids fishing equipment you needed. I intend to keep that promise. If you’re looking for some lengthy “best of” post, with fifty different recommendations that are supposedly “the best kids fishing poles” (makes you wonder what they think is worst), you won’t find that here. I’m going to keep things simple and to the point.
These are the five pieces of fishing gear for children that you need:
A good kids fishing pole, pre-spooled with line.
A pack of fishing hooks.
Some sinkers or weights.
Spare fishing line for when yours tangles.
Some bait.
All the merchandise links in this article will take you to Amazon, but you should be able to find all of them (or their close equivalent) in your local Wal-Mart fishing aisle. Note that I recommend a few different kids fishing rods. You should choose which one you buy based on how old your child is.
Also note that when I say “best kids fishing pole” I really mean “best kids fishing rod,” but as more people search for fishing “pole” than “rod,” and I’m trying to help people find this post, that’s what I’m rolling with. There is a difference between a fishing pole and a fishing rod if you’re curious. It’s mostly semantics at this point, but I’m a purist at heart!
You’re going to need a weight of some kind. You can get away with some small nuts and bolts, or buy these Tungsten dropshot sinkers (lead works too but is illegal in some states). These should be small. 1/32 oz or 1/16 oz would work.
For fishing line, you’ll get Berkley Trilene XL in 6lb test as a backup. All the kids fishing poles I recommended came with fishing line, but tangles happen and you might need to replace it. Trilene XL is about the best fishing line for kids that you can find.
In addition to this, make sure you bring a pair of needle nose pliers from home. Any pair from your toolbox will work.
That’s it. Nothing crazy. You can buy it all on Amazon and have it here in 2 days. Or, you can go to Wal-Mart and probably find this exact stuff or something close. Again, I’m here to make fishing with kids easy.
Why Did I Pick These Fishing Poles and This Fishing Gear for Kids?
Look, these aren’t the most expensive fishing poles for kids. Likewise, they aren’t necessarily the highest quality out there. What they are, however, is very easy for a beginner to pick up and use. The goal of this entire post is to make things easy, so that you can focus on catching a fish.
You’ll note that I’ve recommended kids rod and reel combos here. Normally, I don’t recommend buying a youth fishing rod and reel combo, because I think you can do better parting stuff out. However, these aren’t normal times. These are desperate times, because your kid wants you to take them fishing, and you don’t know what you’re doing! I don’t want to stress you out even more having you put on your own fishing line or try to assemble your own reel, so I’ve gone with youth fishing combos that start off with line on the spool.
While I did once write an article all about the best kids fishing rods, I’m confident that if you buy the five pieces of equipment above, you’ll be just fine. Let’s break down the gear a little bit to show why.
The Best Kids Fishing Pole
Many posts out there about the best kids fishing pole have 10-20 entries, many of which are junk. I’m going to keep it real simple for you. Let’s and just talk about two that are good fishing rods for kids. If you’re looking for the best beginner fishing rod for kids, I recommended either the Zebco Dock Demon or an Ugly Stik. They are the perfect size for young anglers, and can stand up to the abuse kids put them through.
Steer clear of the fishing poles with princesses or cars on them. Let’s put it this way. If you buy one of my recommendations, you’ll use them with multiple kids. If you buy a toy fishing rod, you’ll be lucky if you can use them for multiple fishing trips.
Zebco Dock Demon
My kids have been fishing a Zebco Dock Demon since they were little. At 30″, it’s the perfect size for fishing with 2 or 3 year olds. It stands up well and will catch fish. My son wasn’t exactly careful with it, and smacked and dropped it every which way. Even so, it lasted long enough for my daughter to use it a few years later. I have pictures to prove it. Here’s a photo of the front of my book. You’ll note that my then 2-year-old son is fishing with a Zebco Dock Demon (you’ll also note that I’m photographed wearing a fanny pack on a nationally distributed book, but form follows function).
Trust me, I’m not going to try and sell you on something that doesn’t work. If you’re taking your kids out fishing and you have a 2 or 3 year old in tow, pick up a Zebco Dock Demon for them at Amazon and keep them entertained.
The Ugly Stik Combos
I spend a lot of time on my blog raving about how Ugly Stik makes some of the best rods for fishing with kids. I’ve been fishing with these since I was a kid myself. Now, my children are now using a number of the same fishing poles from my past.
As I mentioned, the particular Ugly Stik fishing rods I recommended above are combos. While I do earnestly believe you can find better stuff by parting it out, that overcomplicates things for a kid’s first fishing trip. The combos I recommended will work great for your children and help them catch their first fish. There’s a great chance your grandchildren will be using the same fishing rods some day.
Why Am I Recommending Spinning Reels Instead of Spincast Reels?
Many people recommend that kids start off with spincast reels. I don’t. While spincast reels are easier to cast, here’s the thing: if your kid isn’t old enough to learn how to cast a spinning reel, they aren’t old enough to cast on their own, anyway. You should be casting for your children when you’re all getting started. If you don’t, one of these three things is GUARANTEED to happen:
Your child will cast into the first bush or tree they (don’t) see.
There’s an extremely good chance you or another bystander will be hooked and hurt.
Your kid’s fishing line will tangle into the worst birds nest imaginable almost instantly.
Unless you bring along spare fishing rods (which isn’t a bad idea, frankly), you really don’t want your kids casting on their first time out. If your kids are anything like my three-year-old daughter, this is going to cause some issues (“I can do it!” is one of her favorite slogans). You’ll want to set some clear ground rules in advance (remember those maxims we discussed)!
Why Did I Only Recommend Fishing Hooks Instead of Lures?
It is much easier to catch a fish with a hook and a worm than it is with a fishing lure. Lures are artificial and require some skill to convince fish that they’re something worth eating. Worms, on the other hand, are actual food and fish (at least the dumb ones, which are the ones you’re looking for when you take your kids out fishing) don’t need any convincing. While I do have some articles about the best kids fishing lures, can you just trust me on this? Grab a pack of Aberdeen panfish hooks in size 4 and keep things simple for the first few fishing trips with your children.
Now, you are going to need to bait these hooks. Nightcrawlers are your best bet, and you should do your best to keep them alive and healthy as fish prefer live worms to dead ones. You could also fish with corn, though you’ll want to check and see if that is legal in your state.
Alternatives to Live Bait
Some people are uneasy about using worms or other live bait. I get it. Before I was a dad, I didn’t like using live bait either. If you don’t want to fish with worms for whatever reason, then buy some of those Berkley gulp minnows I talked about earlier. Get the 1″ size if you can, but no larger than 1.5″. This is small enough that panfish can grab them. Use a color that is either gray or black – something natural.
I personally have had much better luck by buying Berkley Gulp minnows in the plastic tanks filled with liquid than the dry pouches. The liquid is a proprietary scent and the lures come doused in it. They give off a good scent trail in the water which really calls the fish in. Berkley claims that Gulp out fishes live bait, and I’ve had several days where they were right. It’s certainly pricey compared to nightcrawlers, but well worth it.
Why Berkley Trilene XL is the Best Fishing Line for Kids
Granted the kids fishing rod and reel combos I recommended earlier come pre-spooled with fishing line, but that will only last so long. You’re only a few epic tangles (read: about 5 minutes away when fishing with small children) from needing to put on fresh line, so you’d better buy a pack.
If you’re looking for the best fishing line for kids, it’s Berkley Trilene XL, hands down. This isn’t fancy stuff. Indeed, it’s been around for decades and some thumb their noses at it, considering it “simple.” Simple is exactly what you want when you’re fishing with kids. Berkley Trilene XL is soft, easy to manage, and inexpensive. It casts well, is easy to tie knots with, and is strong. You can also find it anywhere. Amazon carries it, but it’s also at any local sports shop that carries fishing gear, guaranteed.
Since I’m trying to keep things simple here by setting you up with gear you don’t need to spool, I’m not going to give you the instructions how to do that here. However, I do walk you through that process in my post about the basic skills you need to take a kid fishing if you need some help.
Avoid Fluorocarbon When Fishing With Kids
Fluorocarbon is a mess to deal with and will have you wondering why your fishing line unravels from your spool so easily. It’s not a good fishing line for beginners because it’s so hard to keep it pliable.
