Kids
- This topic has 22 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated Apr 11, 2008 at 12:34 am by
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Some of the folks on the board have me thinking. When is the best time to introduce kids to fly fishing? Any fatherly or motherly advice, tips, books, websites, stories, examples…. ANYTHING would be great. Amelia is 7 weeks and we are working on her rod hand, next week we were thinking about working her line hand and an introduction to hauls.
Both my sons began backpacking and flyfishing with me as early as 7 years old. My youngest son spent 5 days with me camping and fishing the 3rd Meadow of Slough Creek when he was 7. He caught more than his share of the big dumb cutts on foam hoppers. Needless to say…barbless hooks are in order.
Go for it…..but keep it fun for them.
Drifter…that is a GREAT photo and I am sure a memory that is burned in forever.
Kevin…I am trying to show our daughter fly fishing in short experiences.
Great pictures guys!
A couple of things I have learned:
When teaching kids casting remember that they listen really well.
My kids began fishing at 2.. but with “zebco” tackle.. I believe it’s best to instill the passion for fishing… the type of rod and technique come later…
My daughter just turned 7…
Thanks Cameron. He had not perfected the Bandito pose at that time however he did know to hold the fish in close proximity to the water in case he dropped it.
Those are really great pictures guys! Cameron, I especially like the last two. Thanks for sharing.
JL
Lando…your son looks like he’s got “skillz”. Are you sitting on the truck hood waiting for the bells to ring on the tip top your bait rod? HA…
Drifter…”bandito pose”. That made me laugh.
Great information so far. Think back…most of us started on bluegills…and what a great way to start kids with too.
My lastest idea, which I plan on putting together next winter, is to have a fiberglass fly/spin rod (Lamiglass three piece honey blank) made for our daughter. I’m thinking 6’6″ and able to throw a five weight line but can also use a spinning reel in the beginning.
This is all great information and fun to see the kids fishing. I bought the Curtis Creek Manifesto last week as a coloring book for Amelia when she gets old enough to color – the text might be a little much for her but it would be fun to color. That should be fun for the whole family. My wife is getting into all of this as well. She is a native plant fanatic and raising our child in outdoors is extremely important to both of us.
Great thread. 🙂
My Dad (who was a guide) started taking me as soon as I was old enough to sit a canoe for hours. By his definition that was 3yrs. It seems to have worked.
I started both my girls bait fishing from docks when they were around the same age and both have tried their hands at fly fishing by the age of 7 or 8. I hired a guide for that for a slew of reasons, not the least of which is that while kids are sponges, they can resist teacher/student relationships when parents are envovlved. Its easier for kids to accept correction from “teachers” than it is from parents.
It removed me (Dad) and my bad casting habits from the equation. So the guide harped on her about keeping her glasses on ( he wont take clients without them) , he corrected her grip/stroke when needed etc, etc. Thats a huge difference from me harping at her to keep the glasses on, which I also strongly beleive in, or occasionally and offering correction advice. No idea how many times she ws told to stop what she was doing and put the glasses back on but it was alot 🙂
She oth got certified instructions both on land and on water, lessons in knots and entomology and 1 on 1 instruction when it came time to catch some Browns. Long story short we had a blast and was one of the better days we’ve spent on the water.
While fly fishing hasnt grabbed them the way its grabbed me both still love to fish and now this year both my 10yr and 14yr have all taken up archery together. The 3 of us are working on mom to join us in that one. ;D
Great topic…and one I have been struggling with recently.
I have two girls, 5 and 2. My theory before getting them into fishing was to first get them interested in the outdoors, then once they enjoy that, get them into fishing.
Well, my 5 year old LOVES to be outside…hiking, climbing trees and boulders, collecting bugs, etc etc. She has also enjoyed fishing…although like most, the attention span is pretty short. That’s fine and I expect it. The two year old is showing the same signs of interest (minus the bugs). She always wants to go see “wishies”.
Here is my problem though. Whenever I take her (5 yr old)…I can never catch fish! I have been fishing for 20 years…yet whenever I take her out we don’t catch a thing! And I sense her frustration….or maybe she is sensing mine.
