Starting Young Anglers the Right Way

If you’re reading this, you probably remember your first fish and its impact on your life. Most anglers get their start early on in their lives and the reason is because somebody decided to take them fishing. It’s always fun to introduce someone to fishing and the “take a kid fishing” mantra has been stated for years, but the important part is to make the experience enjoyable and catch fish.

Two guides, who live far apart and fish for different species, Wisconsin’s Rob Friedley and Louisiana’s Captain Joe Ezell, share some tips they’ve learned to keep kids catching and engaged on the water.

All about the action

The attention span of young ones is short and getting shorter in today’s world of electronics and video games, making it even more important to keep them engaged while fishing.

Ezell operates Whiskey Bayou Charters, primarily targeting redfish, and takes plenty of families with young kids on the water each year. “Kids are your toughest critics, and you have to be catching fish, or they’ll let you know about it,” he said. “That’s why you have to make it fun for them because they are the future of our sport. You have to keep them engaged.”

Friedley operates a multi-species guide service in Wisconsin’s Manitowish Waters while holding down a full-time job as a special education teacher. His background and years of experience fishing these waters make him an excellent choice for a guided trip for kids and their families.

“The biggest thing is to temper the expectations before a trip because, as we know, catching fish is not always immediate,” he said. “Kids now are used to video games and that instant gratification. A lot of times, fishing is not like that.”

No matter the size of the fish, the kids enjoy catching them, which is something both guides keep in mind at all times.

“If I look back at pictures of me with fish as a kid, I don’t remember the dimensions of the fish,” said Friedley. “I remember the experience of catching that fish and how it made me feel.”

It’s the same for Capt. Ezell in saltwater, and he’ll keep on active fish, no matter the size or species. “There are times when we are on a point with a bunch of small redfish and we’ll stay on them as long as they keep biting,” he said. “In trips with adults, we would have moved on long ago to search for bigger fish.”

It is not just about the fishing

Going on a guided fishing trip is primarily for fishing, yet both Ezell and Friedley understand that it’s important to include time for sightseeing and other fun activities.

“I let them play with the steering wheel or dig around in the bait bucket,” said Ezell. “We’ll also take boat rides to look at the alligators, birds, and nutria. You always have to find a way to maintain the action if the fish aren’t biting and I gauge the success of a trip with kids based on how long I can keep them out there on the water.”

Another tactic that Ezell stresses is having plenty of snacks on the boat; the more, the better. “I’ve found that a variety of things is the way to keep them entertained,” he said. “Juice boxes, gummy bears, and apple slices are all good. It helps to burn some time until the fish start biting again.”

Friedley uses a similar approach and seeks out undeveloped sections of lakes for the wildlife. “We can see eagles on many trips, and the river sturgeon are spawning in late June and early July. You can sometimes watch them breaching water,” he said. “Seeing a 6-foot long fish coming out of the water is like ‘Shark Week’ for them and very exciting. It’s important to create enthusiasm about being on the water outside of just catching fish.”

Tailoring gear for young anglers

When targeting redfish, Capt. Ezell says that a popping cork with live or dead bait is one of the most user-friendly ways for young people to catch fish. He uses the same basic setup as he does with adults, with a few minor adjustments, including using a jighead with a circle hook to prevent gut hooking so the fish will hook themselves.

“Since they are simply smaller, I’ll also use shorter rods, smaller reels, and shorter fluorocarbon leaders,” he said. “I’ll also loosen up the drags so they don’t panic and let go of the reel if they hook a big one. I’ve learned that from experience. The other adjustment is I’ll always go up a size in line to a 20-pound Seaguar TactX braid with a leader of 30 or 40-pound Seaguar Inshore since kids are generally rougher on gear and land fish with line rubbing the gunnels of the boat. The heavier line stands up to that abuse.”

During many trips, Friedley will work with clients young and old on the intricacies of jigging weed beds for walleye and smallmouth. Still, he always has a backup plan: live bait on a slip bobber for anglers of all ages, especially kids who love to watch a bobber disappear.

