The Basic Skills You Need to Take Your Kids Fishing

If you’ve never wet a line before, and therefore had no fishing skills to speak of, I imagine it would be terrifying if your kid suddenly asked you take them out on the water. Your mind might start racing with questions like, “what fishing gear do I need?” or “how do I tie on a lure?” You might start thinking back to that one time you tried soaking a worm and were bored out of your mind, and start to worry about letting down your kid.

There’s no need to fret. Everything will be OK. This article will help you buy the gear you need to get started fishing, and will also teach you the skills you need to be successful.

Don’t worry. I won’t over-complicate things. There are very few skills that you need to take your kids fishing, and I’m going to lay out step-by-step instructions for each of them. In fact, I’ve broken it down to just five simple steps to catching a fish. Anyone can do it!

Remember that your objective is simple: catch a fish; any fish. Your kid doesn’t care if it is big, small, or something in-between. Follow this advice, and I promise you that you’ll look like a hero.

The Gear You Need to Start Fishing

Before we can talk about the five steps towards catching your first fish, we need to get you properly geared up. I’m sure if you’ve walked through a tackle shop you’ve felt overwhelmed, but all you need are the seven items that I’ll discuss below.

I will make some recommendations throughout this article to try and help you choose what to purchase. I recommend products that work, are economical and practical, but they aren’t the only game in town. It’s perfectly fine to start with what you have laying around or can borrow from someone. The important thing is getting started!

The Only 7 Pieces of Fishing Gear That You Need

You can’t take your kids fishing without any gear, but if you go into the fishing section of your local sporting store, you’re likely to become overwhelmed.  There’s a ton of fishing gear out there, all of which has its advantages and disadvantages, but you only need to buy the following six items to teach your kids to fish, none of which will break the bank:

1. Your fishing license and one for your kid (if necessary);
2. A 4’6″ to 7′ long spinning rod, depending on the age of your child;
3. A 2000 – 3000 size spinning reel;
4. A spool of 6lb test monofilament line; 
5. A pack of size 4 Aberdeen light wire panfish hooks;
6. A pack of 1/4 oz drop shot weights; and
7. A container of nightcrawlers, or artificial substitute.

That is literally all the gear you need to buy to start fishing with your kids. Not so bad, was it?

Item 1: Your Fishing License

Many states require that adults and older children have a fishing license, so make sure that you check your state regulations and purchase one if necessary. You can usually purchase your license at the same sporting good’s store where you’ll buy your six pieces of fishing gear.

Some states allow parents to “help” their children fish without a license, but it is always going to be at the Game Warden’s discretion if the parent is actually doing more “fishing” than “helping,” so I would encourage you to get a license.

If you really aren’t sure if fishing is for you, some states have a license-free day that is designed to bring new people into the sport. It can be a great way to take your kids fishing for the first time.

Do bear in mind that fishing licenses tend to fund local conservation efforts to preserve our natural environment, so your money is going to a good cause even if you find that you or your kids don’t like fishing after all.

Item 2: A Spinning Rod

Unless your kids are naturally skilled at fishing, I recommend that your child’s first fishing rod be a spinning rod. You should ignore baitcasters for now unless you are a glutton for punishment. You should ignore spincasters forever because you want to get continued use out of this purchase, and most spincasters are made for very young children.

Look for a rod that seems about the right size for your kid. I would recommend the Shakespeare Ugly Stik Elite lineup. They are kid-proof rods that will last a lifetime regardless of how poorly your children treat them. They would have to really try to break one. I’ve purchased several for my son and am a big believer in the product. The best part is they don’t cost very much at all. Amazon usually has a competitive price, but check keep checking back in as you never know when there will be a sale.

You can purchase a less expensive rod if you’re struggling to make ends meet, but the UglyStik isn’t that expensive in the first place, and is a great rod for children. You can read about my review of the UglyStik Elite here. If you go for something cheaper, be prepared to buy it twice after someone steps on it. It’s a balancing act as you don’t want your first fishing adventure to cost an arm and a leg, but you always want to purchase something that works. An UglyStik fits that bill nicely.

Item 3: A Spinning Reel

Spinning rods require spinning reels, so that’s what you’re going to buy. There are some who would say it takes more skill for kids to learn on these types of fishing reels than on spincast reels, but they aren’t exactly hard. Don’t worry — I’ll teach you how to cast one later in this post.

