Teach Your Kids To Fish With These Easy Tips
Do you love fishing and would love to get the family involved? It’s never too early to teach the kids how to fish! In fact, it’s a great skill for them to develop early as it not only teaches them patience and perseverance but also the importance of water safety.
1) Find the perfect EASY location
Kids can get bored very easily but nothing will get them hooked on fishing like catching their first fish. It’s important to pick a location with lots of fish- it doesn’t matter the size or breed, because a brim will feel like a 90 pound tuna to a first time fisher! Make things fun and pick somewhere that has other activities to entertain them so they aren’t non-stop fishing all weekend.
2) Bring snacks, hungry kids don’t make patient anglers
As many pro-anglers would say- it’s all about patience and perseverance. A quick way for your kids to lose interest is through hunger. Bring snacks and drinks that can sit in an esky with you by the water or out at sea! Extra points if it’s a healthy snack like fruit!
3) Safety first
It is important that all passengers, including the little ones wear a life jacket when on the water. It’s very easy for adults to get distracted and that’s when accidents happen. It is also important to make sure that you all wear sunscreen. Even if it doesn’t look sunny outside, it is still possible to get sunburnt! Finally an optional safety measure is to remove the barbs from their hooks so they can put their own bait on safely.
4) How to grip
The best position to show the kids is keeping the rod in front of them in a 9 to 11 o’clock position
5) Make a game of practising
It’s important not to throw the kids into the deep end too fast or they may be discouraged. Start by placing a hoola hoop on the ground about 12 feet away and give your kids a rod with no hook on the end- just a bobber. Let them practise casting and landing in the hula hoops, moving the hoops further away each time they succeed. This can be made into a fun, competitive game with siblings and is a great way to ease into first time fishing.
6) Cast their first line!
A sidearm cast, not an overhead, is better and safer for kids. Teach them C-A-S-T. Check no one is harm’s way, Above the waist is where the rod should be when they bring it back, Swing the rod forward and flick your wrist while releasing the line, Target, make sure the rod ends pointing at it
7) Get that Rex Hunt shot!
Once they reel in their first fish make sure you take lots of pictures, including the famous Rex Hunt fish kiss!
Many of our hire locations are perfect sites for first-time fishers! We also offer fishing gear and children’s life jackets when hiring our boats. Click here to find your closest franchise today and get in touch!
