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View Full Version : whats the best age to take kids fishing



lenno3
16-09-2007, 10:07 PM
My 3 year old would love to come fishing in the boat i think its ok but wife dose not . I think it is easyer to watch him in the boat then of the bank.
what do you think about it?:P

finga
17-09-2007, 06:19 AM
That would depend upon the type of boat, the type of lifejacket the young fellow has, the areas you go fishing, the length of the fishing trip, and how well the young fella floats in his jacket plus a heap of other variables others will think of.
But if the trip is reasonably short (they get bored easy), you have a boat that makes it hard to fall out of, his lifejacket is of the type that has groin straps so the jackets cannot slip off, you fish in calm areas and the young fella is happy as Larry just floating around in water in his jacket then IMO the young fella is getting ready for an outing with dad.

Flattie Assassin
17-09-2007, 06:39 AM
Agreed with short trips there finga. 3 yr olds will get bored easy. My son has just turned 7 and has only just started showing a real interest in fishing. I had taken him out in the tinny a few times when he was around 3 or 4. It's a bit young to go for a serious session. He has just started to watch the berkley plastics dvd, and keen to go fishing again. I would be inclined to agree with your wife here Lenno. 3 yr old in boat without someone to hold him would be a drama. But alright for a treat here and there.

Synful
17-09-2007, 06:58 AM
Hi lenno,

Think that Finga has raised a good point there.
The other thing to consider is that where are you going to be fishing?

If you are here in NQ then I would suggest that boating at this stage may not be the best option due to the floating handbags and unpredictability of kids; these things are more dangerous in water than land and move much faster aquatically (25km/hr).

My 3 year old goes jetty fishing and gets bored in about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the situation. Make sure that when you go, you take a packet of chips and a toy or two, that way your trip will last a bit longer than the time it takes to get to your preferred spot before you hear the fatal "I want to go home now".

As frustrating as it may seem, don't push 'em and be prepared to leave when they are ready. The chips and toy method will buy you some time; but you will have to keep an eye on them 110% of the time and your fishing comes second.

That being said, when they get their first fish it's a moment you will treasure forever and they will never forget - looking forward to you posting that pic!! ;D 8-)

NAGG
17-09-2007, 07:38 AM
When they can help pay for fuel , bait ,tackle etc & help clean up afterwards ... ;)
Seriously though ..... In a boat ( when they can swim ! ..... regardless of life jackets) ...... My 2 only started late last summer 6 & 8 ........ but its still difficult to keep their interest::) .... Nagg

1lastcast
17-09-2007, 10:25 AM
Its never to early to start them fishing and all that has allready been said is good info to take on board most important is to get a comfortable life jacket for the little one as they will want to remove it if its not and i think they must have one with a strap under as well as prevoisly said and make sure they wear the jacket until they get off the boat when you return to shore.

another thing worth raising is that its probably a good idea to forget fishing yourself believe me you will have a much better day watching your little mate get that first fish and dont forget the camera to catch the once in a lifetime look in thier face when they hold the fish up ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I hope you enjoy many (quality time ) days out fishing with the kids

all the best Peter

shayned
17-09-2007, 10:53 AM
I've had my just turned two, little mate out fishing 3 times in the last week or so.(holidays) and I think this is the most stressed out I've been in a while. Unfortunately he has no concept of danger yet and we had a couple of hair raising moments.

There has been plenty of good advice here already but could I add think about crushing the barbs on the hooks and make sure they keep the sunnies on, because the rod control isn't flash. While you're at it maybe a rod leash and a boogie board wrist leash for your little one while on board.

That said, just hearing the little bloke yelling out excitedly, " I fish, Dad!! I fish!!" was pretty special. On the down side the last two times I tried to sneak out for a fish without him ended up with him bawling his eyes out because he couldn't come.

Peter4
17-09-2007, 10:55 AM
I first took my son fishing when he was 4 or 5. He is now nearly 16 and we go fishing at least once a fortnight, sometimes more.

He is definitely hooked for life!!

