Going Fishing

[macabrem]

It's been years since I've been fishing. I recently bought my daughter, who's going to be 5 years old, a fishing pole for her birthday.

Any advise for getting back into fishing again? Catch and release or eat 'em?

Tips on teaching a kid to fish correctly? Casting? (Her pole came with a weighted "thing" to put on the end to practice casting without a hook.)

I'm a little worried about catch and release because it seems like when I was younger, I let the fish swallow the hook a lot - but I guess that can be remedied if I yank the pole sooner when the fish bites?

So far I have: one pole for me and one pole for her, catfish bait, fishing gloves, needle nose pliers, a bucket (for taking home fish if we keep them?), getting my fishing license in a day or two - anything else you think I may need that I'm forgetting? I have some lures too, BTW.

Thanks!

- Matt

 

[LocalYokel]

Where will you be going fishing, and what kind of fish are you going after?

 

[Brodirt]

It's been years since I've been fishing. I recently bought my daughter, who's going to be 5 years old, a fishing pole for her birthday.

Any advise for getting back into fishing again? Catch and release or eat 'em?

Tips on teaching a kid to fish correctly? Casting? (Her pole came with a weighted "thing" to put on the end to practice casting without a hook.)

I'm a little worried about catch and release because it seems like when I was younger, I let the fish swallow the hook a lot - but I guess that can be remedied if I yank the pole sooner when the fish bites?

So far I have: one pole for me and one pole for her, catfish bait, fishing gloves, needle nose pliers, a bucket (for taking home fish if we keep them?), getting my fishing license in a day or two - anything else you think I may need that I'm forgetting? I have some lures too, BTW.

Thanks!

- Matt

Having done the same...my advice is to sit back, relax and watch your daughter have a blast. Bring a camera, the pictures will be outstanding!

 

[richmondesi]

+1 on the pics.

I'd eat the fish personally. It helps educate the child on where food comes from, and cleaning fish to eat is also a "character building" experience.

Of course, release those that are too small to eat. I'll tell you, there isn't a lot of stuff that you can do in the summer that beats having a fish-fry with fish that you caught with the family

 

[macabrem]

Where will you be going fishing, and what kind of fish are you going after?

Probably a small lake in the midwest - catfish, bass, and blugill mostly.

 

[macabrem]

Having done the same...my advice is to sit back, relax and watch your daughter have a blast. Bring a camera, the pictures will be outstanding!

Good idea! I didn't even think of the camera.

I suppose I may consider taking some fish to eat, but I can't even say that I know how to scale a fish anymore. So, do I need a special tool to scale them or is there an easy way to scale with a regular knife? Also, any tips on how to fillet blugill and bass? Growing up I mainly caught catfish and had no problem cleaning them.

 

[LocalYokel]

I suppose I may consider taking some fish to eat, but I can't even say that I know how to scale a fish anymore. So, do I need a special tool to scale them or is there an easy way to scale with a regular knife? Also, any tips on how to fillet blugill and bass? Growing up I mainly caught catfish and had no problem cleaning them.

If you can clean a catfish, a bluegill and a bass will be super easy. Grab a kitchen spoon with the handle in your palm and your thumb in the "bowl" section. Start at the tail and scrape towards the head; the scales should come right off. Be sure to clean all the scales from the backside and the belly, it's easy to miss those. If the fish isn't huge, just fry 'em whole. Otherwise use a fillet knife and slide along the backbone.

Better yet: Go to YouTube and search for fish fillet. Lots of good videos there.

Remember to bring your daughters favorite drink in a cooler, yours too! Can't forget the sun screen either. Good luck!

 

[macabrem]

If you can clean a catfish, a bluegill and a bass will be super easy. Grab a kitchen spoon with the handle in your palm and your thumb in the "bowl" section. Start at the tail and scrape towards the head; the scales should come right off. Be sure to clean all the scales from the backside and the belly, it's easy to miss those. If the fish isn't huge, just fry 'em whole. Otherwise use a fillet knife and slide along the backbone.

Better yet: Go to YouTube and search for fish fillet. Lots of good videos there.

Remember to bring your daughters favorite drink in a cooler, yours too! Can't forget the sun screen either. Good luck!

So your saying I need to go ATG? I guess I don't need to J-hook with the spoon? Just kidding.

Thanks for the great advice. I definitely forgot about a cooler and sunscreen. I'll add those 2 to my list, as well as the camera mentioned previously. What would I do without you guys? Thanks!

 

[Mr. Clean]

Probably a small lake in the midwest - catfish, bass, and blugill mostly.

Later Spring early Summer when the varieties of perch (bluegill, sun, redear, etc) are on their spawing beds is a great time to take a youngster fishing. UL tackle, small hooks, small bobbers, and a supply of worms or grey crickets and you are set for the day. The perch are extremely aggressive and constant action is all but guaranteed. Depending on the age and ability of the youngster you might not have time for fishing or even picture taking as it can be a constant baiting the hook and removing the fish, re-baiting the hook removing another fish. The kid(s) will be too busy to be bored and too tired to care by the end of the day. A nice rod-bending bass would be icing on that cake.

