The Magic Begins!

Jeff I really enjoyed reading the article, and it was a pleasure seeing Connor battling it out with a carp on the other end. His ecstatic expression whilst holding on for dear life made my day! He looked so happy it brought back some great memories for me. Strange though how every time he came over to Bruce for a game his rod buzzed away, Bruce must be a lucky charm which reminds me, I must dust off my rods and get out so I can catch a few.
I totally agree with you that these fisheries are great for children and even though it was slow on the day Connor still had a good few and really enjoyed himself. I think he is hooked for life!!
Can?t wait for our next trip with you and Connor and I know Bruce wants to say hello again. Oh and its me that should be thanking you and Connor, I simply had a great time

What a lovely way to pass on the knowledge gained in a near lifetime of fishing Jeff.

Mind you , I am a little concerned at how you will be teaching him to put together his own tackle:
"Okay connor, now, all you do is to type in; www.EBAY.CO.UK "

By the way - EIGHT fish on the one boilie?
And here was I thinking that when you asked to buy your maggots in quantities of 10's down in Ringwood, that you were joking!


Oh, and before I forget, when the young man wants to learn how to Wallis Cast and fish 'properly' just you bring him on down to the Avon, okay?

Well done a new member amongst the ranks, nice article Jeff. I started my son off in the same way, the only venue near enough to home with a decent head of fish is the local canal and he still loves going there.

Just think Jeff, in fifty years time he'll be telling the story of that day to his fellow fishermen on some website.

Good on yer mate for starting another soul on the path of pleasure.

"And here was I thinking that when you asked to buy your maggots in quantities of 10's down in Ringwood, that you were joking!"

It was only because I know full well they don't sell them singly except in Yorkshire. However, I would have had two at least, for the size 16s hook.

Oh and - "Okay connor, now, all you do is to type in; www.EBAY.CO.UK "

Did that for him last week and got him a lovely Daiwa Phantom 7 bearing reel, brand new, normally ?35, just ?10 plus P+P! He don't know it yet, should arrive tomorrow.

What a great day out Woody .....for both of you ,may you have many more .

Top article again Woody, I've been taking my little brother out the last couple of years on and off and he's now progressed from bit bashing the rudd and perch to bream averaging about 2 1/2lb. Connor did well holding the fish for the picture, it's been a proper mission getting Jamie to pick up the buggers but he finally cracked it for a photo of his best fish the other week. I can't wait to see his face when he finally latches into one of the carp, last time he did he lost it after nearly being pulled in due to the shock!

Thanks y'all. Connor's really chuffed with it going on the site, but even more so that he got his Bronze Carp Specimen badge for that fish in the photo.

BN - It took us sometime to get him to hold it well. You should see some of the pictures of the other fish he caught. They're ok if you don't mind looking up a tench's bottom. It will all come to him in time.

Good story Woody, but there's a kind of double-edged sword there; on the one hand you want them to catch early on to hold their interest and give them a taste for it, but conversely they then expect it to be that productive every time and lose heart quickly if it isn't that easy....
Kids nowadays demand instant gratification, which they often manage to achieve through computer games and indulgent parents, they rarely have the desire to keep plugging away at something in order to perfect a skill, and anything that requires any serious amount of application for little initial reward is rejected as "boring". I was hooked at an early age, and after receiving my own kit for Christmas in 1971 (whole cane rod, Intrepid Black Prince reel....) I persevered until August of '73 before I actually caught anything on it (had to teach myself, no other anglers in the family), and it was Boxing Day 74 before I caught anything requiring a landing net (which I did not posess, so I had to go out and buy one shortly afterwards) - sadly there are few kids nowadays who are prepared to stick at anything long enough if it's hard work.
Well done anyway for bringing another curious young mind to the sport.

It might be a little "double-edged sword" as you say, but it's important that when you take yong kids they catch a lot. Here's why.

It's a teaching method that works and has to be repeated within some minutes. You teach them one thing at a time, to cast say. When they can cast you move on to baiting the hook, only when they can do that you move to unhooking fish. Then removing hooks with a disgorger etc. You can do tackling-up at home, but always use these three steps -

step 1 - You show them clearly what to do and you explain to them each process. Don't make it too long.

step 2 - you show them again how to do it, but ask them to explain to you what you are doing. Correct any misunderstandings.

step 3 - they do it for themselves and explain to you what they are doing.

These three phases of learning should be carried out within 20 minutes of each other. Any longer and they will certainly have forgotten, the sooner the better so every 2-5 minutes is ideal. So you see, sometimes you need to catch a lot of fish quickly, although in fishing it doesn't always work that way.

This method of teaching works at all age levels. It was taught to me under the government's training schemes in the early 70s and I have used it since in business. Once you learn by this method, you do not forget.

I enjoyed the read Woody; good to know the lad enjoyed himself. I've often wondered what it is that 'hooks' some kids in and others not. I've taken various kids along with me, friend's offspring or relatives, over the years and you can never tell which will take to it. As you say the teaching method and keeping them active and interested is crucial, but there seems to me to be an indefinable something that some bring with them to the water that keeps them coming back for more.