“I always have a slip bobber out for the chance of a big walleye, pike, or muskie,” he said. “We fish them on 7-foot medium light St. Croix spinning rods with 20- to 30-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid and 15-pound Seaguar Gold Label leader. That’s a heavier leader than usual and gives you some wiggle room if you catch something with teeth, but it also helps to compensate for young anglers who tend to horse the fish in. The line holds up very well and you still have a chance to land that huge muskie if you get one to bite.”

We should all take kids fishing, but it’s an entirely different experience than an outing with adults. We can share our love of fishing with the next generation by keeping things fun, no matter how well the fish are biting.

Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader is available in twenty-five and fifty-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 lb tests for freshwater use, complementing the 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leaders available for saltwater.

Seaguar Smackdown Braid is available in high visibility Flash Green and low visibility Stealth Gray. It is available in 150- and 300-yard spools ranging from 10 to 65 lb test sizes.

Seaguar Inshore Fluorocarbon leader is available on 100-yard spools from 12 to 80 lb test.

Seaguar TactX is a camo-colored braid available from 10 to 80 lb. test in 150- and 300-yard spools.

Why Take Your Kids Fishing
By Greg Wagner, Nebraska Game and Parks
from The Fishing Wire

It’s a sport. It’s a hobby. It’s a profession. It’s a pastime. It’s a lifestyle.

Fishing.

As a parent, I can tell you firsthand that spending time fishing with your son or daughter can be a key cog in their emotional development and mental well-being, as well as a contributing factor to what is referred to as a filial bond. And, it continues through the years and never really stops. In fact, it rolls on further with grandchildren.

My young son, Noah Wagner, and dad, your blogger. Photo by Polly Wagner of Omaha, NE.

There are reasons why you should take your son or daughter fishing repetitively from the formative years through adulthood. As a parent, you should understand when you introduce your child to fishing, you are introducing them to far more things than than just “fishing.”

Abundant Woodhouse’s toads offer plenty of amusement for kids while fishing. Photo by Greg Wagner/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Consider these 10 very important reasons.

Offers Quality Time

In the fast-paced world of everyday life, it’s not easy to set aside a a bunch of time to spend one-on-one with your son or daughter, especially as they age. Taking a fishing trip, whether it’s an extensive one that will require multiple days or just a morning or evening affair, allows you to focus all of your energy and attention on your child, no matter what age. In order to have a strong parent-child relationship, you have to forge a strong emotional bond with your son or daughter while they’re still young. Fishing together allows the two of you to get to really know one another as individuals, to chat openly and enjoy each other’s company.
Fosters Conversations. The quiet stillness of a lake shoreline or river bank, and the relaxing nature of waiting for fish to bite fosters plenty of conversation, some of which may be awkward to broach elsewhere or with other family members over the dinner table. The natural evolution of your discussions can and do lead to more than one topic you most likely wouldn’t discuss under different circumstances.

Develops a Unique Skill Set

In a society where young folks show their parents the know-how and intricacies of new technology, it can feel like there isn’t much left in terms of skills that adults pass on to their children anymore. Fishing teaches kids the virtue of patience and diligence in an environment where entitlement has become an unrealistic expectation. But, the age-old art of hands-on fishing — tying on an artificial lure, baiting a hook, casting a line and working that lure or bait to try to catch fish is comprised of real skill. Fishing truly is a lifestyle, and it’s one that is difficult to learn from a YouTube video.

Builds Confidence

As your youngster builds their skills and become more successful, they build their self-confidence. This also leads to a stronger self-concept and greater independence. As children see they can be successful in fishing, they carry that confidence over to other parts of their lives through the years like school, sports, work, the military and even developing friendships and other interpersonal relationships.

Makes Memories

As your son or daughter gets older and has less time to spend with you, windows of short periods of time may pop up for fishing, be ready and take advantage of those with them! The memories of your shared fishing trips, whatever duration, are engrained forever. And, when your young folks become adults, those cherished memories come in the form of stories. They will become fodder for pleasant reminiscences, however humorous, serious or embellished.