Braided Fishing Line Can Cut Children
Braid is extremely strong fishing line that won’t coil up, but it is sharp and can easily cut your kids. Most of my injuries while fishing have come from using this line. Let’s say your child catches a good sized fish – that’s the dream, right? If your kid doesn’t want to touch the fish, they’ll hold the line instead. Now let’s suppose that fish thrashes suddenly. That thin braided rope is going to burn or cut your child’s hands.
Why You Need to Buy Some Fishing Sinkers
Well, I suppose you technically don’t. As mentioned earlier, you can use some nuts or bolts or anything heavy that you don’t mind losing as a weight. I’d simply recommend you stay away from lead sinkers. For one, lead isn’t good for you or the environment. Secondly, some lead sinkers are illegal in some states like Massachusetts.
You can pick up any sinkers you find that are affordable. Ones that are shaped like this work very well, but don’t fret if you can’t find their exact match. Just make sure you buy or scrounge up a weight, because we’re going to use them to tie a drop shot, which I’ll describe in the next section.
How to Fish With Kids – The Mechanics
Here we will discuss the mechanics of fishing. This could fill an entire book, but I’m going to keep things simple and teach you three things:
You’ll learn how to tie a drop shot rig.
We’ll discuss how to cast a spinning rod.
I’ll teach you how to hook, fight, and land a fish.
While there’s plenty more to learn, I promised to keep things simple These three skills will be enough to help your kids catch a fish.
How to Tie a Drop Shot Rig
At a glance, the drop shot rig should look like this:
The drop shot – a tried and true technique for fishing with kids.
The drop shot rig is just a hook tied with a Palomer Knot where a sinker is attached to the tag end. To tie a Palomer Knot, thread your line through your hook and then pass the tag end back through the eye again (figure 1). Take the loop this forms, and tie a simple overhand knot around the standing line and tag line with the loop (figure 2). Now, take the loop and pass the hook itself through it (figure 3). Finally, pull on both the hook and the tag/main line until the line is fully tightened (figure 4). You would now attach a sinker of your choice to the tag end (I like to leave about 12″ of line between the sinker and the hook, but you can experiment with different lengths).
The Benefits to the Drop Shot Rig
The reason I’m so high on the drop shot is its versatility. It will catch literally any fish in the lake and can quickly be converted to a simple hook and worm by removing the sinker. You can also rig up a bobber to it easily enough (even if I hate fishing with bobbers with a passion).
Drop shot rigs work very well in a variety of locations. Basically, anywhere that they won’t be fouled by weeds is a good place to throw them. They do very well in rocks (especially if you use cylindrical drop shot weights that won’t get stuck as easily in nooks and crannies), and are perfect for dropping near a school of sunfish or perch.
Finally, they’re a breeze for kids to cast, and don’t have treble hooks that you need to worry about. The hooks used tend to be quite small and thin, sure, but they don’t have too much of a barb to them and don’t pose as much danger as some other options.
How to Cast a Spinning Rod
Casting a spinning reel can seem daunting if you’re used to a spincast reel, but it’s really not that hard. My son was able to learn it at a very young age and with a little practice, so will you.
To learn how to cast a spinning rod, you need to know what the bail is. The bail is a metal loop that leads to a line guide. Its purpose is to keep line from falling off your reel. When the bail is opened, line can freely fall unless you do something about it. What you need to do is to hold the line with your index finger (young kinds might use their second hand) to keep it taut. When you go to cast your rod, you would release your finger from the line when you’re ready for your lure to fly.
Essentially, whereas with a spincast reel you hold onto a button and release it when you’re ready for your lure to cast, with a spinning reel, “the button” is the line itself, and you hold it with your index finger.
Hooking, Fighting, and Landing Fish
Once you get a fish to bite, you need to do three things: hook, fight, and land it! Here’s a few handy tips for each.
Hooking Fish
When you feel a fish start to nibble, you want to set the hook. Setting the hook means driving it through the fish’s mouth so the fish is stuck. You do this with either a short jerking or sweeping motion depending on what type of hook you’re using. If you don’t set the hook, you’re basically hoping that the fish bit down hard enough to snag itself. This isn’t always the case.
Just be careful when you set the hook not to pull too hard. For one, you might rip the hook out of the fish’s mouth. More critically, you might find you’ve sent the hook back flying towards you and your children! This can get dangerous in a hurry and is the second most likely way (behind casting) that someone gets hooked. Take it easy there sport and don’t go nuts!
Fighting Fish
Fighting fish boils down to three main objectives:
Keep the fish hooked.
Prevent the line from breaking.
Guide the fish away from cover, and to the boat or shore.
Keeping Fish Hooked
To keep a fish hooked, you need to maintain pressure on the line. When a hooked fish is under pressure (which is easy to tell by your rod bending), it means that the hook is grappled into the fish’s mouth. When there is no pressure, the hook can fall limp and be dislodged. Thus, it’s important to keep pressure on the fish.
While it’s not something I’d recommend for adults when fighting big fish, the easiest way to get kids to do this is simply to tell them to keep their rod up high. This has some disadvantages (the fish may be more inclined to jump, and in a worst case scenario, “high sticking” can cause the rod to break), but with little kids, it really is your best bet.
While “high sticking” can be problematic, the bottom line is it is the easiest way to help a kid catch some fish. Kids don’t really listen to the instruction well enough to cause a grave danger with the technique, anyway.
Preventing Your Fishing Line From Breaking While Fighting Fish
Fishing line has a line test, which means the amount of force it can endure before it breaks. For example, 6lb line can withstand 6lb of pressure. However, this does not mean that 6lb line can only catch fish 6lbs and smaller. Indeed, substantially larger fish are often caught on smaller test line. This can be done for a few reasons.
First, the rod itself absorbs some of the pressure and acts like a shock absorber on a car. It is very important to maintain a bend in the rod so that the line won’t snap. If your child points the rod tip right at the fish and prevents this bend from forming, the line can easily snap.
Secondly, your reel’s drag system will allow line to pull off the reel when a certain force is applied. Your spinning reel will either have a dial at the top above the spool, or below it. With most manufacturers, twisting this clockwise will increase the drag (meaning, it will be harder for line to pull off) while turning it counter-clockwise will decrease the drag.
A good rule of thumb is to ensure that line will pull off with a bit of pressure, but won’t fly off. This will help you prevent your kid’s from losing a fish that takes a sudden run, but will also ensure that your child can make some progress against larger fish.
Keeping Fish Away From Cover
When you’re fishing near cover (rocks, piers, laydowns, docks, etc.) bear in mind that this cover is the fish’s home base. Chances are, when they feel the pinch of the hook they’re going to go scooting off for home. Try to be aware of this when fishing and make an effort to keep your kids aware of it too. Their going to want to try and steer fish away from heavy cover as well as possible. If they don’t the fish can get tied up around the cover and break off.
Landing Fish
Once your child has tired a fish out and it is near the shore or the boat, you need to land it. If the kid you’re fishing with is fairly small, or excitable, you’ll want to help. The goal is to get the fish safely out of the water without injuring it or having it escape.
Small fish, like sunfish, bluegills, and yellow perch can simply be lifted out of the water. Your kid will probably end up reeling these fish close to their rod tip (which you want to tell them to avoid) before you know it, anyway. However, when you start tackling larger fish like largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish, chain pickerel, and northern pike, you’ll probably want to use a net.
While it is possible to land any fish without a net, things will go much smoother and safely if you use a landing net. I prefer landing nets like the Frabil Conservation Series net as its rubber netting is better for fish. It also catches less barbs than traditional rope/fiber nets. This is a win-win for everyone!
When attempting to land a fish with a net, try to guide the fish head first into the net and seize it with a scooping motion. Be careful not to jab at it, because if you miss and bonk the fish’s nose with the edge of the fishing net’s rim, there’s a good chance you’ll knock the fish off.
The moment that you attempt to hand your child the rod is the fish’s best chance of escape. Remember how I mentioned keeping pressure on the line and not allowing any slack is critical? Well, this is very challenging to do when handing a line from one person to the next. You need to ensure that before you pass the rod, your child knows to grab it and keep pressure on. You’ll help yourself tremendously if you ensure that you hand it to them with a bow in the rod meaning that the fish is under pressure. Do not allow slack to form before handing it over as there’s a great chance you’ll impart at least a little on the transition.
This might take you a few times to get right, especially if you’re targeting larger species. Don’t let your frustration seep through or let your kid down. Both of you need your A game to make this work so don’t let any nagging doubts creep in.
