Kids and Angling

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Chris Warren

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I took my six year old son fishing for the first time today. We weren't terribly successful but he says he enjoyed himself and would like to go again. I took my eldest daughter when she was 7 (she's nine now) and we visited a commercial fishery where she was almost guarenteed small roach and perch almost every cast. However this gave her a somewhat false idea of what "real" fishing was like. Anyway has anyone got any thoughts on how to bring a youngster into fishing - venues, methods, tackle etc. It's only when you are trying to show a six year old how to trot a float in a river that you realise how difficult it actually is!
 
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Richard Drayson

Guest
I can relate to your experiences Chris. It can be quite trying can`t it? It might be better to set them up with a feeder rod when on the river, that way they can get some experience of handling the rod, casting etc. When they are a little more competent, you can then progress onto trotting, which, in fishing terms is like trying to run before you can walk. Best of luck with it though.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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I'm trying to encourage my 6 year old grandson by easing him into fishing rather than pushing it down his throat, so to speak.

It's important they get plenty of bites at that age, making commercial fisheries ideal.

Also, I've started him with a short whip (no reel and therefore no casting to learn yet). Just letting him get a feel for hooking, landing and unhooking fish in the easiest possible way.

I'll introduce him to a rod and reel and casting when I sense he's ready for it.

Another thing is that I only take him when the weather is at least reasonable and only for a couple of hours at a time. That way he isn't lapsing into boredom at the tail end of each session.

This is keeping him fairly keen and looking forward to the next time.
 
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paul clarke

Guest
we took my 10 yr old nephew fishing whilst on holiday in fuerteventura .....and he fished the a*!e of everyone.....catching almost twice as many fish as us and now he won't let us forget it . maybe a session on a reservoir in february will "cool" him down a bit . still , he is another youngster who seems to have caught the angling bug and at least it's a fairly good excuse for more sessions for me if i'm taking him!!!
 
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Paul Williams

Guest
I think Graham has got it sock on!!....istarted my youngster off on a running line and he tried to reel the poor things down the rod rings!!!
A short whip teaches them the basics, couple this with shortish sessions and crisps and chocolate and the seed is planted.
As an aside bear in mind that what is bog standard to us can be a long time coming to a youngster, we have all done some silly things as kids......i remember the first time i "borrowed" some of the old mans gear to go it alone on a local pond, first of all i set up every thing only to find i hadn't run the line behind the bail arm!!!....it didn't dawn on me to take off the spool and then open the bail, oh no, i had to bite the line, pass it around the bail before tying a granny knot in it!!!!!......i then put half a container of shot on the line and couldn't understand why my float kept sinking.......my dad had told me that only happened when i had a bite!!!!!!! be patient, there is a lot for a young mind to take in, but once there it's one on our side for life.
 
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Stuart Johnson

Guest
Graham and Paul have got it spot on. Keep it simple, nice weather, plenty of choc, crisps and coke. My two are now 9 & 13, and they keep asking when can we go fishing again dad. Great fun especially when they catch there first decent fish and go around the lake telling all the old blokes how to do it.(including me)
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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The whip is 12ft long. Which may seem long for a 6 year old but not once they've been shown how to hold it properly. And a long rod/pole/whip is much better than one too short. That's what makes me laugh most about the 'beginner's outfits' you see for sale with a 5ft rod and a crap reel. Just about the worst things possible for teaching anybody, let alone a kid, how to fish.

Click <a href=http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article.asp?SP=&v=r&UAN=1168>here</A> and see a picture of my grandson fishing with a 12ft whip.
 
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vince battams

Guest
Took my 13 yr old daughter yesterday, sat out in hope for bream and tench, patience of a saint she has until she started getting cold, well it was gone 9pm, started packing her kit away and i go and catch a 4lb tench, she admits she'd have s**t a brick if she was trying to catch it, left the five year old at home with her mum and she cried because she could not come, shes five and loves fishing, pity i have got no chance of converting wife.
 
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vince battams

Guest
Paul short sessions with crisps and chocolate , the first time i ever took my eldest was when she was five, i sat her behind me in a chair under the brolly, i had not been fishing 1/2 hour when she said finished the sandwiches,crisps and drink dad can we go home now, she'd only had her breakfast hour before we got there, thats a short session i'l tell you.
 
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Peter Morton

Guest
Great picture,
with that box,bait table etc we'll make a match angler of him yet!!!!!!!!! lol :)
 
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Nigel Turton

Guest
Hello everybody, this is my first posting on the forum so hi.
I took my two boys a few weeks ago to a small 'commercial'. We went armed with 4m whips and a box of rigs. After 5mins the youngest (51/2) wanted to go home - I kid you not. So a quick call on the mobile and his mum came for him. The older boy (7) stuck it out all day and the look on his face when he caught his first fish - a Rudd was one of those moments that you remember for the rest of your life.
Tips for what they're worth are - use whips and let them do as much themselves as possible, even if it means tangles and missed bites. Don't try fishing yourself you will only get frustrated, at least for the first few trips. Loads to eat and drink. Good weather conditions and close to home just in case. The young one came back in the afternoon and spent the time chucking all the groundbait in and firing maggots all over the pond with the catty - but what the hell he had fun !
 
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Chris Warren

Guest
I like the idea of the whip but being strictly a running line angler has anyone got any recomendations as regard make and model? And how do you rig them?
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
Got a couple for my kids - get the cheap telescopic ones from Shakespeare etc, I got mine for ?6 each. Much easier than rods and reels.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
I took my wee daughter (then aged 4) on a picnic/fishing trip. I cast out, she reeled in. Unfortuantly for me, I was using a baitcasting set-up and a Pike of about 9 pounds hit the lure! Naturally my wee one let go of the rod....lol!! I managed to get it back, after 10 minutes feeling around in the pads! That reel has never run right since!

I took a friends son fishing, he was about 11. It had to be a trout pond unfortuantly, but he managed about 4 rainbows on sweetcorn. He cant wait to get back!
 
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Davy North

Guest
Took my 7 year old son yesterday, at first he was determined to use his rod, a light 10 ft float rod. I told him a pole would be easer, but he wouldn't have it, mainly because the rod is his.

The trouble was with the depth of water and over grown banks he was having a lot of trouble, getting tangled etc, and very upset.

However when I put a couple of sections of pole out and caught a small roach he soon changed his mind. A few perch later he was much happier, and I'm now thinking of getting him a whip. Although I now rarly use a pole I think it's much better for young ones to catch and get keen with ease.

Another thing I've noticed is it's better if you the adult do not fish on these short trips with the kids. Not just because you have to keep an eye on them all the time, but they do really get dis-chuffed if you're catching and they're not.
They really have to feel good about their catch.
 
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Jonathan Faro

Guest
Hi
Good to know your getting kids involved but I don't thin hips are neccisary. As a 5 or 6 yera old I used to go sea fishing with my grandad, I was using old heavy 12/13 foot rods with centrepin reels and was fine except a few birdsnests and almost dropping the rod off the pier. Just teach them the basics, One time I saw some kids having trouble setting up so I said thraead the line through and I'll out the flot and hook on for you, I set the float and hooks up then realised they handt put the line around the bailarm, ahrghhhhh

Jon
 
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Paul Williams

Guest
Jon,
Just out of interest, when you found they hadn't thread the line through the bail arm, what did you do??
 
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