smally21 Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 my latest fishing partner is kinda frustrating. just sits in the truck while i launch the boat. wobbly as all hell on the dock. needs all kinds of snacks and drinks. hard to find a lifejacket that fits. terrible rod handling. no good with hooks. sunburns in minutes. no patience, no outdoors card. always brings his mom. always wants to go faster, or drive. leaves toys in the boat..... did i mention he is 2 years old? ive been bringing him along every other trip, he loves his little ice fishing rod, hasn't figured out that the 'fishy' on the end is a rapala with no hooks. digs the boat, does a lot of driveway fishin. he has also figured out that dad does not catch alot of fish. "we need to catch a fish" he keeps telling me. ive got him started on the little rod and try to go perch or crappy fishing close to home so we are busy and not too long of a drive if all hell breaks loose. no hooks or bait, just up and down on the spinner. how old were your giblets when they caught their first fish?
grinandbearit30 Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) No kids of my own but have had my cousins young fella with me the past couple of trips....Hes old enough to bait his own hook but refuses to do so..is scared of the fish..line tangles every cast..so on and so on..but he loves to fish...I feel selfish but I hardly have time to throw out my own line when hes around. Edited July 28, 2009 by grinandbearit30
bigfish1965 Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 I was first fishing at 1 yr. Caught my first fish on my first try...haven't caught much since....peaked a little too early. The younger you get them started the better chance you have of preventing the plague of instant gratification our society now suffers from. Fishing teaches them that good things take time. It is really awesome you are getting the young one out ! Is the 'no hooks' Rapala a safety concern or do you just not want to risk being outfished by a 2 yr old
mbosh1980 Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) trying to get my nephew (3yrs old) into it. Always wants to change lure because "this one doesn't know how to fish!". Sadly I've probably said the same thing a dozen times this year. Last year a bass smoked my topwater and made a big splash while he was beside me. Fish broke me off, I turn around and he was sprinting halfway up the hill ( and screaming) to the cottage, rod still in hand dragging his lure 10 feet behind. Makes me laugh every time i think of it. Edited July 28, 2009 by mbosh1980
Handlebarz Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 My daughter was 3 months when she first went into the boat and my son was 6 months they both love getting out fishing and spending time on the water or camping I would say that they were both two when they got there true first fish that they reeled in on there own. I know it means alot to them when we get out fishing and I try to get them out as much as possible my daughter is now 9 and spends alot of time on the water with me even in the fall when its cold she bucks up and heads out with the old man.
ctdd2006 Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Awesome stuff and made me laugh! My little guy is now three and a half and he too has a hookless rapala and does a mean driveway casting show! He caught his first when he was two. I also try to stay close to home for obvious reasons. Oddly enough, I had more fun ice fishing with him this past march! I found it far easier to keep him entertained on the ice on those nice warm March and April ice fishing adventures. My advice is not to push it.....if he's done after an hour then pack up. Don't want to turn him off! Good Luck.
Musky or Specks Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Never underestimate kids and their fishing abilities. My son caught his first fish all by himself flyfishing at age 2. Here he is with a couple of really good smallies that he caught all by himself when he was 5 and 6 respectively Here he is wet wading for smallies by himself at age 5 Notice that he doesnt wear a lifejacket. Thats because he started swimming lessons at 3 months of age and by the time of this photo could swim better than most adults. Prob;em is he got so good at fishing that it was to boring for him for his early teen years but hes back to loving it again and cant wait to get time off from baseball so he can head out with me some more. We're going camping and fishing for the long weekend and I cant wait probably the last summer we get to do it together for a few years as hes headed off to school in the US in fall of 2010 Im one of those who beleive we place the boundaries on what kids can accomplish. Dont impose bounderies of what they can accomplish and they will shock you with what they can achieve
muddler Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Both my son and my daughter started fishing when they were 4 years old. I custom built the rods for them(used a fly rod reel seat for thier small hands) and got some Zebco ultra light under spins for reels. A small slip bobber and a crappie jig (debarbed always) with a 3 inch berkley pink worm was/is our most common bait. We caught a ton of fish on that gear. My daughter caught and landed (with just a little help) a 12 lb rainbow out of the Rouge on that outfif at the age of 4. My son (now 10) caught a 6 lb+ smallmouth on that rig too. He has graduated to his own spinning rod now but my daughter (8 years old now) still likes to user her under spin. We keep the outing short (less than 2 hours on the water), ring snacks and drinks and a camera. I don't get much fishing done when they're out but I'm always busy anyway. We search for crayfish and frogs. Watch beavers, deer and porkupines and we always try to have an outdoor lunch. This has been the greatest way to teach them a pile of skills, including, patience, teamwork, a sense of humour, appreciation of the natural beauty of the outdoors, and a ton of outdoor skills that they will use for a life time. We ALWAYS try to clean up any garbage we find and leave the outdoors a liitle better (hopefully) than we found it. These are by far the fondest memories that I have of my kids and they mentionit to all their city friends. I always reminind them that we are going "FISHIN" not "CATCHIN". These are always my best fishing trips. Muddler
kickingfrog Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 4 months. Needs to work on his casting and lure selection however.