What Types of Fish are Good Targets for Children?
That old cliche that there’s plenty of fish in the sea is also true about fish species, but we won’t bother with that. We’re going to put fish into two broad buckets: easy fish to catch, and “kicker fish” to take a beaming photograph of. As mentioned in the maxims section, the idea is that you want to to get a fish into the livewell as fast as possible. This means that you should focus on catching “easy fish,” not “kicker fish.”
An easy fish is one that will bite repeatedly, aggressively, and without much trouble. They don’t require special gear or know how, and basically just require you to show up where they are and drop a worm in front of their face. Fish like sunfish, bluegill, crappie, rock bass, and yellow perch are considered “easy fish.” They were probably the first fish that you ever caught, and they’ll be the first your kids catch too.
“Kicker fish” are the fish your kids are going to go show off at Show & Tell the next day. These are the fish that are a little bit bigger than the easy fish, and will pull a little line. They’ll put a bend in the rod and a smile on the face. These will be the photos you put up on the big screen during their wedding day.
Kicker fish are not the goal. Easy fish are what you’re after. Kicker fish live in the same areas, however, so with time, you’ll get one naturally.
How to Catch Panfish
Panfish (bluegill, sunfish, yellow and white perch, as well as crappie) are great fish to target with kids, because they’re relatively simple to catch. They aren’t particularly smart, are extremely common, and will put up a decent fight on the light or ultralight rods you might use with your kids.
Panfish hang around docks, wood, and weeds. In clear enough water, you can often see panfish even if fishing from shore. Oddly, even though you can see them, they’ll still often take a bite at your worm!
Where to Find Panfish
Panfish are common in many lakes and ponds. When fishing from shore, you’ll be able to find them near most types of cover. For example, weed lines, rocks, and standing/fallen timber. When fishing from shore, you will probably notice there are “community spots.” You can recognize these because there will be signs of repeated human activity. These include worn areas where there is no grass, and, unfortunately, trash.
While these spots are often productive (and frankly, often your best shot when taking kids with you) just be advised that they may have been overfished recently. Sometimes, you may be better off taking a few steps off to the side or trying to find a good spot that not as many folks frequent.
Ideally, you’ll find a spot that has easy access to 3-6′ of water near cover. I like to use a drop shot tied on with a worm or gulp minnow to search for panfish. I don’t put my rod down. Rather, I hold onto it waiting to detect their bites. If there are panfish in the area, it usually doesn’t take too long to get a nibble.
Another outstanding place to find panfish is near creek mouths. Sometimes you’ll find them right in the mouth itself, while other times they’ll be a bit further back. These spots are especially productive in early spring and fall. During the height of summer, boat docks, rocks, and other places that toss a lot of shade can hold many fish.
A cross section of where to find panfish most days. Cover provides protection and shade both for the panfish and their prey.
What Size Hook to Use for Panfish
There’s a pond near my house that I take my children to often. It is popular, and there are frequently other families fishing next to us. We habitually take more fish than them, and it usually isn’t close. This isn’t really due to skill, but due to hook size. I’ve found that when I walk over to help out, they have a monster hook tied onto their line. I fish with very small hooks, usually size 4 or 6 in a panfish hook. This set has a good range of sizes that work well for panfish.
Basically, you want to make sure that the fish can actually fit the hook in their mouth. If they can’t, they will simply peck away at the sides of your worm until the hook is stripped bare.
I’d also recommend using just a little piece of a worm. There is no need to thread on the entire thing when going for panfish. If you do, you’ll find that most fish steal parts of the worm without being hooked. By taking a small chunk and placing it right near the point of the hook, your chances for success increase substantially.
How to Catch a Big Fish With Your Kids
There’s a very good chance that if you simply soak a worm for long enough, your kids will tie into a larger fish eventually. However, no one will dispute that you’re more likely to catch larger fish if you specifically target them.
Trying to catch a big fish with your kids requires either more skill, or more patience.
As your child’s casting accuracy and distance increases, you can tie on a spinnerbait for them. This is a lure that rarely catches panfish. Most bites will be a bass or larger. If your child lacks the skill set or desire to continuously cast, if you have a boat, you can try trolling. I wrote an article about trolling for pickerel which has become one of my go-to ways to catch fish with smaller kids in tow.
With more patience, you can tying on chunks of chicken liver onto a circle hook for bullhead and catfish. This is very much a “soak and wait” type of presentation, so ensure you have some distractions nearby.
If you’re serious about catching a larger fish with your kids, I’d take them out in the evening as the sun is setting. While you’ll need good bug spray, larger fish tend to be more active at this time and you’ll have a better shot at catching one.
Other Helpful Resources
Fishing has a ton of great content producers out there besides FishingFather publishing blogs, videos, books, and magazines frequently. One of my favorites is In-Fisherman magazine, which is great because it looks at ALL major freshwater species of North America, rather than just bass.
I’m also a huge fan of Uncut Angling’s YouTube channel. While some of his stuff is a bit advanced, he brings passion to the sport, has great tips, fishes year round, and just has some awesome fun videos to help get your kids excited about the sport.
On the other hand, if you, the parent are looking for help, check out my book, “Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide” for help centered from the adult’s perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions for Fishing With Kids
I thought it would be best to close with a few “quick hit” questions that I hear from time to time from parents new to the sport. Some of these have been answered up above, but it helps to have them in one spot.
At What Age Does My Child Need a Fishing License?
All states allow very young children to fish without a fishing license, but a few require that their chaperon have one. Arizona has the strictest laws in terms of age, as kids less than 10 years old need a fishing license of their own. For more information, please see an article where I researched if a kid needs a fishing license in all 50 states.
What Size Hook Should I Use for Panfish?
Because panfish have very small mouths, you’ll want to use a smaller hook. I recommend panfish long shank hooks in the size 4 to 6 or so, but this set has a bit wider range that includes some other good sizes you can experiment with.
What is the Best Fishing Line to Use With Children?
I recommend 6lb test Berkley Trilene XL. It casts smooth, has low memory, is inexpensive, and is a tried and true brand I’ve been using since I was a kid myself. 6lb test is a good size that will fit on most spinning reels, even small ones kids use. It is strong enough to allow your child to catch bass and even larger fish, assuming the drag is set appropriately.
Well that was a doozy of an article, wasn’t it? But then, this is an expansive topic that can take a lifetime to master. I hope this helped condense that a little bit into something you could chew through in a weekend and have a good time on the water with your children!
Please feel free to send me stories or photos of your fishing adventures and successes. I’d love to hear feedback if this guide or my books helped you on your journey!
Are you sick and tired of your walls being covered in crayon? Is your toddler running around the house, knocking over every vase, in need of some fun outdoor activity? Or, are you simply so fed up with “Baby Shark” that feel compelled to catch one? If so, you’ve probably wondered “can a 2-year-old go fishing?”
You are in luck! Not only is the answer, yes, you can take your 2-year-old fishing, but it’s also the best time to take them! This is the perfect age at which to take a kid fishing for several reasons. First, they’ll be super excited about every little fish caught, no matter how large. Second, this is an age where they want to copy everything you do, and they’ll grin from ear to ear if you let them practice casting. Third, this is a point in their life where they’re really into slime, water, and animals. In short, 2-year-olds love to fish. You need to take them!
Now, you may have already seen my article about what a good age is to take a child fishing, but this will expand on that, so read on. Note that this article does assume that your kid is about 2-3 years old. If they are much younger, please refer to my post about fishing with babies and infants.
Why You Should Take a Young Kid Fishing
It might surprise you, but fishing is a great sport for young kids like 2-year-olds or 3-year-olds. Like soccer, it’s one of those activities they can mostly handle. Sure, most kids won’t be able to make that great of a cast at first, but they can quickly get the hang of it. There aren’t too many ways that they can be “just like mommy or daddy,” but fishing is one of them.
That’s empowering for kids. After all, how many of your hobbies do they “really” get to play along with at this age? Much of the time, they probably feel left out on the sidelines. If you take your 2-year-old out to catch some fish, they’ll be front and center for the action.
I’ve also found that my children listen to me better while we’re out fishing. While I struggle just as much as anyone else to get them to eat their food or pick up their toys, they listen very intently to instruction with a fishing pole in their hands. This is because they’re so interested that it’s easy for them to pay attention. Little kids have ADD from the 7th ring of hell, but if they find something fascinating, they’re laser-focused. I’ve yet to find a 2-year-old who saw me catch a fish and didn’t want to catch one of their own.