Pete

juju
17-09-2007, 11:17 AM
Sisters little one has been going out since she was 2....the pic was a 4.30am start at Mud...(lifejacket was just taken off to clean off some squid ink when she hooked up)she gets board after awhile, so short trips are best...she will also sort sinkers,make a tent up the bow when intrest starts to wane..shes given the bait away now, want to use nuke chickens....another convert to the dark side

SCOTTYGC
17-09-2007, 11:28 AM
All the above is correct

My oldest is now 7 and is keen to go every time in the broadwater , he wears his life jacket all day without to much problem

we dont use bait to often in the boat, by trolling lures for flathead or casting soft plastics you are allways on the move

Make sure you take snaks for them chips and lollies and of course something fizzy to drink, once we went to the rear of the runaway bay shooping centre moored at the food court and went in and got maccas he got the toy and that kept me out on the water for an hour or two longer

if he get bored we go for a drive a bit faster and he thinks that great

Hats and sunscreen are a must and you must reapply it

they only need to get burnt once and the wife will et you know all about it

i have two younger boys waiting there turn to come out in the boat, i will take the 4 year old a few times this year but will get im dropped of later and picked up earlier from the jetty

i think they are easier to look after in the boat than on shore

good luck mate

take your time and be prepared to come in if they want

scotty

Brett1907
17-09-2007, 11:29 AM
Paige is 4 and always asks to go fishing. Have taken her fishing off the bank a couple of times but have yet to put a hook on the end. Either a small sinker for a bit of weight or the pink lure I bought her minus the trebles. If she had a hook either her or me would be wearing, no question about it. I get about 15min of fishing out of her then it is playing in the sand.

On the boat make sure she has a life jacket ALL the time. Your kid is old enough, you just have to realise that you won't be able to fish and will need other activities too.

Brett

STUIE63
17-09-2007, 12:12 PM
I read an article in a sunfish magazine years ago it said to leave your rods at home and to make sure to get a fish doesn't matter how big .i suggest little hooks and a bream spot. be ready to go when they want. i had my boy watching Rex Hunt and he was quite happy to release undersize fish if he could kiss it.bring a camera . my boy was four and his first trip he stayed out all day and whinged when i wanted to go home he is still as mad keen on fishing now eight years later.another idea is let him play in the boat while it is out of the water but make him wear a life jacket to get used to it being on whenever he is in the boat.
Stuie

Sean
17-09-2007, 12:35 PM
don't fish yourself. take them bait jigging remove all but 2 of the hooks from a bait jig( a little easier to untangle....and a bit safer) and get them jigging..... even young kids can drop a jig down wind it up....drop down wind up. lots of food!!

Little grey men
17-09-2007, 12:47 PM
My boy ( 5 ) and I fish every weekend. I've made him a deal, when he is a good enough swimmer, we can get a boat. Until that day we fish from the bank.
He started fishing a year ago, and he is totally hooked. He does fish from a boat with his Pop out west...but he wears a pfd the whole time. I think it's a little safer out there. If he fell out he'd probably just stand up and get back in the boat...pretty shallow.
As Sean stated in a previous thread...take food.lot's of food.
One other tip.my boy fishes with lures a lot..if I use something, he has to use it as well.
I make all of his hooks and trebles barbless. I don't want him to go through THAT pain.

Tinn
17-09-2007, 01:08 PM
My boys both started when they were 10kg so they could fit into the smallest life jacket. As long as there is a couple of adults on board you will be fine.

The younger the better as you can train them how you want.

Any age is great as long as you don't expect to cach fish. Not much fishing gets done when the little ones are on board.

