5 Tips On Teaching Your Kids To Fish

Whether you’re a seasoned angler wanting to spend more time with your kids, or you’re just wanting to try a new family activity, it’s always a good idea to teach your little ones a valuable life skill and a fun new hobby.  

Fishing can be a fun family-friendly activity if approached in the correct way - so keep reading for a quick guide on how you can teach your kids to fish.

1 - Find The Best Fishing Spot

All seasoned anglers know that there’s a lot more to fishing than the catch - but kids don’t. It’s definitely a good idea to start somewhere that’s full of fish.  

Take them to your favorite places, or ask around to find the best fishing hotspots. There’s sure to be somewhere nearby where you can get a good catch - and if you’re having no luck, try your local bait shop.

2 - Make it Fun

If you make it too serious too soon, then your kids will most likely lose interest pretty quickly. Show them how fun it can be. 

You can make it an adventure - bring a tent and lots of tasty supplies and show them a great time in the outdoors. 

 Once they know the basics, it could be fun to set up a rewards system, or make it a competition - a point per fish caught, and a treat goes to the winner. Children won’t know the difference between a tiny fish and a prize fish - they’ll just be happy to have caught something!

3 - Stick To The Basics

If you start off with the most state-of-the-art, complicated equipment, then not only will they most likely get broken, but your kids will probably be scared off.  

Give your children simple equipment to get started with, so they can get to grips with the method and technique without having to remember too much. They have brilliant youth-kits available on the market that are easily operated by children.  

Start off with:

●     Rod

●     Reel

●     Lures

●     Multi-tool

 Other supplies:

●     Sun Protection (cream, shades)

●     Snacks

●     Smartphone/ Camera (you want a shot of your kid’s first catch!)

●     Waterproof

4 - Let Them See The Fish!

Children are enthusiastic and curious, so they’ll want to see what they’ve caught. Most of the time, it’s completely harmless letting your child touch the fish, but watch out for any spikes.  

Once they’ve seen (and taken pictures of) the fish, then let them free the fish themselves - it will make the experience more rewarding and hands-on for them.  

It could be fun to take a picture of each fish your child catches, and turn it into a photo album for them to add to as they get older.

5- Stay Safe

When fishing with children, you must always stay aware - and be sure to teach your children the dangers of water.  

Even if your children are good swimmers, many places carry dangerous currents, rip-tides, and can have vegetation growing under the waters - it’s important that unless you know and are comfortable in the area, then your children should stay out of the water.  

Water isn’t the only hazard you need to look out for. When fishing, you’re likely to have sharp objects with you, such as knives, tools, and hooks - so be sure they’re kept away from your children.