Finally, you ought to take your 2-year-old fishing with you because they think it’s just the coolest thing ever, and that’ll make you the coolest parent ever. Well, at least until you get back in the car.
Pictures like this are a pretty good reason to go fishing with your kids too!
What to Expect When Fishing With a 2-Year-Old
In a word, tangles. Lots and lots of tangles. Everywhere there will be tangles, the likes of which you’ve never seen. There’ll be no reason for you to wonder if old fishing line goes bad. It’ll never get the chance.
You may think I’m joking, but I’m not. You know how it only takes your 2-year-old two seconds to get into trouble? I think it’s more like one when they’re fishing. You should absolutely expect to have significant equipment breakdowns, and you should therefore bring a couple of spares. I recommend bringing no less than three fishing rods when you take a 2-year-old along.
Alpha Rod: the fishing rod currently in your 2-year-old’s hands. It is in the process of being tangled.
Bravo Rod: the fishing rod currently in your hands. It is in the process of being detangled.
Charlie Rod: the fishing rod currently resting up against a tree. It is about to be tangled.
It might seem like overkill, but if you don’t bring along three rods you’re going to spend most of your time fixing issues with one and your kids will get bored. Fishing with 2-year-olds very much feels like reloading muskets during the American Revolution. It takes time and is a constant, all trip long.
Can a 2-Year-Old Catch Their Own Fish?
Yes, but you shouldn’t expect this. My son was casting, hooking, fighting, and landing his own fish before he was two, but I am insane. You’ll note I started an entire blog about this. I’d assume most people haven’t had their kids on this kind of track since they were little. So, it’s going to take them a few trips. Your best bet is to cast out for them, and also try to cast your own rod out. When you get a bite on your rod (which is more likely, since your kid has probably reeled theirs in immediately), hand it over to your 2-year-old and have them reel it in.
You’re going to need to coach them through the reeling and fighting of the fish. My father always used to coach, “keep the rod up high!” While this can lead to high-sticking, which you don’t want, with little kids like 2-year-olds, it really is good advice. They’re too short to keep much pressure on the fish in any other way. Also, it’s unlikely they’re catching a fish large enough to break the rod via high-sticking (if they do, it’s probably stronger than them and they aren’t lifting it that high in the first place).
Tips for Fishing With a 2-Year-Old
Here are some tips and advice to make fishing with your 2-year-old much more enjoyable. You’ll note that most of the factors discussed below are entirely in your control. Given this sport has so much that isn’t, I would advise you to consider these.
Wear the Right Clothing
Taking a 2-year-old fishing requires special clothing. You should outfit your children in some rainboots, regardless of how sunny it is. I suppose if it is really hot, crocs or other water shoes would be fine. Don’t put them in anything that you want to keep clean, as it’s not happening. You also need to get them a sunhat, even if it isn’t that sunny. Trust me, fishing is so exciting that you’ll forget to reapply sunscreen, which you don’t want. I like wide-brimmed hats that have a snap to help keep them in place.
This is a good style fishing hat for fishing with kids.
What is the Best Fishing Pole for a 2-Year-Old
Once a child reaches about 2 or 3 years old, the best fishing pole to buy them is an Ugly Stik. They’re durable, inexpensive (important since you want three of them), and last a lifetime. They are perfectly sufficient for catching any fish a 2-year-old is likely to hook into. Kids this age don’t need the sensitivity some of the higher-end brands provide, as they’re going to be fishing mostly with live bait which provides an obvious bite. If you’re interested in learning more about why Ugly Stik is my favorite fishing rod for kids, check out my review of the Ugly Stik Elite fishing rods.
What Lures Should You Use With a 2-Year-Old?
I’d strongly urge you to avoid using lures and instead use bait. Lures are artificial objects intended to trick fish into biting, thinking it’s a meal. Bait is the real deal. We’re talking worms, crickets, hot dogs and corn (where legal).
Of these, I find that worms work the best, especially when rigged with a drop shot. I favor drop shots because they’re easy to tie and cast, keep your bait up off the bottom where fish might see it, and can easily be converted to a slower-moving target by removing the sinker.
Here’s a video from Wired2Fish that will show you how to tie a drop shot rig. This is a great way to fish with 2-year-olds.
Should You Use a Bobber?
I’m really not a fan of fishing with bobbers when I take kids out. I find the technique to be boring as people tend to cast their rod out and then set it down, waiting for a fish to bite. I find that you get far more bites by working the bait back to shore or the boat in a series of short little twitches with pauses. If I was going to fish with a bobber, I’d leave that rod off to the side and have my kid working a different one.
Bobbers are fine if fishing is the ancillary activity, so if you’re “mostly” playing catch and just happen to be next to a lake, they’re useful. I just feel that they take something that should be active and exciting and make it very passive.
This Sounds Stressful…
Yes, it can be. However, you’re in luck! I wrote an entire article about making fishing with kids stress-free that I highly encourage you not only to read, but also to share with your spouse and anyone else who is coming for the trip. One thing that bears repeating from that article is simply to keep your cool. Look, you’re catching sunfish out there. If you lose one, does it really matter? Of course not. Indeed, you might think about a fishing trip as an awesome way to showcase some resilience for your children by always being on the up and up no matter what goes wrong. So look at the little adventures of taking a 2-year-old fishing as a learning opportunity and leave it at that.
How to Keep a 2-Year-Old Interested in Fishing
My best two pieces of advice for how to keep a 2-year-old (or any kid) interested in fishing are pretty simple:
Get a fish into the livewell or bucket as fast as you can.
Have plenty of other distractions besides fishing.
The first one makes enough sense. For years, I’ve stressed the need to catch a fish as quickly as you can and put it in the livewell or bucket. This gives kids something to “check in on” whenever they start getting bored. I’ve found that my son and daughter spend almost as much time staring at the livewell than they do fishing some days! From a 2-year-old’s perspective, if there’s no fish in the livewell, then you’re just standing there holding a fishing rod. They don’t do well with delayed gratification. Once the fish is in the livewell, they have a “friend” to hang out with until their next opportunity to start reeling.
As for distractions, well, as counter-intuitive as it may be, one of the best ways to keep kids interested in fishing is to have other stuff going on that can pull them away from it. It’s the same concept, really, as getting the fish in the livewell. You want your kids to have other things pulling their attention away so they don’t have time to get bored with the actual angling. I find that soccer balls and worm buckets are just about perfect for this!
Have some distractions on hand. Luckily, you don’t need to bring anything special. The box of worms will do just fine.
Conclusions: Yes, You Can Take a 2-Year-Old Fishing
You shouldn’t hesitate for a moment to take your 2-year-old fishing with you. Indeed, it’s one of the best experiences that a parent can share with their child. If you aren’t convinced, I’d suggest that you check out my article on a boatload of reasons to take your kids fishing sometime. There’s plenty of good ones!
As always, if you need more help please feel free to email me, leave a comment below, or join my Facebook group and post a message there seeking advice. You can also buy my book which was written specifically to help you with the exact kind of questions that led you to this page (click on the picture below my signature for the purchase link on Amazon). I love interacting with fans and helping people learn to fish with their kids, so please don’t feel as though it’s any trouble!
I’ve fished in Connecticut my entire life and learned a good fishing spot or two, but not all are created equal when taking your kids. In this article I’ll help parents understand where to fish with their kids in Connecticut. If you’re looking for some advice on where to find family friendly fishing in the Nutmeg State, read on!
Rather than give you an overview of every lake in Connecticut, I’ve decided to stick to places I’ve actually visited and fished. I figure that this will give you better information, and give me a reason to go check out some new spots!
I plan on making this page a work in progress as I continue to ply my way across the state with my two children and discover new fishing holes, so make sure you bookmark this and return to it often! Edit 3/28/21 – I just found one!
As this is a longer article, here’s some handy navigation to get you started.
Great Places to Take Your Kids Fishing in Connecticut
Now that we’ve talked a bit about what makes a good fishing spot for kids, I’m going to break down some ideal places to take your kids fishing in Connecticut.
When possible, I will discuss the following:
Size: How large the lake or pond is. I won’t always have this data, but will provide it when I can.
Fish Species: The different fish you can find in the lake. Bear in mind that you’re going to want to see “sunfish” and “yellow perch” if you’re going fishing with little kids.