 

[ScotchDave]

I'm a little worried about catch and release because it seems like when I was younger, I let the fish swallow the hook a lot - but I guess that can be remedied if I yank the pole sooner when the fish bites?

There should be no "yanking", it's a firm but gentle raise to set the hook. Otherwise you risk pulling the hook straight out of the fish's mouth or, even worse, driving it hard into the deep inside of a fish that has already swallowed bait.

To avoid deep-hooking a fish pay attention to your line. Deep hooking is often a consequence of the fish swallowing the bait deep into its stomach, before the fisherman realises the fish has taken the bait.

Different fish take baits in different way, this will require some researh on your part. However, setting the hook is the same for all fish. Once you feel the fish taking the bait, set the hook by lifing the rod. Imagine going from 9 O'Clock to midnight, this should be a smooth movement, it should take you about a second or so.

Hope this helps, there's lots of good info on t'web.

EDIT

Having looked on the internet, the fishing community seems to have changed it's mind about this stuff. Yank away to your hearts content.

 

[theperfectstorm]

Later Spring early Summer when the varieties of perch (bluegill, sun, redear, etc) are on their spawing beds is a great time to take a youngster fishing.

I used to hate the old guys at the lake that called us "youngsters". And "Whistle-Britches". I REALLY hated that one.

All good advice 'Clean. But let us not forget the noble, yet cranky, crappie.

 

[richmondesi]

I used to hate the old guys at the lake that called us "youngsters". And "Whistle-Britches". I REALLY hated that one.

All good advice 'Clean. But let us not forget the noble, yet cranky, crappie.

Care for "Sonny"?

 

[FLTiger]

Maybe start her off with a cane pole or a brim buster with a cork/bobber?

 

[Mr. Clean]

I used to hate the old guys at the lake that called us "youngsters". And "Whistle-Britches". I REALLY hated that one.

All good advice 'Clean. But let us not forget the noble, yet cranky, crappie.

Whistle Britches I hadn't heard that in years. Add younguns and li'l squirts.

Completely forgot crappie. Never had much luck with them fishing from the bank (maybe I made a wrong assumption). My Wife's Uncle used to take me crappie fishing. He was like Wally Marshall...Mr. Crappie.

 

[Masterofsparks]

There are so many great little rigs out there for the little ones....my 5 year old grandson has a nice little Spiderman Rig made by Shakespear if memory serves me right.
Last year we were at the lake and just after sundown he came to me and said grandpa I want to fish some more....so I reached in the cooler and grabbed a piece of bacon and put it on his hook and made him a little Y stick to hold his rod and he gave it a mighty cast of maybe 5 feet...so we tightened up the line and laid the pole down and attached a bell to the rod and started to walk away and BAM! huge hit and he ran and picked up his rod and started reeling it in and the drag on that thing was making a wicked sound!! I got a net off the boat and he reeled in the biggest catfish of the weekend! It was close to 6 lbs!!
The photo was great and that is a moment that he will remember the rest of his life!

 

[thirdeye]

I take my daughter fishing and she loves it. We keep it simple, #6 hooks, Bobbers and Night Crawlers....We catch and release unless we are Trout fishing. Then it's home, cleaned and on the grill they go.
I don't even bother bring my pole most days. I just enjoy a little one on one time watching her have a blast.

Good luck and enjoy the moments....

 

[macabrem]

There should be no "yanking", it's a firm but gentle raise to set the hook. Otherwise you risk pulling the hook straight out of the fish's mouth or, even worse, driving it hard into the deep inside of a fish that has already swallowed bait.

To avoid deep-hooking a fish pay attention to your line. Deep hooking is often a consequence of the fish swallowing the bait deep into its stomach, before the fisherman realises the fish has taken the bait.

Different fish take baits in different way, this will require some researh on your part. However, setting the hook is the same for all fish. Once you feel the fish taking the bait, set the hook by lifing the rod. Imagine going from 9 O'Clock to midnight, this should be a smooth movement, it should take you about a second or so.

Hope this helps, there's lots of good info on t'web.

EDIT

Having looked on the internet, the fishing community seems to have changed it's mind about this stuff. Yank away to your hearts content.

Thanks, I'll do a little more research. Obviously you have had luck with a gentle raise versus a yank. I really do appreciate your input, as well as everybody's.

 

[macabrem]

Maybe start her off with a cane pole or a brim buster with a cork/bobber?

Well, I thought about a cane pole (not sure what a brim buster is), but functionality aside, my little girl is getting a Barbie pole.

 

[ScotchDave]

Thanks, I'll do a little more research. Obviously you have had luck with a gentle raise versus a yank. I really do appreciate your input, as well as everybody's.

I don't know if it helps you that I was fishing for Pike, landed a few as well.