Would it Bother You ?

Gav Barbus · Mar 1, 2011

Its summer its nice and warm and a few chaps come along to your local spot to fish but alas a couple of kids are with them, all have appropriate permits to fish. The problem is the chaps want to fish all day but the kids obviously wont .The kids are not bricking your pegs and are not damaging anything ,they are just exploring near there guardians pegs and having a fish now and then a bit like a picnic day out really and the chaps keep an eye on them to keep them out of trouble as much as possible .
Would this scenario have you running for the car pronto? or would it give you a nice warm glow safe in the knowledge some kids are learning the noble sport of angling?

Peter Jacobs · Mar 1, 2011

Personally I'd be more than happy that these children were at least out in the fresh air and not stuck in front of a computer screen or games terminal.

As long as they behave themselves and the adults show a modicum of control then where is the harm?

I've taken many kids fishing over the years and you simply cannot expect them to maintain their concentration for too long at a time; so I always try to punctuate the day with drinks and food breaks, maybe a little bit of watercraft training and/or bird spotting even down to searching for traces of other riverside 'animals' and insects. If the venue allows then show them how to light a fire, or use a Kelly kettle too. Then back to the fishing but not for too long a stint at any one time.

Keep it varied and interesting for them and the real key . . . . make sure that they catch something.

Gav Barbus · Mar 1, 2011

Some great tips there PJ .I thank, my mates already call me bush man for having a swedish firesteel ha ha .I think the bit about animals and tracks would get these lads going and they will probably spend all day on that which is all good .I am open to all dos and donts so if you have a tip lets hear it.

sam vimes · Mar 1, 2011

It's a very rare thing that kids fishing cause any problem for me. Kids that aren't fishing and, sadly, adults/late teens are another kettle of fish entirely. The scenario you describe is no problem whatsoever.

Peter Jacobs · Mar 1, 2011

Plant and tree identification is another good way of keeping them occupied; a short walk along the bank should provide at least 5 or 6 different types of trees and with a leaf from each I used to have a quiz, and whoever got the most right answers got a new float, the 'losers' got a consolation prize too.

Night fishing also proved to be a lot more popular for my children too, they loved the 'camping' aspects and the hot chocolate at night. Luckily we always had Owls to identify at night time and other nocturnal creatures too.

Depending on the ages of the little 'monsters' a minnow trap can be a lot of fun, identifying the different types of fish that get trapped, as well as a good 'rake along' with the landing net a la John Wilson; you'll be amazed at the river-life you can scoop up. Those I couldn't identify straight away we would look up when we got home.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Mar 1, 2011

I'd be wary of too many kids too few adults - if you got the numbers right ther should always be someone to make sure the kids are safe, don't fall in and don't wander off -

Gav Barbus · Mar 1, 2011

Thats a definate good piece of advice regarding water safety ,sends a shiver down me spine.

---------- Post added at 12:55 ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 ----------

Thanks Sam ,I dont like upsetting folks fishing so like to gage the general consensus on here and if this bunch say your right I know there plonkers if I get grief and can let them rant on ther own.

jimmy crackedcorn · Mar 1, 2011

I agree with your scenario, no problem at all.

Doesnt always stay like that though alas. Sometimes the adults get bladdered, or the adults leave and the lake just turns into a creche. Not always teenagers either (although have had one major run in) I've had kids of 10 or 11 whose mission it was that day was to give me lip.

woody · Mar 1, 2011

I've no problem with your scenario at all and should the kids wander over my way and ask questions, hopefully in a nice polite manner, I'd be only too happy to talk them through what I was doing. If (well it might happen) I was catching more than their dads, I'd let them have a go and see if they could catch one or two.

Kids are OK when they get to around 10, they (most of them) want to learn new tricks, fishing is another strand of their experiences.

Tee-Cee · Mar 1, 2011

I agree with all PJ says.....