Facilities: If I know what facilities are available, including restrooms and picnic tables, if I’ll tell you.
Parking: I’ll give some thoughts on the parking lot so you know if you need to get there early. It can be stressful trying to navigate a trailer around a crowded lot.
Boat Ramp: Can you bring a trailered boat or only one you can carry in?
Shore Access: I discuss if there are a number of good fishing spots from shore or not.
Special Restrictions: Some places don’t allow outboard motors or ice fishing. When I know this information, I’ll share it, but you should always consult the most up-to-date Connecticut Fishing Guide you can to make sure you’re compliant with the law.
Distractions: I’ll talk about what you can do with your kids if they get bored of fishing.
After laying out these basics, I’ll also make sure to give you my personal thoughts on the location, and offer any other insight that I can.
Family Friendly Fishing Spots in Hartford County
I’ve spent many years fishing in Hartford County both before and after I had children, so I’ve learned a few good spots to take kids fishing. Here are a few of my favorite places to take my family fishing in Hartford County.
Paderewski Park (Plainville, CT)
Size: Not available, but I’d estimate around 10-15 acres.
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Sunfish.
Facilities: There are restrooms with working plumbing in a building by the splash pad. There’s also shaded picnic spots.
Parking: There are two parking lots. One is right next to the pond and can accommodate 10-15 vehicles. It would be tough to fit a trailer.
Boat Ramp: No. Getting a canoe or row boat into this pond would be challenging for one person.
Shore Access: Good. There are several spots around the pond where you have plenty of room to fish.
Special Restrictions: Gas motors are prohibited.
Distractions: Tons. There are multiple sports fields, a great playscape with swings, and a splash pad in the summer.
Overview
If you’re looking for a family friendly fishing spot in Connecticut, look no further than Paderewski Park in Plainville. Its combination of ample shore access, numerous fish, and tons of distractions make it THE place to go fishing with your kids.
Paderewski Park is a square fishing pond with shore access on all sides, though the north and eastern sides would have you fishing in site of people’s back yards, which is awkward. I usually take my son fishing along the southern bank as there are several wide open areas for him to cast a line.
Most of the fish in this pond are stunted as there seems to be too many sunfish for their own good. You’ll find that many fish you catch are 3″ or so in length. This won’t be too exciting for older children, but little ones love it.
As a plus, there is an awesome splash pad and very nice playground for the kids to enjoy after they tire of fishing. This area also has several shaded picnic benches so you can relax in peace while your children play.
If you live near Plainville, Connecticut, I think you’d have a hard time finding a better spot to go fishing with your kids.
Vast sections of Paderewski Park Pond have open areas where kids can cast.
Fisher Meadows Pond / Spring Pond (Avon, CT)
Size: 41 acres
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Common Carp, American Eel, Chain Pickerel (rare).
Facilities: A few porta-potties and some picnic tables.
Parking: Very large lot; unlikely to be filled unless there is a soccer game going on.
Boat Ramp: There is no boat ramp available, but there are several places where you can carry in a canoe or row boat.
Shore Access: Plentiful. There are many spots along the walking trail where you can easily fish with kids.
Special Restrictions: Gas motors are prohibited.. Ice fishing is prohibited by town ordinance.
Distractions: There is a well-kept hiking trail around the pond and several soccer fields to kick around a ball if your kids get bored.
Overview
Spring Pond was my absolute favorite place to fish in in Connecticut before I had my kids and still produces some of my earliest fishing reports of the year. I knew all the best fishing spots and would go there at least three times a week. Now that i have kids, I still go to Spring Pond, but I have to scale back where I wet my line.
While Spring Pond has plentiful shore access, many of its best fishing spots require you to go into the woods. For example, the southeast shoreline holds many fish, but you have to walk through the woods to access it. This makes it a poor choice to take your kids fishing.
You’ll still want to invest time in this pond because it has some of the largest bass in Connecticut. When I was younger and could go often, I would routinely catch my biggest bass of the year from this pond. I’m still hoping to help my kids tie into one of them, but it might be a few years at the rate we’re going.
One disadvantage about Spring Pond is that it is difficult to launch a boat. There is no ramp to speak of, and only a few clearings in the woods near the parking lot. None of these are capable of acting as a ramp, though you can get pretty close to the water on a few. You’ll need to drag your boat the last bit of the way. Since my Gheenoe LT10 weighs 150lb, this is no small task. Getting it in is fairly easy. Getting it out is another story!
The Farm at Carter Hill (Marlborough, CT)
Size: I’d guess about .25 acres
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Sunfish.
Facilities: There is an expansive compound with multiple buildings, bathrooms, dining, dancing, etc.
Parking: Very large lot but pick your spots as they have large events at times
Boat Ramp: No. This is a private pond.
Shore Access: Plentiful. The entire pond is accessible/fishable with kids.
Special Restrictions: This is private property – you need to be a guest/patron of the establishment, but there’s so much to do, that’s not an issue.
Distractions: There are goats and ducks to feed, a 1/2 scale F-4U Corsair to marvel at, gift shop, ice cream, food, the list goes on.
Overview
While this isn’t a public place and you need to be a patron to fish there, The Farm at Carter Hill offers so much to do with your family that this isn’t an issue. It’s a wide open compound with outdoor everything. There’s a large number of goats, sheep, and ducks waddling around the place with food available to feed them. There are events like classic car shows, dances, or outdoor movie nights from time to time. Finally, there’s a gorgeous bed and breakfast that makes for a wonderful retreat, especially if you’re wary of going too far in the time of COVID-19.
The Farm at Carter Hill has a small but stocked fishing pond with bass in the 8 – 12″ range. Nothing huge but absolutely perfect for the little ones. We did catch some pretty good-sized bluegill when we went. The important thing was how accessible they were. Now, let me preface this by saying one thing: we went in late March – I don’t know what the weed cover is going to look like in a few more weeks. All I can tell you is the fish are there!
If you do check this place out, remember that it is private property. Come mingle first, buy some food, pet the goats, and meet the owners before politely asking if you can fish. When you do, make sure you carry out everything you brought in. In other words, be on your best behavior so you don’t ruin things for anyone!
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Crappie, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Walleye (which are stocked each year by the state).
Facilities: None in the public sections.
Parking: There is a decently large lot. The back row works for backing trailers. You don’t want to go during busy times as many people fish from shore and the spots can get filled.
Boat Ramp: There is a ramp that works for fishing boats but there is no dock, so you need to drag your boat onto shore while you park your car. There is a submerged line of large rocks on both sides of the ramp.
Shore Access: Moderate. Much of this lake requires a boat to access. The shore access is larger on the Farmington side, but it is rarely mowed.
Special Restrictions: Gas motors are prohibited.
Distractions: Not really. Swans and ducks frequent the place but aside from looking at them, there isn’t much to do when you’re not fishing.
Overview
I have very mixed thoughts about Batterson Park Pond. On the one hand, its one of the few spots that Connecticut DEEP stocks with walleye, so any given fishing trip might let your kids catch a pretty unique (and tasty) fish. There are also some pretty big bass in the lake, and a healthy population of sunfish.
Having said that, the fishing at Batterson Park can be really tough. I’ve had plenty of days before I had kids where I would get completely skunked, even if on a boat, and if you read the reports at some local forums, this seems fairly common. Much of the surroundings are also in complete disrepair, though there’s recent political support for Batterson Park to be Maintained, finally.
Batterson also gets extremely windy at times with very few places to tuck in. Since it is an electric-only lake, it can be challenging to get back to the boat launch if the conditions go sour.
Where to Fish at Batterson Park Pond
If fishing from shore, you have two options. The New Britain side can be reached from the boat launch and parking lot while the Farmington side has a few parking spots along Batterson Park Road. Unfortunately, the Farmington side is rarely mowed so it can be challenging to walk across.
The New Britain side is deeper and has less weeds, but you’re limited in how far you can walk as much of it is private property. The Farmington side has many fishing spots, but they aren’t the best ones in Connecticut to take kids to because they tend to be enclosed by trees. The one exception is the northeast shore which is lined with rip rap.
If you’re fishing from a boat with an electric trolling motor, you might as well make a day of it and just power fish the entire perimeter of the pond. At 140 acres, it is small enough to do this in a couple of hours. Don’t forget to check out the sunken island near the middle as it holds fish, but be careful around it as it’s not always marked and is jagged enough to snag you.
