Post
Hook a Youngster on Fishing
Fishing Stories, Tackle Tips & How To's theangler PM
Summer is the perfect time to start a youngster fishing.
The fish are biting in summer. Children are out of school, so finding a couple of hours or even an entire day to sit on a creek bank or a boat dock is easier during summer than any other time of year.
And with long holiday weekends on tap such as the Fourth of July, you can start to introduce a beginner to the joys and frustrations of fishing immediately.
The best part is this: Conservationists of tomorrow are likely being exposed to angling today. When children learn to love and respect the outdoors, they’re more inclined to feel stewardship toward the earth.
Fishing, however, is not a science. There are few rules carved in stone — except the rule that all involved (especially the child) have fun.
For that to occur, some subtle changes in attitude and methods are in order. Fishing with a youngster isn’t the same as fishing with an adult, and it certainly isn’t the same as fishing alone.
Here are some of the things to teach the youngster about fishing.
Leave your own equipment at home. Concentrate on the child. You can’t teach a youngster to fish and have much success fishing yourself. You’ll have to come back another day . . . alone.
Go fishing where you’re likely to catch something. This is no time to fool around with, say, reluctant bass. Even veterans can’t always catch bass on demand. Besides, you don’t need to catch 6-pound fish. A 6-inch fish looks mighty impressive to a 5-year-old.
A youngster’s attention span is shorter than a nightcrawler. Action is called for, not long periods when nothing’s happening. Try farm ponds and small creeks for sunfish. Sunfish — bream and bluegill — are always hungry in warm weather. They’ve launched more angling careers than all other fish combined. Keep it simple. The most elementary way to start is with a long, whippy cane or bamboo pole. Tie about 10 feet of 6-or-8-pound-test monofilament line to the end of the pole. Then tie a small hook (size 10 to 14) on the end of the line and clamp a single split shot above the hook. Snap-on a bobber about three feet above the hook and sinker, and the most basic fishing system is ready.
If you want to buy a fishing outfit for a beginner, several models come rigged from the factory with everything you’ll need.
For example, you could start the youngster with something like the Zebco Bullet .22 outfit. That’s a push-button, spin-cast outfit which includes a 5-foot rod as well as a pleasantly shaped, smooth reel spooled with 8-pound-test line. It’s a neat rig and costs in the neighborhood of $30.
Several manufacturers make these ready-to-use outfits. Above all else, don’t skimp and buy junk. It’s likely to lock up or break before the day is over. A good fishing outfit is a joy to use, and the youngster will get many years of use from it. Use live bait, not artificial lures.
Bait will outfish artificials every time, and besides, if a lure is hanging from a rod, the temptation to cast time after time is irresistible. An uncoordinated youngster trying to cast something with a set of treble hooks is an imminent threat to himself and all those around him.
The best baits are worms, grasshoppers, minnows, grass shrimp and crickets. All are available at tackle stores. Worms, crickets, and grasshoppers may be easily caught in summer.
Use small worms, not nightcrawlers. Nightcrawlers are big worms and should be cut into three or more pieces before threading on a hook. Otherwise, you do little but feed the fish as they bite off the tail. Crickets are deadly on many species of freshwater fish, but especially so on sunfish. Fish with a bobber. The thin pencil-type works better than the standard red-and-white ball. The biggest advantage of using a bobber is that the child is much more likely to see the bite when a fish begins to nibble at his or her bait. When a bobber begins to dance, the youngster just might get as excited as you . . . almost. Don’t overdo it. When the child begins to tire, call it a day whether one hour or four have expired. And don’t take it personally. They’re developing the enthusiasm that you’ve cultivated over a period of years.
Also, take plenty of soft drinks and snacks. Successful fishing trips often turn into stream-side picnics. That’s why even adults carry along crackers and Vienna sausages.