Its all a question of degree;all kids get bored after a while and no amount of fish caught will change that so its up to the ADULT to be responsible about the length of time they are on the bank.
I used to take my son fishing,sometimes with a friend,but I NEVER took him out with my own fishing in mind-it was all about spending time with him and enjoying the time together.Sometimes I took him out at night and he slept in the back of the car whilst I fished and along with bacon sarnies at daybreak it was one long adventure which he fondly remembers to this day.

Yes,its just great to see kids out in the fresh air and I try very hard to be reasonable about noise etc if they are close to me.................we were all young once but I never had the opportunities that I made available to my boy!

Does he fish?..not at all and never since those days of his youth...........

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Mar 1, 2011

Used to have great fun taking my 3 sons fishing, long weekends, a day or a few hours.

The boys used to like the weekends with the bivvys, cooking etc etc. They would often go off looking at the wildlife, and asking whats this, whats that. I am still lucky as the boys and I still go fishing together.

As long as the kids are under control, I see no problems, after all, we were all kids once, (some still are) and i am sure we weren't all saints

The bad one · Mar 2, 2011

Sorry the only good kids are those who are locked away at birth in a cupboard until they are about 30 before they are let out. Keep the thieving little criminals well away from me when I'm fishing. I have to pay a full licence whilst they get one for free until they're 12.
So I pay for my right to fish they don't, so keep them well away from me thank you very much!
Have you caught out mister.... have you got any maggots spare mister.....how longs that rod mister...... got any floats ,hooks, weights to spare mister.......Who do you think I am Peter Drennan! ..... Off you thieving little toerags!

Well Rons away someone had to say it

little oik · Mar 2, 2011

There would be only two occasion that it would bother me and thats if the kids are running around like a herd of elephants shouting and screaming ,or the classic one if they had a dog with them with either a ball or ready supply of sticks available .That would definitely send me running for another swim a few miles away

Philip · Mar 2, 2011

I hope I don’t sound horrible but in the situation described I would absolutely hate it and I would move swims probably before they even started to set up !

Its not that I don’t want kids coming into fishing, I just don’t want people messing up my fishing. Maybe it’s the style of fishing I do which tends to be to target bigger fish but I hate to have anyone fishing anywhere near me at all. Clomping feet, frequent casts, silhouettes on skylines and everything else other people do that messes up my own chances which can be few and far between.

I realize avoiding people is not possible on many venues due to the pressure, but then again you don’t have to fish crowded venues either. I tend to avoid them now.

Peter Jacobs · Mar 2, 2011

The bad one said:
Well Rons away someone had to say it

Love it, just love it . . . . . .

Yacko · Mar 2, 2011

I don’t see many kids at the places I fish, on the few occasions I have they have usually been under some sort of supervision and not too much of a problem. I can think of one occasion when a lads Dad wasn't a fisherman and I tired to give them a little help as they were not catching on this particular lake. The youngster was quite grateful and thrilled to catch a few small fish (I found it hard to reconcile their lack of knowledge with their professed success on the river where they had caught 3lb roach and allsorts) All went well but I did have to have a few tactful words when the boy's lead ended up being cast across the lake and into my swim, and he kept running around the lake when he saw me catch anything.
Anyway he took on board my comments, but to some extent I'm quite prepared to sacrifice the odd session if it helps a youngster and the social interaction compensates for the odd lost fish. I think you’re missing out if you take your fishing so seriously that you can’t spare a little time for the kids and it's nice to find someone that knows even less than I do!

alan whittington · Mar 2, 2011

Iwouldnt relish it,but i would carry on and have those little s******s to myself whilst watching them,at least their not like the pill popping hoodies i had near me on Saturday.:wh

Would it Bother You ?

Gav Barbus

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Peter Jacobs

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Gav Barbus

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sam vimes

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Peter Jacobs

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Lord Paul of Sheffield

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Gav Barbus

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jimmy crackedcorn

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woody

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Tee-Cee

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Ray Daywalker Clarke

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The bad one

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little oik

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Philip

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Peter Jacobs

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Yacko

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alan whittington

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