The Farmington River at Tunxis Mead (Farmington, CT)
Size: N/A
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Trout.
Facilities: There are bathrooms, but they are far away from the fishing spots. There are some shaded picnic tables along a trail that follows the river.
Parking: Tunxis Meade has a ton of parking, and the spots nearest the river aren’t usually taken.
Boat Ramp: There is not public boat ramp or docks.
Shore Access: Limited. There are some good openings where you can fish but much of the banks are wooded and difficult places to fish with children.
Special Restrictions: As this is a river, different fishing regulations will apply than in lakes and ponds. Make sure you check out your fishing guide to understand them.
Distractions: Yes. Tunxis Meade has a playground, several fields for numerous sports, a skate park, and great trails for hiking or biking. There is plenty to do when the little ones need a distraction.
Overview
There are several places that you can fish along this river, and one of the better spots to take your kids to is Tunxis Mead in Farmington, Connecticut. I like taking my kids here because there are some spots that hold a lot of fish, and if they get bored there’s plenty of other activities nearby. It’s also just beautiful.
When you drive in you’re going to wonder what I’m talking about as there isn’t any water in sight. Tunxis Mead is one of the main sports fields for the town of Farmington and this is all you’re going to see at first. However, if you walk past the fields there are several trails leading into the woods that take you to the river. Follow these until you come across a good spot that has room for your kids to cast. If it doesn’t work out, carry on and find another.
Tunxis Mead is a very family friendly spot to go fishing in Connecticut. It’s in a safe town, has plenty of shade, has good facilities, and plenty of other things to do. If one of your kids doesn’t like fishing, there are great bike trails for him or her to go on with your spouse while you take the little angler out. When everyone is done, there is often a shop filled with treats for whatever sporting events are going on at the time. You can’t beat it.
There are several good fishing spots along the Farmington River to bring your kids. Look for spots that are wide open so they can easily cast.
The Farmington Reservoir (Farmington, CT)
Size: Not available, but I’d estimate around 20 acres.
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Crappie, Sunfish, Bullhead.
Facilities: There are no restrooms or outhouses. There are a few park benches to sit, but that is it.
Parking: There is only space for a handful of vehicles and no room for a trailer.
Boat Ramp: No, and there isn’t a very handy way to carry one in, though it is possible with two people.
Shore Access: Moderate. While you could walk around most of the perimeter, there’s only a small section fit for children.
Special Restrictions: Gas motors are prohibited.
Distractions: Aside from an open field, no. There are limited things to do here besides fishing.
Overview
I’d argue that the Farmington Reservoir is one of the better places ot take your kids fishing in Connecticut. You just need to make sure you get there before it gets completely choked out with weeds.
You access this reservoir by taking Route 6 towards Bristol and turning right on Reservoir Road (directly across from Pinnacle Mountain and a bit past Will Warren’s Den).
While I haven’t caught many giants here, I have found the fishing to be excellent and it’s a place I can trust to catch a couple fish with my children during a lunch break. It’s very open to the water and makes for a great place to teach kids how to cast.
If you go often enough in the spring, eventually you’ll stumble across the crappie spawn. This brings in hundreds of crappie close to the rip rap and within casting distance. You can catch your fill.
My friend takes his children ice fishing here routinely and swears by it. He catches many bass near the western cove.
The only isssue with this place is that there is no access for boats. If you want to take a canoe in, you can, but you’ll need to carry it a long way.
Lower Pond at A.W. Stanley Park (New Britain, CT)
Size: Not available, but I’d estimate around 5-6 acres.
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Sunfish, Yellow Perch, Common Carp, American Eel.
Facilities: There are restrooms, but not near the fishing spot.
Parking: There is only space for a handful of vehicles and no room for a trailer.
Boat Ramp: No.
Shore Access: Very limited. There are only a few spots where you can easily fish.
Special Restrictions: All boats are prohibited.
Distractions: Several sports fields, a basketball court, a picnic area with grill, and a swimming pool. Note, I’m unsure if the pool is just for New Britain residents or not. Get in touch with their Parks and Rec department for more information.
Overview
My sister-in-law taught me about this Connecticut fishing spot, as she takes my kid there from time to time. You’d never know about it unless you grew up in the area, as she did. To reach it, you need to go into A.W. Stanley Park and and follow the loop road back towards the baseball field.
While there is very limited shoreline access, the fishing spots you can reach with your kids are stacked with hundreds of fish during late spring and early summer. There’s a little spillway that seems to attract many of them and you can literally see schools of fifty yellow perch or more. The pond also has a good population of largemouth bass and some monster common carp swimming around.
There are a couple of downsides. As mentioned above, there aren’t many places along the shoreline that you can fish. Unfortunately, as the year progresses, more and more of the lake gets clogged with weeds, which makes it challenging to fish even the few spots available. Thus, I wouldn’t risk a long journey here with your kids unless you scout it out first.
Silver Lake (Berlin, CT)
Size: 146 acres.
Fish Species: Chain Pickerel, Largemouth bass, Crappie, Sunfish, Brown Bullhead, Channel Catfish.
Facilities: I’ve seen porta potties there some years, but not every year.
Parking: There are two parking lots. One is right next to the pond and can accommodate 10-15 vehicles. It would be tough to fit a trailer.
Boat Ramp: No. Getting a canoe or row boat into this pond would be challenging for one person.
Shore Access: Small. There are very few spots were you can fish from shore and even less where you’d want to bring your kids.
Special Restrictions: 8 mph except between June 15 and the first Sunday after Labor Day. During that time, speeds in excess of 8 mph and water-skiing are allowed. I wouldn’t recommend it though as the lake is shallow and weedy!
Distractions: Very few. There is a trail you can walk a bit but that is about it.
Overview
Silver Lake is one of the few fishing spots in central Connecticut where you can fish with your kids for part of the day, and pull them on tubes for the rest. There just aren’t that many places nearby that allow outboards.
Silver Lake is stocked with channel catfish and they are numerous enough at this point that you have a good chance of catching one on any given trip. While we have yet to tie into a giant, my son hasd caught a few pushing 3-4lbs which put up a good fight on his light youth tackle.
There is a decent boat ramp with a good amount of parking, though it isn’t going to hold more than a dozen or so boats (if that) so make sure you get there early.
We’ve had our best luck in the southern end of the lake. There are several spawning flats and also some marshes that hold a number of catfish. Another good option is the extreme northern end which is sheltered somewhat from the wind. Drop shots work well.
Good Fishing Spots for Kids in Litchfield County
Bantam Lake
Size: 947 acres.
Fish Species: Northern Pike, Chain Pickerel, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Crappie, Brown Bullhead.
Facilities: There are a few porta potties at the boat launch.
Parking: There is parking for 20 vehicles with trailers, but this fills up very quickly on weekends.
Boat Ramp: Yes. There is a 2.5 lane boat ramp with the half-ramp reserved for carry-in boats such as canoes and kayaks. There is a floating dock with room for one vessel.
Shore Access: Limited. Very little of this lake is accessible from shore as most of the land is private property. With that said, there is a good stretch along Route 209 that people fish and it is in range of large bass and pike. You just need to walk a ways to get to it.
Special Restrictions: Motorboats restricted 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. This is a Trophy Northern Pike lake, so special restrictions will apply.
Distractions: None on land. While there are some private campgrounds nearby, there is nothing for a kid to do at the boat launch. However, this is one of the few lakes in Connecticut where it is practical to water ski or pull a tube.
Overview
Bantam Lake is one of the few places in Connecticut where you can easily and safely go water-skiing or pull a float tube. Many other locations (like Silver Lake in Berlin) are just too small to do this safely, even if they allow it. This alone makes it one of the more family friendly fishing spots in Connecticut, as water sports are available for everyone.
Bantam also has a good population of chain pickerel and northern pike, especially in North Bay. Chain pickerel make good targets for children, as they are an upgrade in size from sunfish and are fairly easy to catch. While pike are more challenging to hook, when they do, they make long runs to your children’s delight.
There are numerous docks on Bantam’s eastern shoreline that hold a number of panfish which makes it pretty easy to get a fish in the live well early to keep your little ones entertained. These docks service lake homes that are often for rent, though you need to book them very early in the year as they fill up quick.
