Fishing with kids
Damon Sherriff
As I have aged I've found it more enjoyable fishing with my children. I get huge satisfaction these days watching them catch a fish - even more than I do catching one myself.
I have three sons, Ben, Jack and Sam who I taken fishing from a very young age. My eldest Ben who is 7 years old, is now completely self sufficient. From tying knots, casting spinners, baiting hooks and fighting and landing his own fish he can do it all.
I think fishing at such a young age is very important. They learn many valuable lessons such as patience stick-ability and also gives them a hobby that will, hopefully, last them a lifetime.
Fishing to me is not about winning fishing competitions but is about personal goals which can be very rewarding.
Freshwater fishing and kids
Before taking your child fishing in freshwater from the shore, always make sure that it is a safe fishing platform. High banks and deep drop offs are definitely not recommended for very young children. My youngest child Sam who is two is made to wear a PFD whenever he is fishing. It is always better to be safe than sorry. If you do it right from the start they will not know any different and will not complain.
Rods
One thing parents do wrong when buying their children fishing rods for freshwater is that they purchase a rod that is too short. My kids have grown up using 6 ½ foot rods. I find that the extra length makes it easier for them to cast because they are a lot shorter than us.
Reels
A nice light spinning reel is also important. Purchase a known brand and the best that you can afford. Around the 2000 size is adequate for freshwater use. It may get knocked around a bit but the really cheap reels won't last and they are sometimes harder to use than a slightly dearer reel. You can buy a reasonable reel from $25. Or have a look at a combo. You can find a reasonable outfit for $40.
Fish where the fish are
The next thing to think about is by taking them to an area which they have a high chance of catching something. Some parents I know take their kids to places were the fish are scarce and hard to catch. It is a good idea to have a look through the Inland Fisheries Code booklet to see which areas have been stocked recently. These are the areas that I would be taking your kids. They don't always care how big the fish is as long as they catch something.
Some of the best spots that I would recommend for young kids would be Curries River Dam, Brushy Lagoon, Lake Barrington, Craigbourne Dam, Brumbys Creek and any other location that has been recently stocked.
Fishing with kids
Start with bait fishing
Bait fishing can be done from a very young age with parental assistance. It is a good way to introduce young children to fishing. The best baits are worms, grubs and power bait. A light running sinker rig is all that is needed.
Then try lure fishing
My kids started spinning from an age of 5 years. Any younger than this and it does become a little bit difficult especially controlling multiple fishers. This will keep them going for years. They may try fly fishing later, but then again they might not.
Salt water fishing
This is always a great way for the kids to catch a fish as you never know what you might catch from a jetty, pontoon, the shore or a boat. Most of my kids saltwater fishing has been in the Tamar River estuary which has a wide variety of species to be caught from a toadie to a snapper even the odd shark.
My middle son Jack loves fishing off Inspection Head wharf where quite often I take them after work on a summer afternoon. Jack was fortunate enough to catch a lovely 1kg pinkie snapper from the wharf. The pontoons along the west and east sides of the Tamar can also be very productive. My kids love fishing off the Deviot pontoon when the snotty trevally are running in autumn.
A sabiki rig baited up with small pieces of chicken is all that is required to catch most species out of the Tamar and other coastal estuaries. Burley is also important to increase your catch rate and keep them interested. It is a great job for the young ones to grab a hand full of chook pellets and throw it in the water, they love it!
Try and plan your families fishing trip around the high or low tide change.
The tackle we use
The rods and reels that I recommend for the Tamar and alike consists of a Daiwa Samurai 7i 2500 reel and a 6 ½ foot spinning rod. This is the same rod that I recommended in the freshwater. It is a good idea to have 2 spools for your spinning reel. One spooled up with 6lb for trout and the other spooled up with 10lb for estuary work.
Safety
At the end of the day your childs safety is the most important thing and so you should take that in to consideration no matter where you go.
There will be times where they test your patience but don't lose your cool as it is a sport that they can enjoy for ever.
Damon Sherriff