How to "Take a Kid Fishing" ~ The Iowa Sportsman Magazine

The lastest Iowa Sportsman Magazine is out, and the highlighted article this month is "How to take a kid fishing".  Here's my article, also a direct link to check out the entire May 2024 issue.

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Fishing has been a huge part of my life from a very early age.  I can remember begging my dad to take me fishing on the weekends.  He worked six days a week, church on Sunday mornings, but I just knew a father of seven kids wanted to take us fishing every chance “I wanted to go”.  Looking back now, I can’t believe we went fishing at all.  However, those times out on the river, ponds and streams always seemed like fun.  As for my dad, I don’t remember him fishing much, but he didn’t seem to mind.  Those early days out enjoying nature and catching fish sparked something in me that has lasted a lifetime thus far.  I have taken this passion of fishing and passed it on to my kids, their friends, extended family members and the community.  It hasn’t always been perfect over the years with young kids trying to fish, but I have found a few things that are a must when taking kids fishing.  I hope my trials will help you have some enjoyable times with kids this year.

Location isn’t just important in real estate, it is vital when taking kids fishing.  First, you must think about an area that has plenty of catchable fish.  Most kids don’t really care about the size of the fish, it is all about seeing that bobber going under the water, or feeling that thump on the end of the line.  Take your time, do some research and pick an area where fish will be caught.  If you don’t have action every ten minutes or so, kids will get bored and lose focus, this is when the mood will turn negative and take away from the outdoor experience.  A private pond or county park lakes are a wise choice when it comes to a nice place to take kids.  Many of the county parks that dot Iowa are small, have great access from shore and typically have a lot of bluegills that are willing to bite.  Private, stocked ponds are obviously a great choice if you have permission to fish some.  Spring is typically best with small ponds, as the warm weather increases many small ponds can become full of weeds making shorelines difficult to fish from.  You will want to do your homework and check areas before loading the kids up for a fishing trip. 

When taking kids fishing it is important to KISS. (Keep It Simple Stupid)  Equipment should be the basics only, spincast, push-button reels are best for young kids, and as they get a little older spinning reels will work well too.  Live bait is great to use, most kids love to play with worms and minnows.  When getting bait, try to get small red worms, not the big nightcrawlers.  Smaller worms work so much better than nightcrawlers when fishing for bluegills.  Live bait rigs with slip bobbers are my go-to when fishing with kids.  They are simple to set up, easy to re-bait and the kids love to watch that bobber.  It is nice to have a few basic lures for the kids who want to mix it up a bit.  Small jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits all are simple to use and will give some extra joy to the kids as they cast them out and reel them in.  

Food and drink are a very important thing to consider when taking kids out.  Plenty of water, fruit, juice boxes, fruit snacks, crackers and other treats are necessary for a successful day.  Trust me, you can never have too many snacks when it comes to taking kids fishing.  First, it gives them energy and keeps their bodies going, secondly, it gives them something to do when the fish are not biting.  Bring plenty of them and a good variety, the kids will love them and hopefully give them a boost in the trip when the fish are not cooperating.

We all know that fish have their own mind and sometimes bite well and other times not so well, no matter what we do it may just be a bad day of fishing.  If this is happening, turn the day into a day of learning.  Talk and teach the kids about the different species of fish that live in the lake or pond.  Another neat topic to discuss is the ecosystem of the body of water you are fishing.  Discuss the small creatures that are food for the fish, perhaps try to catch some of those.  Crawfish, bugs, minnows and worms can take attention off of the negative fish and get their attention on other cool nature items.  Most kids will soak up any knowledge of creatures that may be close to your fishing area.  

The last thing to consider when taking kids fishing is the time factor.  Depending how things are going with your fishing activities, keep a good eye on the time.  You do not want the kids to want to go home, ideally you want them asking to stay longer.  This will set up your next trip nicely and allow you to have a positive conversation on the way home about the next adventure.  

Taking kids fishing can be very rewarding.  When the fish are active and biting things are pretty easy, however I hope you remember a few of the tricks I have discovered over the years to keep kids busy and learning about nature when the fish are not so interested.  I hope you all have the opportunity to take some youngsters out this year, remember, it is all about them and the outdoor experience.  Keep those things in mind and you and the kids will have a great day.