There is some limited shore access in the southwest corner that you can reach by walking along Route 209. This is near good habitat for largemouth bass and northern pike so you have a decent chance of catching a good-sized fish with your kids even if you don’t have a boat. Just keep working your way up the shoreline until you find a spot that works well.
Make Sure You Get There Early!
The one downside of Bantam is that it has limited parking spots available to the public and fills up exceptionally quick on weekends. Many weekends feature fishing tournaments which don’t help. I wouldn’t even consider going to Bantam on a weekend, and only go there when I have a day off from work. If you are going on a weekend, make sure you check the Connecticut DEEP website for a list of approve fishing tournaments so you can avoid going when it is likely packed. You’ll also want to pick an overcast day where not as many people are likely boating.
Kid Friendly Fishing in New Haven County
So far, my fishing adventures in New Haven County have been limited to Meriden. Be sure to drop me a line if you have other locations you’d recommend, or like me to explore!
Hanover Pond (Meriden, CT)
Size: 70 acres.
Fish Species: Largemouth bass, Sunfish, Common Carp.
Facilities: I haven’t noticed any. It is next to a park with baseball fields, so I imagine there must be at least porta potties.
Parking: limited – I’d estimate 15-20 spaces.
Boat Ramp: Yes. There is a one lane boat ramp near the baseball fields.
Shore Access: Good. There numerous areas you can fish from shore all along this area.
Special Restrictions: Steerage speed only.
Distractions: There are several sport fields that you’re kids can play on if they get bored. Hubbard Park and Castle Craig are a short drive away as well.
Overview
Hanover Park Pond is a fairly good place to fish with kids in Connecticut. It has good shore access and is an easy place to launch a canoe or rowboat. If your kids get bored, there are plenty of fields to play sports on, and there’s a good walking trail around much of the park as well. These traits make it a family friendly fishing spot in my mind.
With that said, the fishing isn’t fantastic. I’m calling it “family friendly” because it’s easy to fish – not because your kid is likely to catch a trophy. While I’ve caught some big bass there, I’ve caught them with techniques that aren’t great for using around children. When I take my son, I’m usually going for panfish instead, and I haven’t found this lake to be overrun with them.
I’ve had the best luck fishing on the opposite side of the lake, away from the boat ramp. There is a little parking lot here off of Oregon Road, and you can follow the Quinnipiac Trail to some good fishing spots. Many of these are accessible with children, but they aren’t as wide open as they are on the other side by Habershon Field. The problem near the ball fields is that the water is extremely shallow and clogs with weeds easily.
One thing you may notice while fishing Hanover Park Pond are the monster carp that live there. Hooking one would give your kids their first fish story, as it’s unlikely you’re bringing one in on a child’s fishing rod! If you do, send me a picture! I’d love to see it!
Black Pond (Meriden, CT)
Size: 76 acres.
Fish Species: Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Brown Bullhead, Crappie, Sunfish, Channel Catfish.
Facilities: None.
Parking: limited – I’d estimate 10-15 spaces. It would be very challenging to park a trailer here given the layout. I doubt more than 1-2 could fit.
Boat Ramp: Yes.
Shore Access: Poor. There are few places that can be reached on foot with kids.
Special Restrictions: Gas motors are prohibited.
Distractions: None. There is very little to do here except fish.
Overview
If you read the Connecticut Fishing Guide and see Black Pond you’ll note that it is both a Bass Management Lake and Catfish Lake which would make you think it would be a great spot to take your kids fishing. I disagree. While my son and I did manage to catch many fish when we went there, we were limited to fishing right around the boat launch as there weren’t very many places he could access.
If I was fishing by myself, I could have probably reached more areas, but that just wasn’t practical with a four-year-old in tow. The terrain is rough, steep, and wooded. This is a poor combination with little ones.
Another concern is the boat launch. While there is one, the parking lot next to it is small and has very limited room for trailers. I doubt more than two could fit, and it would be very tough to bring my 19′ boat here. Again, if I was fishing by myself, this might be a different story as I could get there early enough to ensure I’d have a spot. That rarely happens with kids, so the more likely scenario would be we’d get all the way there and find we had nowhere to park.
For these reasons, Black Pond isn’t the most family friendly fishing spot in Connecticut if you have small children. It would, however, be a good place to take more adventurous middle schoolers.
Family Friendly Fishing Spots In Tolland County
I’m just starting to explore Tolland County. It is a bit of a hike for me but is a pretty part of Connecticut and easy enough to access from the highway. I have a cousin who lives in Coventry and I’ve noticed several good fishing spots on the way to his house, but have yet to fish them. The main reason I haven’t fished many places in Tolland County is because Mansfield Hollow Reservoir is just so good. Let me explain why it’s a great family friendly fishing spot in Connecticut.
Boat Ramp: Yes. There is a 2 lane boat ramp in very good condition. There is no dock, but there is a sandy bottom next to the boat ramp on both sides to pull your boat up to.
Shore Access: Good. There are walking trails along the perimeter and good places to fish with kids from shore.
Special Restrictions: 8 mph speed limit. No swimming is allowed.
Distractions: None on land. While there are some private campgrounds nearby, there is nothing for a kid to do at the boat launch. However, this is one of the few lakes in Connecticut where it is practical to water ski or pull a tube.
My Experience Fishing Mansfield Hollow With My Kids
If I was contemplating where to take a kid fishing in Connecticut for the first time, I’d seriously consider going to Mansfield Hollow. It can be a little bit slow early in the year, but once you get to about June, the fishing can be fantastic.
What I like best about this place is how close the shore access is to good fishing. This makes it a very kid-friendly place for a Connecticut family that wanted to go fishing. Just north of the boat launch you’ll find a bridge that has two culverts underneath of it. These are big enough for boats to pass through and create current. This activates fish and draws them in. On the right days, you can catch a ton of sunfish.
There are trails around the lake that you can walk and many places open up enough to get kids some room to cast. Most of these shorelines are reasonably good fishing for panfish.
If you have a boat with a trolling motor, the northern portion of the lake (meaning, the side you launched your boat on) has large grass flats that are great for trolling for pickerel and northern pike. This is a good technique to do on a lunch break so you can focus on getting some nutrients into your kids while the boat does all the work with fishing. If you’re interested more in this technique, I’ve written an article about it that you can read here.
These culverts hold many fish due to the current flowing between them, and they can easily be fished from shore.
Other Counties
Connecticut has eight counties and I’ve only written about fishing in four. That’s not to say the others are bad, I just haven’t had much experience there yet. A primary goal I had when starting FishingFather.com was to ensure that the information here would be trustworthy and authentic. That means I need to either spend some time at these waterways, or at least research them well enough that I’m comfortable giving you my word.
Again, I’d encourage you to bookmark this page and come back to it often as I intend to update it over time. If there is a particular body of water you’d like me to visit or even help you research, please email me and let me know. I’ll do the best I can to help you!
Want to Head Out of State?
If you’re interested in fishing adventures that aren’t too far from Connecticut, I’d highly recommend booking a fishing charter with Captain Mick Maynard and taking a trip north to Lake Champlain. It’s about 4-5 hours away, depending where you live in Connecticut, but is well worth it. Here’s a Lake Champlain fishing report to show you what you’re missing!
If you’ve gotten this far, you obviously agree that it’s a good idea to go fishing with your kids, but that doesn’t mean you know how! While Connecticut boasts many great places to go fishing with kids, it’s all for naught if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, this website has a number of articles that are designed to help parents learn the basics of fishing, so they can take their families out and have a great time.
Some articles I would suggest starting with include:
First and foremost, read preparing for a fishing trip with kids. Learn what type of rod to buy, what tackle to bring along, and how to scout for a good location.
In addition to these articles, I also wrote an entire book the subject of fishing with kids. It’s filled with tons of information that will help you get started. Consider giving it a read – I think you’ll like it!
Finally, you can contact me directly at johnpaxton@fishingfather.com as I’d be more than happy to give you personalized advice about taking your kids fishing in Connecticut. It’s important to me that your children have a good time, so please feel free to reach out.
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an article. 2020 came in with such promise. Then, COVID-19 hit and seemed to take much of the wind out of my sails. Thankfully, my family has remained safe and healthy through this time, but we had to adopt new routines just like everyone else. Gone are the days where I could take my kids to the aquarium or my son to a movie. We no longer enjoy a warm, American breakfast at Denny’s on the weekends. Instead, we need to provide our own entertainment in solitude. This is why I’ve taken my kids fishing as much as I can during the Coronavirus pandemic.