Heath
17-09-2007, 02:14 PM
My kids have been around boats and the water all their lives. First proper trip out for my young bloke Mitchel was when he was 3.5year old. I wouldn't let him come until he could swim, so when he could, he spent that first summer out on Palmbeach reef with us.
Keeping him entertained was easy. There was always yakkas or some other oogly that could be caught. There was also his own tackle box full of goodies like matchbox cars, power rangers etc. He had is own yakkas that he could play with also. Basically he had the run of the boat.
Now, he rarely misses a trip with us. He's now 6. Now, he can bait up himself, he has his own hooks with the barbs crushed that he practices on with some pillies or yakkas when on the boat and prefers overheads over eggbeaters... go figure?
Keep them entertained & you'll be on a winner.
Do they learn quick? You be the judge. The below video was taken when he 4.5yo
ZiVb8R97WN8

lenno3
17-09-2007, 07:01 PM
thanks given me some good tips to keep in mine when i take them out hope it help more kid to go fishing keep the ideas coming

tunaticer
17-09-2007, 07:27 PM
A mate takes his son and daughter fishing fairly regularly in the tinnie chasing flathead or whiting or bream. He also takes along a portable dvd player and a range of fishing dvd's so when the kids get bored they start mimicing the starlos and rexys and the dans and before you know it they are getting results. He reckons it guarantees hims an extra hour or two on the water.

Jack.

Spaniard_King
17-09-2007, 07:41 PM
I made a hard and fast rule when my boys wanted to start coming out with me. I don't think you can pay %100 attention to a child when your out in the boat there is just too much going on to do this. For this reason my kids had to be able to swim the length of our pool before they could come out with me in any stroke they wanted to. This was essential to me as I mainly fish offshore.

choppa
17-09-2007, 08:25 PM
i think the most important factor that remains when you take young'uns fishing is simple,,,,,,

there the one's who do the fishing,,,,,,,,,,,once you've achieved this,,,,the rest falls into place

chopjr has been my constant companion since he could basically walk and create havoc to the wildlife/nature and me,,,,especially me,,,some of his earlier adventures have been posted on here,,,, much to his insistence

geez,,, even mrs choppa has had to come to our rescue explaining some of our adventures to his mum,,,,, after we've returned home and crashed out for a quick 40 winks;D ;D

the reward now,,, he nows that he hasn't the freedom in the tinny as being landbased,,, but he calls the shots,,, when to drift,, what spot to try,, who plays with the crabs,,, when pop needs a drink,,,,,when pop needs a drink,,,,;D

on land,,, he uses a yabby pump,, collects bait,, and has mastered how to cast his rod without throwing it all into the drink,,,, next on the agenda is accuracy as he catches more nature than water

and yet he's the first one ready each sunday,,,,,bait,,,bucket,,,bungs in the boat have all been checked and ticked of the ""safety"" list

yeh i know i'm biased,,, he turns 5 next month,,, has 5 rods/reels to his name,, a tinny,,and me,,,,,,, what more could he really need;D ;D ;D

Hot_Snappa
18-09-2007, 10:07 AM
My boys (they are girls, but I refer to them as my boys!), have been around water and boats with me and mywife since they were born basically. They used to come out all day in the boat before they could walk ( I might add they could actually swim before they could walk!). At an early age they would just look on and see what was happening and then tend to sleep for a while ...the motion of a boat is great for snoozing. Once they were about 2 they had their own rod and loved it - couldn't wait for their next trip! Twenty years on, they both still love it and still come out with their old man! Must say that I have never yert been able to get them to gut and clean a fish though! lol

Cheers

Dave

Mattg68
18-09-2007, 04:16 PM
Heath,

That's some great footage there of the young fella fishing, you must be a proud dad when the little one starts using terms like 'can ya' see colour'. He has great technique as well, I think he's hooked mate.

Classic.

Matt

lenno3
22-09-2007, 10:24 AM
going out now to take jr fishing hope to catch a couple of flatties and bream he is out packing snacks and getting the boat ready he is only 3 the boat has not been off the car since i took him 3 weeks ago for the frist time

MickS
22-09-2007, 07:53 PM
We take our little fellow fishing all the time, he turned 3 ,2 weeks ago.We spent the money on a good comfortable life jacket, always stay in the river, and keep him amused.We find the best way to do this is with the live bait tank. He can play with toys, boats etc, and if we throw some livies in there he's in heaven. We also stop for a break and a swim if we get the chance.

The fishing results are not great as the time of day is wrong, but it's quality family time and I love it.If we get a feed it's a bonus

We have also found teenage daughter now takes an interest, and as many will know that can be difficult with teenageers.

It all boils down to quality family time, not so much the fishing.