Teaching a Kid to Fish
Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be difficult, if you follow the right steps. There is an old Chinese proverb that states: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". How true that is, teach a kid to enjoy fishing and you will have a lifetime fishing partner! I taught my kids to fish, while pulling out my hair, and now they love it. I will show you how to take the pain out of this task so that they will come to love fishing and the outdoors. First and foremost you must be patient with your kids as they learn to cast for the first time. They become aggravated when they can't cast as far as you can, then quickly want to move on to another task that they already have an interest in. Out comes the Game boy. I created a game for my kids that we played at home in the yard; you may find this fun and helpful. Make three targets and set them out in the yard at ten, fifteen, and twenty feet away. Then assign a point value for each target, say ten, fifteen, and twenty points. We always played to a score of fifty. They may only play once or twice a week so let them win some too! Now you have a game they can play to learn the task of casting before you go to the lake. Now that you have a cast master, it's off to the fishing hole! Show them how to properly tie a fishing knot by tying on your hook on your line as they follow along, tying on their own hook. This can be done in conjunction with the casting game. In steps frustration, don't let them struggle with this task too long or they will lose interest. Out comes the Game boy. Ask them if they want you to do it, remember it has to be a fun experience. Now for the prey, be sure to target fish that are easy to catch. Bluegills for example are abundant around most docks and marinas, and are very easy to catch. Use very small hooks and a small piece of worm for bait with a bobber. Crappies are also easy to catch, and eat; they are located around boat docks with brush piles under them. Check with local marinas to see if they have a crappie house, if you don't have a boat. Using live minnows for bait and a bobber so they can see when they get a bite. Catfish are also simple to catch. They are bottom feeders and eat minnows, stink bait, and a host of over the counter and home made baits as well. I recommend a sliding weight above the hook. Let the fish take the bait on a free line, if they feel the resistance they will drop the bait. Set the hook while the line is moving and you will catch the fish almost every time. Don't try to make them a bass pro on the first trip, keep the action fast. I recommend a Zebco 33 spin cast reel. It's very dependable and near indestructible, it will last them for many years. Use a light rod not more than 5'6" long, any longer than that and their casting accuracy goes way down. Also with a light rod that one pound crappie seems to be as big as a whale. I would buy monofilament line not larger than 10 lb test in strength. Heavier line will make it more difficult to cast, and I believe lighter line catches more fish. A small tackle box is a must have for every junior angler! Don't go out there and set junior up with a crappie rig and you tie on this pretty spinner bait, they will want to use the same bait as you do. Stay away from treble hooks! There are way too many points to stick into too many different places. As I close be sure to teach them about conservation. Keep only what you will eat. Don't throw your excess bait into the lake, give them to another fisherman. Don't keep them out there all day, if the fish aren't biting try skipping some rocks. You may also consider hiring a fishing guide! They get paid to catch fish. The Fishing Vacation Guide- All the very best fishing vacation destinations, fishing tips, fish recipes, and so much more!
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Fly Fishing for Saltwater Salmon with Surface Flies
One of the greatest thrills in Pacific Northwest fly fishing is bringing large anadramous fish to a surface fly. While surface fishing in the saltwater is not as popular as subsurface fly fishing, feeding saltwater coho salmon will take a popper quite aggressively. Neah Bay is the best place to cast flies for coho salmon in Washington State, and I believe it's also the best place to catch coho / silver salmon on a cast popper.
Lake Trout and Their Unique Qualities
Lake trout are a type of fish that are completely different then any other fish. Those that like to go lake trout fishing, know that they are difficult to catch. Unless you know just how to do so, well, your chances are small of actually getting one. Lake trout fish are the ones everyone wants though as their size can be enormous! Lake trout fishing is a great type of fishing, but you will need the knowledge of these fish before you begin to fish them.
Swimbaits Are Swimming East
What lures are 4-13" long, been used regularly on the West Coast and have caught some of the biggest bass ever? Yep, Swimbaits.
Make Small Fortune In The Fishing Industry
Make Small Fortune In Fishing Industry...
The Alaskan Experience
"FISH ON!!"
On The Road...With Jack Karpawack
Jack Karpawack here.
The Frugal Fisherman: Part II
For those of you that don't know this, fishermen by nature are a frugal lot.
Concentrate on Your Bass Fishing
I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and he was talking about concentration. I thought well this is going to be a boring show but of course, it wasn't. Matter of fact it made sense.
Bill says Concentration not only makes you a better fishermen but also helps you forget your daily woes.
Cincinnati Catfishing Bait
Some of the baits I have used for used for CATFISHing here on the Ohio River are, chicken liver, minnows, shrimp, Spam, French Fries and more.
The Things You Wont Look Out For (But Should) When Night Fishing
5 Things To Be Careful of When Night Fishing
Swordfishing in South Florida
Southeast Florida Swordfishing ? "Purple Fever"
The Low Down On Worms
We all know that plastic worms are one of the most productive lures there are, but did you know certain worms have special uses? I have a whole tackle box with nothing but plastic worms in it, hundreds of them!
A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques - Part II
Method 1
Spawning the Chinese Algae-Eater
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Common name: Chinese algae-eater
Family: Gyrinocheilidae (Algae eaters)
Order: Cypriniformes (carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Max size: 30 cm/ 12 inches
Water conditions: pH range: 6.0 - 8.0, temperature 25 - 28°C/ 77-82°F
Fishing Topwater in Lily Pads
In 2004, I fished more lily pads than ever before? Why? Well, because I caught fish in them. I probably caught over 100 fish in the lily pads this year alone. Two were over 5 pounds and one over 6 pounds. So what did I do different this year?
Get Ready For Bed....Bedding Bass That Is!
It's getting near the time bass will be on their beds. Not just any bass, but trophy size bass in Ohio. So, what are you going to use to catch those lunkers? Big baits of course! Well, not really. While large baits do catch big bass, sometimes they scare them away or intimidate them. That is when finesse baits come to play.
Night Boat Fishing Checklist
Boat Fishing At Night Checklist
Drop-Shotting For Picky-Overfished Bass
There is a fairly new technique when it comes to bass fishing but it works great especially when bass are under a lot of pressure, it's called drop-shotting. When you see other fishermen using worms and fishing the edges of creek channels, try this and fish the bottom of the channels instead of the edges. It's also good around boat docks and bridges and in shallow water when the bass are bedding.
Information on the Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout are a fresh water fish. They are aggressive fish in that they put up a great fight for the fisherman. Maybe because of this rainbow trout are one of the most popular types of game fish available. Rainbow trout tend to be one of the most sought after fish out there. Their meat is only one reason for this as the thrill of catching this fish is far greater!
Introducing The Two Guys With Flys
Just when you thought you had seen it all. Just when you thought what in the world can I get for a unique and different Christmas present,Fathers Day gift,or executive gift-- along comes a fun and unique gift just in time for this years' Christmas season. FLY TACKS, a new product from TWO GUYS WITH FLYS, INK, previously the makers of nothing!! FLY TACKS are handsomely, hand-tied flies from Oregon, that are PUSHPINS. That's right, no more boring bulletin boards around the office. Who wouldn't like to have the latest company memo held in place by the ever present ? GREEN BUTTED SKUNK? Everyone will notice the latest pay scale increases when they are posted by the always popular ? EGG SUCKING LEECH. Got a co-worker that always claims he couldn't find your message? Stick it to his pile with a MUDDLER MINNOW, and he is sure to get the point!!!!
|
