Fall is fast approaching and all fishing season I have been thinking of this story. Or should this be better called a challenge? Our children, nieces, nephews, friends’ kids, and the list of children we know and could offer our gift to goes on. The gift of how to catch a fish. I feel all children think of going fishing at one time or another and way too many don’t get the chance.
According to several recent surveys conducted on behalf of our industry, participation in sport fishing is up. Great news, but more can be done.
Have you been to a park with a pond, a town landing or run your boat past a bank and seen kids fishing? You might have glanced over and noticed that the kids might be using unconventional methods to catch a fish. Maybe an inline spinner attached to a bobber, or a plastic worm completely wrapped around a hook so no single piece of the hook is visible, or my recent favorite, an empty hook with a split-shot weight attached. Yes, many of us started that way, but back then many of our childhood friends did as well, and some gave up fishing. We didn’t.
Have you ever seen some of the equipment, rods, reel and line these same kids are using? I have scratched my head many times and asked “don’t their parents know better? Or don’t they have an uncle or family friend who knows something about fishing? That’s how naive I once was.
I was lucky, like many of us were. I grew up with support and encouragement to go fishing. Many times I was told go fishing or something would be found for me to do at home (chores would have been the alternative). I was shown how to fish and given the tools. It helped to pass the time in summer; I could go fishing with a short walk from home to a few ponds.
Finally, it all came together for me several years back when I had the opportunity to share my knowledge with kids and their parents at a local hunting and fishing store. I did small group seminars, but mostly a lot of one on one instruction with kids and their parents. The key here was their parents. If you teach a kid a few pointers, get them a rod/reel combo, and few more odds and ends, chances are they will need more help and pointers. And if mom and dad have no clue, all that love of fishing can be lost.
This summer the goal for me was to do more than the simple slogan many of us hear every spring-“take a kid fishing”. It started with my son’s Cub Scout Pack. It might be easy to say let’s go fishing, but the Scouts needed the tools. With the help of many different companies all the scouts received equipment I had confidence in. With the help of a semi pro angler Mike Elie (www.mikeelie.com) we conducted a two hour seminar on fishing, then rewarded the Scouts for their participation with new rods, fishing magazines and tackles boxes packed with gear. Following the seminar, scouts were given a chance to take the class to the water with a canoe/fishing trip. That’s where my summer goal started and I hope more of my fellow anglers can take this cue.
The Challenge
Are you in a fishing club? Do you fish tournaments? Are you involved with a youth group or know someone who is. Does your city/town have a recreation department? Think about the ways you get a bunch of kids involved in fishing.
Seeing a bunch of kids fishing can be a blast. Hearing them talk about their successes and asking how to catch fish in different ways can create lasting memories.
Here is a list of ways to make a fishing trip with a group of children a success:
- Keep it fun.
- MOST IMPORTANT: every kid must bring a parent/mentor involved.
- You can plan a trip that includes a shoreline scavenger hunt, a clean-up project or a boat trip to break up the outing.
- Contact local bait & tackle stores who might host a kid friendly seminar.
- Get donations, both money and tackle works real well for kids.
- Use money donations to purchase tackle and supplies.
- Keep the teaching simple: palomar knot, casting, hook safety, soft plastics, spinnerbaits, in line spinners and bait fishing.
- Get the kids fishing magazines to read: ODU Magazine (online), Bassmaster, In-Fishermen, FLW and North American Fishermen.
- Take pictures and share the kid’s success with their parents.
- Schedule a follow-up trip and let the kids give you ideas of what they want to fish for.
- Encourage the kids to ask questions.
- Target bass, sunfish, bluegills, crappie, perch, catfish and pickerel.
- Practice catch and release.
Special Thanks to the following companies for their help in the Scouting events: Get Kids fishing Foundation, B.A.S.S., FLW, BoatUS, Recycled Fish, Pat’s Pizza, Snag Proof, Boing Lures, Saco Bay Tackle, Gambler Baits, Cruncher Baits, Power Team Lures, TTI Blakemore, Diiachi Hooks, Tru-Turn Hooks, Bruiser Baits, Omega Custom Jigs, Fins Fishing Line and Rod Glove.