Little guy fishing - tips?

[nancur373]

He uses a spinning set up with a bobber with braid directly to a 1/8 jig and a grub/maggot/minnow/worm etc. This is what all my kids use.

[The Urban Fisherman]

I started all my boys out on regular spinning reels. They each got their own rod/reel at 3 years old. I found with a full length rod they could just drop the float and hook in beside the dock without the need to cast. Eventually they figure out the casting. Bucket is a must and we always brought bug nets for minnows and frogs and such. They are now 4,5 and 7 and they do it all form baiting, casting, nice hooksets, retrieving, unhooking, and releasing. It's such a joy to watch. Also, if I were to get up at 5am to go fishing and not wake the 5 and 7 year old, I'd be disowned.

 

bahaha I hear you on the disowned deal... better to teach them as young as possible or you'll never get to fish yourself.

 

Everyone has given great advice here - Good luck and be sure to post some pics!

 

ps. In case it hasn't been mentioned... my kids started off with ice fishing rods.. spinning reels. When it was time to move up to a full sized rod they already knew how to handle a spinning reel and didn't have to make the transition from a push button reel.

 

pss. saw the pics... awesome work Uncle!

Edited August 6, 2014 by The Urban Fisherman

[Sinker]

I started my kids with the "kids" rods, and noticed the trouble they had with them right away. Just try using one yourself....its not easy to fish with shoddy equipment. I ended up getting them decent set ups at an early age, because it made it a lot easier for them. They're smart, they'll figure it out quick.

 

There arent many things more exciting to a child than catching a fish. Once the seed is planted, it grows like wildfire.

 

S.

[AKRISONER]

do you guys find that the little guys have a bit of a hard time operating the bail on a spinning set up? he definitely gets the idea of jigging, but his timing isnt the best yet...more practice will help. I still would like to teach him to actually operate the bail, let out line etc etc.

[Musky or Specks]

My son started with this

 

http://www.basspro.com/Daiwa-Underspin-XD-Trigger-Reels/product/96662/

 

You can see it in the first pic. Its a great training reel for a spinning reel.The next step was a Quantum Hypercast

 

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewquanthpx20.html

 

And after that he was able to use any spinning reel. The baitcaster was a bit harder to teach.

[AKRISONER]

well considering the fact that I cant even use a baitcaster, i wouldnt worry about it ahhaa.

 

ive used one of those trigger spinning reels just totally forgot they existed....that would be perfect!

 

thanks for the tips

[misfish]

 

 

ive used one of those trigger spinning reels just totally forgot they existed....that would be perfect!

 

 

I had one for my UL years back. Nice little reel. Made by Zebco.

[nancur373]

I started my kids with the "kids" rods, and noticed the trouble they had with them right away. Just try using one yourself....its not easy to fish with shoddy equipment. I ended up getting them decent set ups at an early age, because it made it a lot easier for them. They're smart, they'll figure it out quick.

 

There arent many things more exciting to a child than catching a fish. Once the seed is planted, it grows like wildfire.

 

S.

Amen