" Make a Child’s First Fishing Trip Memorable "
by Ken Bailey

Let’s face it: kids don’t care what kind of fish they catch, as long as they get something tugging at the end of their line.

The most important thing you can do to make a day’s fishing enjoyable for a child is to get the right size and type of equipment, go to a body of water that has large numbers of panfish, and try to make sure the beginner catches at least one fish the first time out.

A small, light rod and spincasting reel is a good way to start, because they are easy to handle and much easier for children to learn to cast with. Try to get the best outfit you can afford, because you usually get what you pay for, and a cheap flimsy outfit is not fun or easy to fish with.

Sunfish, yellow perch, white perch and pickerel are among the easiest fish to catch, so your early outings should be aimed at these or similar species.

The rig is simple-just use a small hook, a light split-shot weight about a foot up the line and a bobber above that. Use light line (8-10 lb test) and be prepared to spend most of the day helping the budding angler.

Sunfish like to hang around and under docks and in rocks and brush along the shoreline, so you won’t even need a boat. Yellow perch and pickerel are normally in shallow water, tucked close to any weeds that may be growing. Try to keep the bait as close to the weedy cover as you can, and encourage the youngster to let the bait sit still for a while. They always seem to want to move it and cast again.

A small plastic grub or small spinnerbait will work some of the time, but live bait is best if you want to make sure your youngster gets a fish. A piece of night crawler or a small minnow are irresistible to panfish.

Although difficult, resist the temptation to do all the work. When that bobber goes down, let the child reel the fish in. If it comes off, explain the right way to do it, but let the child get the experience. Chances are that another one will be biting before long, and once a child catches that first fish, it’s a safe bet he or she will be hooked for life.

The first trip, especially for young children, should probably be a short one. Kids don't have long attention spans, so make sure you end the trip long before the child is tired of it. Leave them wanting to go again and again.

"Take something comfortable to sit on, and make sure you have plenty to eat and drink while you and your youngster fish. A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are important, not only for the children but for the adults as well. Keep in mind that children's skin burns much more easily
than an adult's.

Whatever you do, don't forget the camera.  The first catch of a lifetime should be recorded. Pictures are also a great way to instill the catch-and-release ethic in a new fisherman. Pictures last forever."

Days spent fishing together will make you closer to your child or grandchild, and will introduce them to an outdoor activity that can become a lifelong love. It takes patience to teach a child to fish, but the rewards are well worth it.

*  Ken Bailey is a Registered Maine Guide who lives in Camden, Maine.
FMI: Wilderness Ways Guide Service:  (207) 236-4243; e-mail wways@mint.net