Spinning reels come in different sizes. Generally, the smaller the number the smaller the reel. I like a 2000-size reel for shorter rods and toddlers and a 3000-size reel for seven foot rods cast by kids in middle school.

I personally favor Pflueger spinning reels, and specifically their President series. While it isn’t the least expensive reel out there, it is priced competitively and has been a workhorse for me and most of my spinning rods are rigged with one. If price is very important to you, Plfueger’s entry model spinning reel, the Trion, is also a great choice.

You could buy a much less expensive reel, but again, you get what you pay for. A cheaper reel is not going to hold up as well, and if you ever want to sell it, you won’t find many buyers. If you purchase a well-known brand like Pflueger, you can at least count on getting some of your money back if things don’t work out.

Item 4: Fishing Line

Your kids could have all the skills in the world, but if their line fails, they aren’t catching a fish. Make sure you invest in something decent!

While there are plenty of types of fishing line out there, all you need to get started fishing is traditional monofilament. This is an inexpensive type of line that is easy to work with and unlikely to injure your child. All you need to get started is 6lb test as that is perfect for panfish and the occasional larger “bonus fish” that you may encounter.

There are plenty of brands out there, but I’ve been trusting Berkley Trilene XL since I was a kid. It’s dependable and pretty much the “standard” monofilament line out there. It’s also very inexpensive which is great considering that you’re likely going to have to strip off plenty of line after your kids manage some epic tangles. Because of this, I’d recommend buying a larger spool!

Item 5: Fishing Hooks

There is no need to stress yourself out trying to figure out what type of fishing lure to use. All that you need is a simple hook. It should be small enough for a panfish to bite, and have a long enough shank where you’ll usually be able to remove it easily. The Aberdeen style panfish hook in size 4 fits that bill nicely.

Granted, this post is operating on the premises that you have no idea what you’re doing, so I’m keeping things as simple as possible. Even so, I want you to know that this is the number one presentation I use when taking my son fishing. I trust it to quickly put him on fish and keep him engaged. While fish don’t always jump in the boat, it’s really hard to go home empty handed with these.

Rest assured, I will teach you how to rig them for maximum success a little further down the article.

Item 6: Drop Shot Sinkers

My favorite technique for fishing with kids is the drop shot and I tend to have several rods rigged with one before I head out with my son. While you could use just about any sinker or heavy object as part of this rig, I do recommend buying sinkers that are specifically designed to be drop shot.

As you can see below, a drop shot sinker has a little metal clasp attached that is wide at the bottom and narrows towards its top. You’re meant to tie a little overhead knot in the tag end of your line and then pass it through the wider bottom before cinching it up snugly towards the top. This has a few advantages:

1. You can quickly change the size of sinker as necessary for conditions.
2. You can completely remove the sinker if you want your bait to fall slower.
3. When the sinker snags, tugging will often pull the tag line loose from the sinker. While you’ll lose the sinker, the rest of your rig is often spared.

Buy the lightest sinkers that you can find (1/4 oz works very well) unless you anticipate fishing in very windy conditions or very deep water.

I’d provide a link, but you will literally lose these constantly. I can’t in good conscience say to do anything but buy whatever happens to be on sale.

Item 7: Bait

You’re going to need to put a bait of some sort on the hook to catch a fish. Nightcrawlers work very well, as do regular garden worms. Since you’re targeting smaller fish, don’t bother putting an entire crawler on the hook, as they’ll just peck away at it harmlessly. Instead, cut a crawler up into several segments and bait just the tip of the hook with one. This will dramatically increase your hook ups.

If you have qualms about using live bait, there are other options. Corn works well for panfish, as does a cut up piece of hot dog.

You can also purchase an artificial fishing lure of some kind, but bear in mind these require more skill for kids to use than live bait. Berkley Gulp Minnows work well, but remember that you want them as small as possible so that even smaller panfish can fit them in their mouth. I wouldn’t go larger than 2″.

If you do buy nightcrawlers, do your best to keep them alive! While fish do like dead worms, you’re much better off with live ones.

