Fishing with Kids - Just have FUN!

Fishing with kids is a hot topic throughout the fishing world, and has been for some time. Kids are the future of the sport and the emphasis on taking them fishing is always present. We should definitely do our part to take them out there and show them how much fun fishing can be. The joy of seeing a child catch her first fish is priceless.

I'm sure that you have heard people say that you should take kids fishing for fish that are easy to target to keep the action steady so they don't lose interest. This is absolutely true, but there is more to the story and that is what I want to emphasize now.

It's not all about fishing. What? Yep.

I have been blessed with the best job in the history of the universe. I get to take people from all walks of life to my favorite fishing holes and catch fish and teach them new techniques. Each person is different, and each child is different.

Some kids are content to chase fish all day, but some get bored after just a couple of fish. This is where some people will try to coax them into fishing a little longer and teaching them the time honored fishing value of patience. Not me.

When a kid gets bored on the boat, or on the edge of the water, he will typically find something else that he wants to do. It might be chasing crickets on the bank, playing with the bait in the livewell, or trying to catch passing jelly fish with the dip net.

Let them do it! If they want to spray down the boat with the wash down hose, let them! They are HAVING FUN!!!

When they get home and they have had a full day of driving the boat while sitting on your knees, spraying their siblings with the washdown hose, catching minnows with the bait net, and tossing left over sandwich parts to the seagulls, they will be chomping at the bit to go FISHING again.

Does it matter how much time they actually spent fishing? If you ask them what they did all day they will still say "I was fishing!".

Keep those kids on the water and as they get older, they will want to spend more and more time chasing fish, and less time playing with the stuff in the boat. You'll cherish the moments that you spent just playing around on the water and your kids will remember how much fun fishing was.

Tight lines!

Capt. TJ Cheek - Professional Fishing Guide - St. Simons Island