I’ve been taking my kids fishing as often as I can. It helps to break the monotony of home schooling and a friendless summer. Done smartly, it’s one of the few activities that you can do with minimal to no human interaction. This helps keep the kids safe from “The Sickness,” as we call it in my house.
If you’re looking for a new thing to do with the kids to break the routine, it’s hard to beat fishing. If you’re brand new to the sport, check out a few of my other articles or consider purchasing my book to help you get started. This article assumes you have the basics down and are just looking for some ideas on how to fish safely during a pandemic.
Avoid Large Crowds
Fishing and crowds usually don’t go hand in hand, but there are some times and places where you can expect to find a crowd. Jetties, certain bridges and beaches, and even certain days are going to be busier than others. I’d advise that if you’re fishing during the Coronavirus pandemic, you play it safe and try to find a quieter spot to wet your line.
Some governments are attempting to enforce social distancing on our waterways. For example, earlier this year the Connecticut governor opened fishing season early in an effort to avoid large crowds on opening day. In past years, you’d find anglers standing almost shoulder to shoulder vying for freshly stocked trout to come along and take a nibble. This probably isn’t the best idea in the middle of a pandemic.
To the extent you can, pick your spots. I’ll admit it has been a little challenging to do this. It seems that boat ramps are busier than usual on the weekends given how everyone is stir crazy. When possible, try to fish on weekdays to avoid the crowds. If you’re working from home, you might have spare time normally devoted to your commute. Use it to take the kids for a short little adventure at lunch to a nearby pond.
Buy Worms in Bulk
One of the first purchases I made during the Coronavirus pandemic was 500 Canadian nightcrawlers for fishing. I purchased them from Windsor Wholesale Bait . It worked out so well that I’ve purchased them twice during this time. You go through a LOT of worms when fishing is literally the only fun adventure you can take your kids on!
So long as you have some spare fridge space to store them, buying worms in bulk is a great idea. It is considerably less expensive than buying a dozen at a time, and much more convenient. Now with COVID-19, it also spares you a trip to the gas station, with all that entails.
I’m quite pleased with my interactions with this company. I am not an affiliate of Windsor Wholesale Bait, but can tell you that they are a pleasure to work with. Their website advises that they ship worms on Mondays, and that you need to put in your order by a certain time Friday to guarantee your order will ship quickly, but I’ve found that a phone call to them manages to get your order on the truck, regardless. Perhaps this won’t always work when things are busy, but their willingness to help me out was appreciated.
Other Retailers
If you prefer the convenience of Amazon, you can find several worms for sale on their website as well. For example, these European nightcrawlers from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm. You can also find several items to help you keep your worms longer, such as the Frabill Habitat II. I like how it is slimmer than the styrofoam box the nightcrawlers ship in (my fridge barely fits the shipping box), and how it has plastic aeration vents. I attempted to make some vents in my first box of worms and it didn’t work very well.
You can also find other options like the Intruder Crawler Crib which boats breathable walls, and handy carrying cases to take them to the lake. I’ve just been using some plastic soup containers with a few holes punched into them, but it would be nice to have some dedicated equipment with handles and lids less likely to pop off randomly.
If you’re planning on keeping the worms some time, you can also invest in bedding for your worms. These claim to help grow worms and keep them lively. While I haven’t tried them yet, I have no reason to doubt it. I will say, however, that moist dirt also works fine.
Buying your fishing worms in bulk keeps you away from the public during the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s also convenient, less expensive, and saves you a trip to the store. These are all great reasons to consider purchasing them, but there’s an added bonus: Your kids will absolutely love opening the box:
We’re washing hands more now anyway, right?
Bring Your Own Potty
Let’s face it: most boat ramps don’t have world class facilities. You’re lucky if there is a porta potty much less a restroom with plumbing. Most of these “facilities” near far-off fishing hot spots aren’t going to be cleaned or emptied all that often, so you can’t count on them being sanitary, which is a problem during the Coronavirus pandemic. Many don’t have running water, so it’s challenging to clean your hands, and most adults likely try and thread the needle and touch as little as possible while they’re in there. Kids have no such qualms.
My advice is to bring your own potty for your children. If you’ve been potty training them, whatever potty you’ve been using will work fine. If you’re past that, a 5 gallon bucket does just fine. You can buy a lid that will fit on it and bring some creature comfort to the situation. You also can find privacy screens for sale if there aren’t enough trees nearby.
This is a decent investment even outside of the pandemic as you can all but guarantee that without it, your kids are going to need to go to the bathroom after you’ve made your trek to the best fishing spot.
The whole point of taking the kids fishing during the pandemic is to provide a fun escape away from places that are infested with germs. It makes very little sense to go through all the trouble to bring them to some far away lake only to have them use an outhouse or porta potty when they get there. You already have the 5-gallon bucket sitting in your shed. Invest in a seat and call it a day.
Fishing Toilet Recomendations:
If you wanted to go with the 5-gallon bucket adapter, just buy a toilet seat lid.
If you don’t have space for a bucket, or can’t quite bring yourself to that, you could also purchase a folding commode stool.
Whatever you go with, make sure you get some toilet liners. These are especially important if you plan on reusing that bucket to carry your stuff (or especially your catch) back home!
It might seem a little extreme, but I’d argue the last place I’d want to stop on a fishing trip during the Coronavirus pandemic would be an outhouse that’s rarely cleaned.
Consider Buying that (well, “a”) Boat
Another investment you may wish to consider is a boat of some sort. I make this statement with the full understanding that times are tough. Not everyone is secure or has disposable income lying around. You need to make ends meet and until they do, toys like boats should be the last thing on your mind. Make sure you have your six months emergency stash and a few weeks of toilet paper on hand before even considering reading further.
Still there?
Is your significant other somewhere else?
If you do have a few spare coins, picking up an inexpensive boat wouldn’t be the worst decision on earth.
Let me put it to you this way: All those things that you used to do with your kids during the summer have been put on hold indefinitely. In many parts of the country, water parks are shut down and even playgrounds are taped up and off limits. If you don’t have a yard, you’re limited in what outdoor activities you can do with your children.
Owning a boat opens up a lot of ways you can fix that. Depending on what you buy, fishing, tubing, or swimming away from crowds are all possibilities. There’s the chance to take your kids on an adventure down a canal looking at wildlife, and to simply let them sit on your lap and drive a bit to blow off some steam. All good things.
You need to consider the possibility that you may be left to your own entertainment devices for the foreseeable future. Isn’t a used rowboat a better choice than an I-Pad? If you can get your kids out fishing during the pandemic, Coronavirus won’t be as dreary.
Boating Options In A Pinch
The least expensive way to get into boating is to check around Craigslist. Used row boats and canoes can be had very inexpensively, as are many powerboats. Many of these things have been sitting in someone’s yard for ages, and people want them gone.
If you’re stuck in an apartment without anywhere to back a trailer, don’t despair. You can purchase high-quality inflatable rafts that can hold 4-5 people and fit in the trunk of your car when deflated.
There’s quite a range of styles and prices for any budget, though I’m skeptical about how well the less expensive offerings would hold up to a fish hook. I’d probably go with something like an Intex Mariner 4, Intex Excursion 5, or the Intex Seahawk 4. Intex makes smaller boats, but I’d rather have something with some space if i was fishing in it with my kids. Space is a premium with novice casters.
If you do go with an inflatable, consider installing a wooden floor. You can find several videos on YouTube, including one on installing this on the very Intex Excursion 5 I discussed above. A wood floor will add much needed stability to the boat. It will also offer at least some protection from hooks.
Again, please make sure this makes financial sense for you. Don’t do this if you’re in a risky position. Just consider it if you can, as it is an inexpensive way you can get your kids away from the television. This pandemic is very hard on your kids and having a new hobby would be great for them.
If you need more help picking out a boat, check out Chapter 9 in my book.
In Sum, Fish to Avoid Germs During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Again, many of the hobbies you once enjoyed are off the table for the moment. Fishing can be a very inexpensive way to keep the kids entertained while socially distancing from others, all while building some great memories you can cherish for life. Frankly, there is no better time to practice this hobby so I do hope you’ll take the advice above and get out there and enjoy some casts with your children.
As always, if I can be of any assistance to you, please drop me an email or leave a comment below and I’ll try to help you as much as I can. Thanks.