Five Simple Steps to Catching Your First Fish

OK, now that you’re licensed, you’ve bought your stuff, let’s talk about the skills you need to take your kids fishing. I’ve broken them down into five basic steps. This is all you need to know to get your gear up and running, your lure cast towards the water, and your child catching fish.

Step 1: Spool Your Line Onto the Reel

You’re going to need to start by spooling line onto your reel. There’s a few different “official” fishing knots that you could use to accomplish this, but they aren’t really necessary for beginners. All you’re trying to accomplish is preventing the reel from completely coming off the spool. You can do this with a simple overhand knot, a piece of tape, some modeling clay or even your kid’s boogers (though I don’t recommend it). You’re going to have so much line spooled over whatever you choose that it doesn’t really matter.

If you’re interested in doing this “the right way,” you’ll want to tie an arbor knot. With that said, with the size of line you’re going to use on this kids reel, if a fish ever got to the end of it, it’s snapping it anyway and an arbor knot isn’t going to save you. Feel free to tie an overhand not that holds well enough and call it a day.

Spooling Line, Step By Step

Before you tie your knot, you need to take the fishing line you bought and run it through the line guides of your rod. Start at the tip and work down to guide closest to the reel.

Once there, flip open the bail and tie your overhead knot around the reel’s spool. Cinch it tight and close the bail. Pull the line tight against the line guide and start to reel more line on.

As you’re reeling, notice that the spinning reel turns clockwise. To eliminate line twist (a key source of tangles and frustration), you want the line to come off of the filler spool counterclockwise.

Make sure that the line goes on taut while you reel it in. You don’t want it to be loose or you’ll encounter some major problems later on. Don’t overfill the spool – stop when you are about 1/8th of an inch from the lip or edge.

When finished, snip the line and prepare to tie on your lure.

Step 2: Rig a Drop Shot – One of the Best Techniques for Fishing with Kids

I have found that a drop shot is one of the best lures to use with kids. You don’t need much skill to use it, it will catch tons of fish, and it catches them quick. It’s not uncommon to have a sunfish hooked seconds after your lure hits the water, over and over again.

To rig a drop shot, tie a Palomar Knot as described below, but leave a long tag end. I like to start with a tag end of about 8 – 12 inches. Tie a simple overhand knot at the end of the tag end and then slide this knot through the drop shot sinker’s clasp and pull it up, to secure it in place.

To ensure quality hook sets, you will need to make sure that your hook point faces up. Although there’s a “perfect” way to tie the knot that will allow this, I have a shortcut. The easy, less confusing way is simply to check and see if the hook point is facing up when you hold the main line and tag end taut.  If the hook point is pointing down, turn it so it is facing up. Then, run the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook again from the top to the bottom. This will turn the hook the correct way.

The Palomar Knot

Aside, potentially, from the Arbor Knot described above, the Palomar Knot is the only fishing knot you need to know. While there are other knots out there, the Palomar is how you tie a drop shot. Since this is what you’re going to be fishing with after this article, you need to know it.

To tie the Palomar Knot, pass the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook and then double it back through the eye again to form a loop (figure 1).  The size of loop you need depends on the size of the lure you’re using, as you’ll soon see.  Make an overhead knot on the doubled line while letting the lure dangle below from the middle (figure 2).  Finally, pass your lure through the doubled tag line (figure 3) and tighten the line down until is snug against the eye of the lure (figure 4). You’ll want to wet the knot with saliva or water before tightening it to reduce friction.  When finished, snip off any remaining tag end, unless you’re tying a drop shot, in which case the sinker will attach to the tag end.

Step 3: Drive to the Pond or Lake and Find a Decent Spot Where You Can Cast

One of the most important skills you need to take kids fishing is catching fish quickly. That is impossible if you can’t figure out where they are. I

Hopefully you have some idea of what local lakes or ponds hold fish. If not, grab a hard copy or PDF of your state’s fishing regulations booklet as most have a listing of the popular local water bodies and what type of fish they hold. Find one that says it has sunfish or yellow perch and drive there.

Once you arrive, take the advice I laid out in Step 2 of my post on preparing for a fishing trip with kids and find a place to fish. Basically, you want a place where the shoreline is clear enough to cast without snagging trees, and the water is clear enough from cover that you won’t immediately foul your rig in weeds.

