The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 39 - July 29, 2015

reel time

Teaching kids to fish

Reel time

rusty chinnis | submitted

The size of the fish doesn’t determine the
excitement of the catch.

 

 

Most anglers can remember learning to fish. Those first experiences on the water leave indelible memories. They should be exciting and exhilarating. They can be the difference between kindling passion or disdain for the activity. The basics of fishing are not complicated to learn, are easy to teach children and don’t require expensive equipment. If there’s a cardinal rule to getting kids interested in fishing, it’s to make sure and keep them engaged. Children are naturally curious about the water world, they love to play in and on the water and are fascinated by the creatures that inhabit our bays and Gulf.

Some of my earliest memories are of fishing with my dad along the coast of North Carolina. There was something special about observing the ocean and its creatures while waiting for a fish to bite, and catching them became a lifelong addiction. Beyond the basics of how to fish, learning to handle fish gently and return them quickly to their environment is a great lesson in conservation and compassion.

It’s important to involve your kids from the beginning. Kids enjoy feeling they are a part of the adventure, getting them involved is a great way to introduce responsibility in children. Give them things to be in charge of such as making sure everyone knows where the safety equipment and personal floatation device are located is a good start.

It’s important to keep children active and engaged. Plan an outing that includes other activities such as wildlife viewing and identification or snorkeling, as well as fishing. Being on the water provides an excellent opportunity to teach kids about their environment and boating, as well as safety skills. You could also make a game out of learning basic nautical terms such as port, starboard, bow and stern.

When fishing with children avoid cheap plastic fishing rods and reels. Start kids with decent equipment, but keep it light and manageable. An ultra-light rig with 6-pound test is a great way to start. Try and think like a kid when fishing, children would much rather catch a dozen pinfish in a half hour than wait a half hour for a chance at a bigger or better fish. Action is paramount; kids are easily bored and distracted.

Consider starting kids fishing with a small popping cork that they can watch for signs of action. I think all fishermen still enjoy what was probably their first introduction to fishing. It’s a good idea (though maybe not so easy) to stress that catching isn’t the only goal and may not happen. If you can start teaching kids that the enjoyment of the adventure isn’t measured by the number or size of fish you catch you’ll do them a great service that many fishermen never learn.

Impress that it’s just as important to be outside and enjoying the experience of the natural world. If you don’t catch fish, you can talk about the birds you’ve seen, the other creatures in the sea and an abundance of other things. If you can make the experience interesting for them, even if there’s no hook ups, they are more likely to want to do it again. Kids might be more interested in collecting shells, counting crabs or looking for manatees or dolphin than fishing, so be sensitive to what’s bringing them pleasure. It’s a good strategy to have children involved in other activities while you search for the fish. When the action gets hot, get them involved. That is a much better way to make a day of fishing more memorable and one they’ll want to repeat.

It’s also important to bend down barbs and teach kids to beware of toothy fish, catfish and sting rays. The first experiences on the water are very , and you should consider a plan of action in advance in case the fishing isn’t great. The last thing you want to do is bore kids by sitting on a spot too long with nothing to do but anticipate a bite. They don’t have the patience we do!


AMISUN ~ The Island's Award-Winning Newspaper