What Type of Fishing Is Best for Kids To Start?

Is your child showing an interest in fishing? Who better to show him the ropes than you, angler extraordinaire? And even if you weren’t — even if you were still a beginner yourself — there’s nothing like taking your youngster under your wing and learning together. 

Picture this: you and your little one out in the water, the wind blowing in your faces, surrounded by nature—what an amazing way to bond. 

Still, you wonder if fishing is a suitable hobby for someone so young. Stuck Fishing talks about the non-discriminatory nature of fishing as one of its best facets. Fish simply don’t care how old or young you are. They’re going to take your bait when you present it. 

Today, we’ll answer a few burning questions you may have on fishing with kids, including what type of fishing is best for them. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Question #1: How much would I need to spend?

There’s no need to go all-out at the start; you want to keep things simple to avoid spending too much on something that could still be a phase for your child. Besides, the basic gear should be enough to get their excitement going.

Most importantly, the basic reel and rod combo, a packet or two of hooks and sinkers, and safety equipment. Whether or not your children can swim, it’s vital to have them wear a life jacket when you’re out in the water. 

At this point, you only want to keep the beginner essentials in mind. After all, it can hurt to see $300 worth of gear accumulate dust in the store once your child decides to be done with fishing. 

When you see the interest start developing into a passion, you start to consider buying more advanced gear that fits your little one’s fishing inclinations.

Question #2: Where do I take my children fishing? 

When planning a fishing trip with your child, the first order of business is to choose a child-safe and beginner-friendly location. Creeks, beaches, and jetties are some of the prime candidates for their safe and fun atmosphere and amenities like playgrounds, food stalls, and sheltered areas. 

Your kids may be excited to fish, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they want to spend the whole day doing so. Fish can be elusive at times, and kids tend to lose interest when it takes too long to catch any. That’s why it pays to choose locations where there are other activities to fall back on in case the “fishing” part doesn’t exactly turn out as planned.

Question #3: When should I take my children fishing? 

The kids are excited, and everything is going as planned until…the heavens open up, and rain begins pouring nonstop. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has other plans. 

When you wake up to a perfect day for fishing, don’t waste time getting the gear ready and taking advantage of this window of opportunity for teaching your kids to fish. After all, it happens when one minute the skies can be clear and the next it can be dark and cloudy. 

Ensure fishing gear is ready to pack in the car, including the baits. Keep bait wrapped in newspaper and stored in the freezer to stay well preserved and don’t start to stink. Furthermore, they should be labeled clearly as “bait,” so no one mistakes them for something else — like human food. 

Sometimes, cloudy days are better for fishing than hot, sunny days. Prolonged exposure to the sun takes a lot out of your little ones, but it can also damage their fragile skin. Though overcast days or not, you’ll want to apply a good dose of SPF every few hours for ample protection against UVB and UVA rays. 

Question #4: What type of fishing is best for kids to start?

Keeping things simple means sticking to the most beginner-friendly fishing style: pole and whip fishing.

This type of fishing requires the least amount of skill to learn, but it also doesn’t require anything more than the basic gear, either. All you need is a small whip or pole and no reel whatsoever. Despite these minimal requirements, your kids should still be able to successfully catch fish such as rudd, perch, and roach with your guidance.

Just place a rig on the whip or pole and then determine the depth of the water using a plummet. This should allow you to set the float accordingly. A bit of trial and error should come with this since fish tend to bite at varying depths, but your child should be able to get it fairly quickly with your assistance.

Then, once a bite is felt, your child should “whip” the pole up and bring the fish to the net. That sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Not to mention, it’s something you can do in almost any fishing location.

We hope our answers to these questions help give you and your little angler the best fishing experience! Happy fishing!