I have taken her on opening day trout season for the dummie stocked fish…nothing. I have taken her to local ponds, lakes, reservoirs for sunnies…nothing. Fished with corn, powerbait, worms…nothing. I am on the verge of going to a “pay to fish” pond just so she can have some success. (dont worry I am not going to do it…although some days I feel like I am at the edge)
I mean come on…who doesn’t know of a spot close to their home where the sunnies are stacked up by the thousands?! Well…I can’t seem to find them. I am beginning to think it might be easier to just put a fly rod in her hand and take her to a special regs trout stream and have her fish a size 24 midge!
Tim, when my girls were that age, anytime we went fishing that wasnt at a cottage, I usually planned day trips to spots where I had alternatives. The exception being the guide experiences but even that bookended around an overnight camping trip.
So an example might be resevoirs where if the bites just not happening theres a beach for swimming, or a zoo nearby or the adventure of overnight camping, campfire, a swim etc. That way, the days going to be memorable even if the fishing isnt it, they will remember what a great time they had with dad (or both parents) fishing. The next time you plan a day trip to go fishing they will be itching to go again forgetting that maybe last time the fishing was slow.
My dad had a saying he taught me when I was young.
Going fishing is the fun….catching fish is a bonus
Tim,
I know the pressure of trying to catch fish while someone is watching you or waiting on you to catch a fish.
My suggestion is to find a good bluegill pond.I am thinking three is the magic age to start fishing but with bait… I know… I said bait. 5 to 7 before even thinking about a fly rod unless I could find the place where the fish are just crazy dumb and eating everything. AND OR introducing the fly rod with bread for the bream to make sure we catch something.
I was going to the lake and camping with my parents 3 months after I was born. Swimming by 2 and 1/2 – we have pictures of me jumping off the back of a boat. AND caught a 1lb 14 oz blue gill by the age of 4 (My grandfather was so proud he had it mounted… again I know but that was a different time). My parents also said that I had visited every state park in Georgia by the age of 5. I think that is how they kept it fun.
My Grandfather was a fishing fanatic but he always took the time to show the grandkids how to do everything. We always fished with grubs weighted, and on the bottom without a bobber, he said that taught us to feel the line and pay attention – I guess that is why I still cant figure out the whole indicator idea. He also taught us how to respect the stuff around us, so we were not running around beating everything down with a stick… And that a fishing rod was a fine piece of equipment that had to be taken care of.
I’m seeing the pattern of keeping it fun, interesting and having plenty to do. The State and national park system sounds like the ticket for just that – my parents will be proud because I stopped drive up camping in college. I have to get a coleman stove and lantern.
Going fishing is the fun….catching fish is a bonus – I like that. This is a great thread.
My girls love to go fishing with me. The main thing, like others have said is not to force anything on them. Right now the five year old loves using her Tweedy Bird pole, and the two year old is content with petting the fish when they are caught. I don’t care when they start fly fishing if ever, I just want them to enjoy their time outdoors and with Dad. We take lots of things for them to do, like buckets and shovels, or trucks to drive in the dirt with. It is mostly just about fun.
Lando is right is son knows more about fishing than any kid his age, and most likely a lot of people on this board. He has always been disappointed in my skills. I never could “get it close enought to the bank” for him. You can’t imagine his disappointment when I would miss a fish. Like Lando said though, he is flyfishing know, and it gives me a chance to rag on him a little.
Great thread guys
My boy has been coming with me since he was 2 and even though we have had some tough moments I would not swap any of it. YOU CAN NEVER TURN THE CLOCK BACK!heres some thoughts that might help sometime. 🙂
I have had my friends help me teach Max (Son) to cast. Its better on his nerves and mine.
Take them fishing, (Not take them… if you know what I mean)
Get smaller gear. I have a 6ft rod that I’ve cut down and its a lot easier to handle.
Flytying is a really fun way to get the interest into flytying. Give them their own flybox!
Get a butterfly net and magnifying glass…hours of streamside fun
teach your kid to swim!Lando is correct on the whenever they want if they want part. I have always had the let them do what they want and like sort of attitude myself. My parents were that way with me with everything except for art which they wanted to keep me away from as a career. Lot of good that did them. The introduction of the outdoors is what I look forward to the most. A child’s wonder is a wonderful thing. If she pics up the latin plant names like her mother, I’m in real trouble and I’m also scared when she gets old enough to get into my paints and art supplies.
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