If your pond or lake has clear water, it may be possible to see fish. Panfish (or at least the smaller ones) aren’t particularly shy, so don’t worry if they can see you. Larger fish like bass, on the other hand, will usually ignore your offerings if they feel something is amiss.

Step 4: Cast Your Kid’s Line For Them

Once you’ve found a good fishing spot and threaded on your worm, the next step is to cast your bait out into the water. Since you are both new to the sport, I recommend that you handle this at first. Once they develop their skill set a bit, you can let them have a shot at catching a fish “all on their own,” but for now you need to be prepared to do the casting.

Even if you’ve never cast a fishing rod before, it’s not that hard:

1. Hold your rod with your dominant hand at or slightly above where the reel attaches.
2. Take your pointer finger and curl it around the line.
3. Flip the bail open with your other hand.
4. Pull the rod back to your side, taking care that no people, creatures, or things are in its path.
5. Rapidly swing the rod towards the water.
6. When the tip of the rod is facing the direction you want your lure to cast towards, uncurl your pointer finger from the line, freeing it and sending the lure flying.
7. When the lure splashes into the water, close the bail manually with your non-dominant hand (you can also start reeling, but this is bad for the reel).
8. Hold on tight and wait for a fish to bite.

Note:If your lure fails to go anywhere, you’ll need to troubleshoot. The most likely reasons are one of the following:

1. You forgot to flip the bail open in step 3;
2. Your line became tangled somewhere on the rod (usually the tip, though you may also find it has tangled around the reel itself).

Step 5: Help Your Child Catch Their First Fish

So far, so good. You’ve made it out of the tackle store without having to mortgage your house, you’ve set up your rod, reel and drop shot, selected a prime fishing location, and even successfully cast your bait into the water.

Now you just need to get a fish to bite so you can hand your kid the rod and have them reel it in.

Enticing a Fish to Bite

You might be wondering if getting a fish to bite is really a skill-based activity, or one that relies on luck. I’d emphatically argue that fishing takes more skill than luck. Even so, if you show up and toss a drop shot, you might not know what the big deal is.

The great thing about the drop shot is all you have to do is tie a worm on, cast it out and wait for a nibble. If panfish are present, they will announce themselves quickly. In fact, smaller ones will collide with each other in a desperate race to be the first at the scrap or morsel. This can be pretty cool for your kids to watch if you’re fishing in clear water.

One of the few skills you do need for this method of fishing is patience. It’s important to prevent your kids from immediately reeling in the bait. While it is pretty common for fish to bite immediately, occasionally they aren’t that brave and need a moment. It’s important that your children have about 30 seconds of patience, which might as well be an eternity for a toddler. A tip that works pretty well is to tell them that they can’t reel in the rod until they finish singing a quick song. I suggest a verse from this one:

Move Around to Find Fish

This technique catches fish and catches them quick, so it’s great for identifying good water. If you don’t catch a fish quickly, chances are there aren’t many there. Panfish will notice the commotion from the bait splashing into the water. I find they’re drawn in from as far as 5 to 8 feet away. If you don’t feel any nibbles by the time your kid finishes their song, reel in and make another cast. This time, about 5 to 8 feet to the left or right of your first.

If your bait feels very heavy as you reel it in, the reason you haven’t caught anything is because it is fouled with weeds or some other object. Reel it in, clean it off, and cast to a slightly different area.

It doesn’t take long for panfish to let you know they’re there when you’re fishing with live bait or even scented artificial lures, so you if don’t feel anything after several casts, walk further down the bank and try another spot.

Hooking a Fish

When you feel a fish bite, you need to set the hook. You do this by sweeping the rod back and away from the water. The aim is to drive the hook into the fish’s mouth so it can be reeled in and caught. When the fish bites, you need to set the hook quickly, which can take a bit of skill. Thus, this too is probably something you’ll want to do for your kids at first.

This might take a bit of trial and error as panfish are notorious for picking away at the edges of your bait. Most nibbles are just that – nibbles. It can take a few tries to hook a fish. Hang in there. Eventually, a fish will grab the whole hook and you’ll be able to snag them.

If you find that you keep failing to hook the fish, consider remove the drop shot weight and casting the worm and hook in by itself. This will slow the descent of the bait and give the fish a better chance to line it up for a full attack. I find I can have better hookups this way.

