How to Get your Kids into Fishing (And Keep Them Into Fishing)!
How to Get your Kids into Fishing, with spring coming on and Summer just around the corner, many concerned parents are looking for a family activity that is outdoors and child friendly, especially in this day of quarantines and isolation. Fishing is a great way to spend a family day, picnic, yet still social distance and enjoy the outdoors, fresh air, and sunshine (Vitamin D) and not break the bank!From the freshwater river bank drowning worms to fishing in the family boat offshore, no matter the size of the fish, it is a fun experience a child will carry with them all their lives….
Countless times I’ve had fathers and mothers call for a charter and want to introduce their kids to fishing, and a charter can be a great way to accomplish this, especially if you get the right Captain. Kids are special animals, and I bet right about now in this Quarantine situation, a lot of parents are learning a great deal about their school-aged progeny and their attention spans! And that relates to fishing also. Often I ask the parent if this is “the parents trip” or the “kids trip”……sort of a loaded but necessary question. Some have replied they wanted the kids to catch a lot of fish while the dads and moms catch tons of Flounder, Drum and Trout! I usually bite my tongue and tell the parents “It’s hard enough to do one thing right, but to do two different things right is dang near impossible!” So, let’s make It a kid’s trip and if we get lucky and catch a lot of fish, that’s OK too…. but realize the difference…..Don’t look for the moon if it’s daytime!
Now don’t get me wrong….Many captains have fished with a lot of youngsters who know how to fish and we’ve scored many successful days, but for the beginner most captains concentrate on teaching how to cast, properly retrieve the lure, and just enjoy the act of fishing. Taking “coal and making a diamond” takes some time, effort, and patience…..which a good captain will display with your children! Joking, many repeats of instruction, making them excited about the action and enjoying the water world… all this plays into your child’s level of enjoyment!
Having had some preschool children fish with me, meaning three and four year old kids, they can tax and try a parent’s or captain’s patience, but it can be most rewarding also. With new comers, try and get some quick action going….don’t worry about species or size, just generate some excitement and if it’s a big fish even better, but get the excitement level going. With some youngsters a two to three hour trip is all they can tolerate…some can go all day! But plan on a short day, carry extra water and bait, and see how your day goes according to the child’s tolerance level. For a three of four year old novice a croaker, bluegill, or pinfish can be comparable to landing a Blue Marlin! It all depends on how much excitement you can generate as the coach! A little science class thrown in doesn’t hurt either. Compare fish scales to the child’s skin, he’s got two eyes also, the fish poops too, and all the other great questions! Pulling up a Big Blue Crab can be an experience. Even had a child ask if we “celebrated Christmas at Carolina Beach” once…. now that was a good one! Just go with the flow!
Annnnddddd, just in case you have one of those rare days where you can’t even catch a cold, carry an “Emergency Bag!” That’s a small sand shovel, bucket, Frisbee, and throw net (3-4 footer) so if the fish just don’t bite at all, beach your boat, play games, throw the net and play with the minnows, dig….anything! Entertain! Go to an island and go exploring! Just as long as the child is having fun,exercising, showing interest, you are making an indelible impression on that youngster. They WILL want to go again! It WILL become a family activity! They WILL learn there is more to fishing than fish, but they will want to go again. Your success in how you introduce them to the sport of fishing is paramount! And it starts on Day One.
Once your kids have that great first experience, they too, just like the fish, will be hooked! I see many families today near a pond or river, on a pier, on the beach, in a boat… and there’s a grandpa and grandma sitting there watching their sons or daughters with their children having fun, catching some fish, playing in the sand, enjoying the water and nature about them. Just realize it is a family outing and adventure! But it all revolves about the sport of fishing! The children are involved listening to the tales of the elders and their family history …it’s the circle of mankind that won’t be broken! Humans still have that primitive gene that loves to sit and enjoy the campfire…….
Start a fishing tradition with your family, practice patience, lots of smiling and laughs…..and enjoy…. one day your grandchild may take you fishing!
Tight lines and Strong knots,…..enjoy yourself!
About the Author: Captain Charlie Schoonmaker grew up on the waters of North Carolina which has given him experience in all water sports from freshwater canoeing to deep sea “bluewater” fishing. Having seen all aspects of the ocean world Capt. Charlie can appreciate all the fishing and water communities. Capt. Charlie has over 50 years of local knowledge and experience fishing the Beautiful Southeastern Coast of North Carolina (SENCland). He continues operating his charter fishing business “Back Bay Fishing Charters” and his new family oriented excursions “Capt. Charlie’s Adventures” in Carolina Beach, N C. Ready to fish, Call: 910-262-3474
About the Author: Captain Charlie Schoonmaker grew up on the waters of North Carolina which has given him experience in all water sports from freshwater canoeing to deep sea “bluewater” fishing. Having seen all aspects of the ocean world Capt. Charlie can appreciate all the fishing and water communities. Capt. Charlie has over 50 years of local knowledge and experience fishing the Beautiful Southeastern Coast of North Carolina (SENCland). He continues operating his charter fishing business “