8 Tips to Get Your Kids Hooked on Fishing

Fishing is fun for the whole family if you actually catch fish! Failing that, it can be boring or downright frustrating. After many unsuccessful fishing trips, I started talking to people on the shore and in shops, watching Youtube videos, and reading about trout fishing. When I tried again, I caught a beautiful bull trout and went on to catch several rainbow trout. While we still have lots to learn, we’ve fixed some of our biggest mistakes, and keep getting better!

Here’s what you need to know to get your kids hooked on fishing.

• Check fishing regulations before you use bait. Bait includes any food item (corn, marshmallows, cheese) and is different from bait fish. If there is a bait ban, you may only use artificial, unscented lures.
• Ask the people around you what they are using. The fishing community is amazingly friendly. Most fishermen I’ve met are super keen to share information (except their favorite fishing holes).
• Try worms. I wasn’t keen on putting live worms on hooks, but the worm and bobber method (put the bobber about 1-1.5 feet above your hook, then put a worm on the hook) is extremely effective! After our camping neighbors told us they had caught 10 trout with worms, we gave it a try and caught 6 fish this way. If there’s no bait ban, dig up or purchase some worms. It’s more economical to dig your own worms as it was $5 for 10 worms at the campground fishing store.
• Check your hook size. Although I was using attractive lures and getting lots of bites, I couldn’t land fish because I was using hooks that were 10 sizes too big (I have a little ocean fishing experience and bought everything too big at first). In Alberta, stocked ponds are typically stocked with fish that are 16-20 cm long, so size 12 or 14 hooks would be preferable.

Worms – they work if you can make yourself put them on the hook.

• Kids’ Gear: When I went to look for fishing rods for my kids, the only short fishing rods I could find were basically toys. You know those Princess fishing rods? Don’t.even.bother. While you CAN catch fish on these (my youngest got her first trout on one), they don’t last. One reel was broken right out of the packaging (the tension dial didn’t work) and the other reel wouldn’t release line. I managed to fix one, only to have the rod break on our next outing. My mom’s solution was to buy an ice fishing rod! An ice fishing rod is extremely tough (you can bend it in half, but I don’t recommend doing that repeatedly) and is short enough that your kids can cast with it easier than with a full sized rod. Plus, you can use it year round if lakes freeze over where you live.
• Parents’ Gear: If you want to keep things simple, get a spin casting (push button) combo; if you’d like to learn something new, try a spinning reel combo. There are lots of videos online that can teach you how to use either. (Don’t start on a baitcasting reel as they are the trickiest to learn). Whatever you choose, research before you buy to ensure you get something that works and don’t buy the cheapest set out there or you’ll regret it. You can catch fish on cheap rod/reel combos, but the cheapo stuff tends not to last.
• Fishing line: Get the store to spool your reel to ensure it is done correctly.  It isn’t too difficult to do yourself, but if you do it incorrectly, you’ll be untangling snarls all day instead of catching fish! They will also ensure you get the right type of fishing line for your reel.
• Snap swivels, snaps, leaders, what? Get high quality components, but only what you need. Read the instructions on your lure to see what the recommended set up is. I like to keep a snap swivel on my line so I can change lures easily. The snap is easy to open and close, and the swivel allows the line to not get twisted up when my lure is spinning. If you are not using lures with a spinning action, you may not need a snap swivel, but could still benefit from using a snap (again for easy lure changes). Leaders are good to use when you are going after large, aggressive fish that can bite through the line. Some hooks and bobbers are good to always have on hand too (for trout, I used balsa floats and size 12 hooks).
• Accessories: While you’re at the store, buy a case for your fishing rod and a tackle box to keep lures in order. It’s easy to break the tips off of light rods.

Toy rod/reel combo vs. Ice fishing rod/reel combo You can catch fish with both, but the ice fishing set up is far more robust!

6. Watch your retrieve speed

• I used to cast, then reel the line in (retrieve) as fast as possible. Someone watching us said, “The fish aren’t gonna be able to catch that!” and then I paid more attention. Looking into the lake, the fish were able to keep up, but by the time they got almost close enough to bite, I was lifting the hook out of the water. You need to go quick enough that your lure’s action is attractive to the fish, but slow enough that they have time to investigate, then strike. The only way you’ll know is by trial and error. If you’re in a fish-rich location, you will see fish following your lure in. Observe what happens when you change your speed. By slowing down my retrieve, I finally landed a fish.

One of the rainbow trout we caught with a worm and bobber.

7. Don’t Overdo It