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Kid's Stuff

© Louis Bignami

The best thing any adult can do for a child is to teach them a skill that builds their confidenct. Fishing seems perfect for this, and quite small kids can learn with a traditional cane pole rigged with bobbers and such -- see KID'S CAN WITH CANE in the in my archives for gear details. It's my considered opinion that a plain pole rigged with a bobber and bait is the best introduction to the sport. Cane poles do float too!

Best of all, spring's the ideal time to fish, since action peaks and an empty summer lies ahead. It can be filled with family fishing action for those who understand that the real, or is it "reel", approach to kid's fishing rests in adult attitudes and expectations. Adults shouldn't fish when teaching the small fry. Even more important, adults need to look at fishing from the child's viewpoint.

ALL FISH ARE CREATED EQUAL

Fish are fish are fish and size matters less than action and numbers. So opt for bluegills, yellow perch or catfish/bullheads in freshwater and species such as snappers, perch or smelt in salt.

TRAVEL TIME MUST BE LESS THAN FISHING TIME

Look for spots to fish fifteen minutes to a half hour from home. Only the foolish -- adult or child -- plans trips with more transit time than angling action. Try local farm ponds, park and water company reservoirs, bays, inlets, streams and rivers.

LEAVE HOME LATE AND FOR HOME EARLY

Always plan trips for comfortable weather towards the middle of the day even thought even panfishing slows then. If possible separate fishing from activities like picnics. Get things organized at home to minimize setup time at the water, and always leave when the action's still hot so the latest memories are of fun.

EAT OR RELEASE

Releasing fish teaches gentle handling and respect for the resource, but you need not release everything. As a personal rule, I return gamefish to the water, but keep enough panfish to make a meal or two.

Kids should learn fish kept are to be eaten. Smaller children can have trouble with bones, so consider filleting panfish and such into bite-size bits, or grind fish and mix it with an egg, breadcrumbs and seasoning before you fry fish patties, just like the "Golden Arches." It's worth noting that in areas where larger gamefish concentrate pollutants, you can still enjoy panfish.

ARRANGE ARTFUL ALTERNATIVES

Even panfish don't always bite. Some come with bird books, stones to skip, kites to fly and other learning and recreational backups to fill in slow periods. If a child would rather watch the ducks than fish that's entirely okay. The key here is fun for the day, not a big bag offish.