If you do this, bear in mind that there’ss no need to cut the excess tag line that used to hold your sinker. Small fish won’t care, and you can replace the sinker easily enough if you find this didn’t help or lead to less strikes.

Watch Your Child Catch a Fish

This part is not for you. You’ve followed all the instructions with one goal: helping your kid catch a fish. Once you’ve hooked one, you’ve brought them as far as you can. Now it’s time to hand the rod over to your little buddy and watch them have fun reeling it in.

Make sure that you don’t allow any slack on the fish during the transfer. It doesn’t take these critters very long to spit a hook if you let off on the pressure.

Don’t feel as though you need to hand a rod off immediately, either. You can give it a good second or two and a few reels to make sure the fish is firmly on there. It’s far better for your kid to reel in 10 feet of line with a fish at the end, than to reel in 20 feet of line with an empty hook.

While your kid is fighting the fish it’s worth reminding him or her to “reel, reel, reel!” and also to “hold your rod tip high!” You’ll note that most pros advise against holding the rod high as it will cause fish to jump, but it’s almost impossible to explain the nuance of keeping a bend in the rod to a small, excited child without just using this short cut. If a fish jumps up and escapes, at least they got a good show.

Landing a Fish

Note: the advice below assumes that your child landed a sunfish, bluegill, or other small species that can simply be lifted out of the water by the line. You need considerably more skill for larger fish. If you tie into something larger, please read my articles on how to net fish successfully and how to land a fish without a net.

Ideally speaking, you don’t want your kid to drag the fish out from the water and across the shore. Fish have a protective coat of slime on their bodies that can be rubbed off. Doing so leaves them susceptible to infection and disease.

It’s safer for the fish to lift them from the water. Since neither of you know what you’re doing, it’s safer for you to do this by the line, well above the hook.

Some Advice on Holding Fish

If you try to grab the fish on your first adventure, they might shake and startle you. This might also mean you got a new piercing. If that happens, read my article on safety tips for fishing with kids for some ideas of how to remove it.

There are different types of ways to handle different types of fish, but assuming you’ve caught a panfish of some sort, grab the line, pull the fish out of the water, and stop it spinning with your other hand.

Once the fish stops spinning, grab it with your hand below its mouth so you don’t run the risk of being hooked. Slide your other hand down the line and grab the eye of the hook and twist it a bit to pop it out of the fish’s mouth.

Note: If you’re uncomfortable touching the fish with your hands, you can grab it with a rag, but please wet it first to minimize the damage to the fish’s protective slime coat.

If the fish has taken the hook deeply, use a pair of needle nose pliers to go in after it. Make every effort to remove the hook if you can do so without killing the fish, as it will be infinitely better off without a hook in its throat.

Bonus Step: Bask In Your Glory!

Once the fish is safely off the hook it is time for pictures! Grab your kid tight, tell them that you love them, and snap a few photos of their very first fish! Then let the fish go and cast back out there to catch a few more!

On your way home, bask in your glory and thank yourself for taking the time to learn enough about fishing to make this spur-of-the-moment trip a success for your child. Congratulations on raising a kid who will never have to lament how their mom or dad never took them fishing!

Other Resources

Hopefully, this article helped you understand what skills you need for fishing with your kids, and perhaps even helped you develop one or two. If it did, then I trust you will have a blast teaching your kids to fish. If you found this helpful, please don’t hesitate to check out some of my other articles that will help you further develop your fishing skills:

• Safety Tips for Fishing With Kids (I’d recommend all newcomers read this post. It’s filled with tips to keep your next trip safe).
• How I Got My Kid Interested In Fishing (there’s not much point in honing your fishing skills if your kid doesn’t want to go in the first place)!
• Preparing for a Fishing Trip With Kids (this article hones in on the types of things you need to do before each fishing trip with your kids
• Trolling for Pickerel (this is a good article that talks about a handy way to fish during lunch/meltdowns. You can concentrate on attending to your child while the boat does all the work).
• An Illustrated Guide to Fishing with Kids attempts to tie it all in together for you!

Still need some help getting started? If you’re serious about helping your children learn to fish, consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. In it, you will find numerous tips and tricks for teaching children to fish. If you are trying to get your kids (or yourself) into this sport, or know someone who is, it’s worth a read.

Thanks,

John Paxton