bigugli Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 I started when I was 2. My kids started when they were 2. So did one of my nephews. My fave gag gift, for nephews and neices, at their weddings is a kiddie rod combo for future grand fisherkids in the making. Uncle loves taking kids fishing. Who cares if I don't wet a line. The expressions of glee, excitement and pride are a better reward than any trophy fish.
Rizzo Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 My 2 year old absolutely loves casting the scooby doo rod...doesn't even want anything with hooks, just loves chucking the casting plug. Amazing how far a 2 year old can cast and he'll do it all day long. My 5 year old has zero patience, always wants to just drive the boat...he gets bored bringing in a 5 pound smallie and hands the rod off part way through!
smally21 Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Posted July 28, 2009 great stuff so far gents and as a matter of fact o'banion on an small conservation area near me the other morning i was wailing away in the front casting with just about everything i had in the box, he was at the back giggling as crappies repeatedly and visciously ravaged his hookless rapala as it dragged along in the water, just under the surface.
TC1OZ Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 lol I haven't let the little guy cast one out yet... Hes just now 7 months, but I'm so excited to have a fishing partner....
Sinker Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 My kids are getting to the point now where they outfish me when we go. They both started out in the smallest life jackets you can buy, as soon as they were big enough to wear them. S.
splashhopper Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) took my daughter fishing for the first time last year.. she was 10... I had just got back into the sport the previous fall.. it's our favorite thing to do together now. I take lots of pictures of her in action ... working it learning where to search for pike catching a pre-season smallie( one week too early... bummer) and now she has introduced HER two friends to fishing too>> and her Taekwondo friend We are having a blast.. even when: " you are taking too many pictures daddy" and last but not least... her first fish ever >> She doesn't care about the size of the fish,.... it's all about numbers for her..." I beat daddy again, mommy"..LOL Splashhopper I love it Edited July 28, 2009 by splashhopper
bigugli Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 took my daughter fishing for the first time last year.. she was 10... I had just got back into the sport the previous fall.. it's our favorite thing to do together now. check out her smile on this "pre-season" smallie.... one week too early Love the look on her face
splashhopper Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 4 months. Needs to work on his casting and lure selection however. GREAT pic
jasonl Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 I've been taking my 3 since they were about 3 yrs old, my daughter now 11 doesn't come too often but luvs our "dad and her" time early saturday mornings usually 5-8 ish. My middle son is 8 and is very serious with what he does, we can paddle for hours without a sound and we enjoy every minute of it, he seems to get more out of viewing the scenery and wildlife taking pictures of oddities and such, my youngest at 3 is in it just for the treats but he sits in the canoe and gets as excited as the other 2. I've always stressed the tranquility of going fishing, silently observing the animals and pointing out different flowers and things, I try to answer their questions as best I can and admit if I'm not sure. My middle boy has been on an April back country trip with me, portaging 9 mile in total over 2 days without a wimper and nevergot to cast one line but we loved it. Catching fish is just a bonus the best part is quality time where any topic of conversation is allowed and watching my little grow
mepps Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 I've been taking my boy out since he was 6 months old. HE can handle a reel very well, but got a little scared when he hooked his first fish last month! He decided the best course of action was simply to put the rod down on the ground and walk away.... He is gonna be 2 in less then a month!
crappieperchhunter Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 He decided the best course of action was simply to put the rod down on the ground and walk away.... A lot of great responses here...but I laughed out load at your sons "course of action"....and what a great photo as well. Thx for sharin.
Rich Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Start 'em early! I caught my first fish (6lb redhorse sucker) on my 2nd birthday. Dad says he had to grab the back of my diaper to keep me from being dragged in.
splashhopper Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 I've been taking my boy out since he was 6 months old. HE can handle a reel very well, but got a little scared when he hooked his first fish last month!He decided the best course of action was simply to put the rod down on the ground and walk away.... He is gonna be 2 in less then a month! Love it... especially his "course of action"
Radnine Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Will was six when we got the boat and probably five when he caught his first fish in his Uncle Fred's boat (on the life changing trip that got us both into fishing), he is seven now. I think I have posted all of the pictures before, but he is into it in a big way now and I couldn't be happier about it. I think it is important to keep in mind that when he says he's had enough, it is time to go in. Jim
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