Fishing Adventures and Informal Education with Your Children
Posted in Fly Fishing Tips on the May 15, 2008
Parents often enjoy sharing in the activities of their children, especially when the time involves a trip. An option that typically provides not only fun but educational opportunities as well is a trip to the water to catch fish.
Safety as Your First Consideration
When you are fishing with children one of the most important considerations is safety. You need to assess what type of fishing you are going to be doing. There are so many different variations of fishing options, and you need to make sure you select one that is suitable for the children you will be bringing along.
Though many kids will not want to wear one, a life vest is a critical part of the equipment they will need to bring - and use! Bring along a kit with standard first aid bandages, gauzes and ointments to take care of scratches and cuts that can happen when handling fishing gear, boat equipment, and the fish themselves.
Fishing Equipment for the Trip
Get your children their own personal fishing tackle boxes. This will not only make them feel as though they are in charge of their own equipment, but you will be able to obtain a children’s version of equipment for them to use.
A “starter” tackle box does not need to include too many items, and certainly not expensive ones. As your children grow older and learn for themselves what they need, more essentials can be added along the way.
Letting Children Take Responsibility
Once a fish taken the bait on your child’s line, allow him or her the greater role in reeling it in. Certainly you should drop what you’re doing and instead be available to assist as needed. However your child will experience a real sense of accomplishment by engaging in the battle to pull his catch into the boat or onshore.
It is normally best to introduce a child to fishing early in life. This is useful in many ways. The younger children begin, the more they will take in - although never take a child who is too young to understand what is going on.
Early life experiences also provide children the opportunity to see the how fish are cleaned and realize that this is not a disgusting practice but rather part of the fishing trip experience. You can also let your children learn as you go concerning the rules of fishing. Doing this will help keep fishing fresh in their minds.
Holding Their Attention
You can never be completely sure that your children will take to fishing as there many factors that could detract from their attention. Your initial fishing trip out on the water could be a slow day and you might not even get a bite, let alone haul anything into the boat.
This could result in your children becoming bored. If this happens don’t loose heart. Let your children know that this not unusual when fishing. You never know, you could turn their initial disappointment into a plus as your children may become more excited about finally catching a fish next time.
Children love to feel as though are in charge of doing almost anything, and fishing is ideal for this. Fishing is a great learning adventure, and doing this together should prove to be a wonderful experience.