Fishing with Kids

Fishing with your children is both rewarding and challenging.  As an adult, you can cast into the depths and enjoy the scenery while you wait on a big fish.

Most kids are not big on waiting.  They tend to reel in a couple of seconds after they cast out.  This can be frustrating, and you may find yourself asking them to count to 30 before they reel in.

Believe it or not, there are smaller fish that can provide you with a solution.  They go by many names, but they're all close cousins.  Two of the more common are perch and orange-spotted sunfish.

               orange-spotted sunfish

                             perch

In large lakes, these fish can grow big enough to keep.  In most cases, they are only inches long.  Check your state's regulations for legal sizes to keep.  The fish pictured above were promptly returned to the lake.

These fish travel in schools.  They hit bait often and aggressively.  Your kids will literally pull one out after the other.

So how's it done?  First, you need the right hook size.  Generally speaking, that's a size four or smaller.  These fish have tiny mouths.

Next, you need the right bait.  In this case, you want worms.  I'm not talking about a whole worm or even half.  You'll want to use a third of a worm.

Third, you have to know where to put that worm.  Sunfish and perch hang out right beside the bank.  They're in a depth of inches, not feet.

Last but not least is technique.  Tell your kiddoes to take all of the slack out of the line.  Lower it into the water but don't let it touch the bottom.  The second the line tugs hard, your child should give it a jerk.  Nine out of ten times, they'll jerk the fish right out of the water!

There you have it.  Your kids are now happy and occupied while you catch the grown up fish!!