Creates a Passion for and Appreciation of Nature

For us outdoorsy parents, the opportunity to share a passion for and appreciation of nature with a child is an invaluable one. Instilling a love of the outdoors and a sincere respect for wildlife, fresh air, sunshine and screen-free entertainment is a terrific way to combat the effects of technologically-advanced, indoor-based living where video games rule the day. With fishing, you’re perfectly positioned to pass along the basic tenets of environmental stewardship without seeming like you’re lecturing or preaching. You can guide your son or daughter in the right direction by demonstrating or modeling earth-friendly habits such as picking up litter, gathering discarded fishing line for recycling and properly releasing a fish.
Allows for a Lower-Tech Experience. Even though a Smartphone or iPhone may be carried on your fishing trip to capture or share moments, there are no larger digital screens available in the outdoors. This translates to no video games, big-screen TVs, tablets or computers on the water, which means that for at least for a few hours, a lower-tech good time can be had while still documenting the fishing experience with mobile devices. What better way to limit screen time than to by taking youth where those major screens aren’t available, but still have some modern technology available and good old-fashioned fun on the menu?
Establishes a Shared Hobby. A shared hobby allows you and your offspring a bit of common ground, something that will become even more important as they get older and look for ways to assert their independence. The enjoyment of fishing the two of you share may be one of the few ways you’re able to effectively communicate during the turbulent times of adolescence and young adulthood.

Promotes a Sense of Community

. Many see fishing as an individual activity but what most people don’t comprehend is that beyond the family, there are communities and groups centered around fishing. From the Small Boat Bass Club to the Nebraska Walleye Association to Trout Unlimited, there are a plethora of organizations in Nebraska for young folks and others to join to make new friends, enjoy camraderie and learn more about the specific facets if fishing for various species. There are also a number of fishing tournaments to enter that bring young people and anglers of varying ages together for fun and friendly competition. Just recently, Game and Parks and the B.A.S.S. Federation just hosted the State High School Bass Fishing Tournament held at Lewis and Clark Lake in northeast Nebraska where 18 teams participated.

Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle

Recreational fishing has been shown to be a wonderful stress reliver as well as an ideal way for anyone to relax, especially young people. It can also be seen as an excellent form of exercise, calorie burning and Vitamin D intake. Fishing strengthens the mind of young individuals by requiring the use of visual-spatial and problem solving abilities. It enhances hand-eye coordination and balance. In addition, research indicates that by preparing the catch of the day for supper (legal selective harvest), it typically leads to healthier eating habits. By combining these things together, fishing can contribute to healthier lifestyles, particularly with youth.
My 20-year old son, Noah, realizes that fishing is about catching fish, but much more. Actually, he called me the other day to go fishing with him, so we went. While we were rigging worms on our hooks for channel catfish, I asked him: Is fishing just about catching fish? His response: “Of course it is, dad. I like to catch fish, and big fish, but I’ve also waded into lakes and rivers just to let the water wash around me — casting my line, standing and watching, as frogs plop into the water and dragonflies land on the tip of my rod, while you and I talk, dad.” ” Yeah,” Noah adds, “I’d say fishing is more than just the fish.”

About greg wagner

A native of Gretna, NE, a graduate of Gretna High School and Bellevue University, Greg Wagner currently serves as the Public Information Officer and Manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Service Center in Omaha. On a weekly basis, Wagner can be heard on a number of radio stations, seen on local television in Omaha, and on social media channels, creatively conveying natural resource conservation messages as well as promoting outdoor activities and destinations in Nebraska. Wagner, whose career at Game and Parks began in 1979, walks, talks, lives, breathes and blogs about Nebraska’s outdoors. He grew up in rural Gretna, building forts in the woods, hunting, fishing, collecting leaves, and generally thriving on constant outdoor activity. One of the primary goals of his blog is to get people, especially young ones, to have fun and spend time outside!