excited

[Adam]

My eight year old daughter has recently taken an interest in fishing and has been asking me to take her.  So, on the 25th I am taking her out for the first time.  I hope she can catch a bass or two, and get bit by the bug.

[Capt. BassinLou]

My eight year old daughter has recently taken an interest in fishing and has been asking me to take her.  So, on the 25th I am taking her out for the first time.  I hope she can catch a bass or two, and get bit by the bug.

Very exciting. I enjoy it when my kids ask me to go fishing. Best tip I can offer you is keep the outing short, and let her be your guide. The K.I.S.S. principle reigns supreme when taking your kids fishing. Ask me how I know..    Good luck with your outing, have fun!! Oh....  and remember pics!! 

[Adam]

Very exciting. I enjoy it when my kids ask me to go fishing. Best tip I can offer you is keep the outing short, and let her be your guide. The K.I.S.S. principle reigns supreme when taking your kids fishing. Ask me how I know..    Good luck with your outing, have fun!! Oh....  and remember pics!! 

Thanks for the advice.  I had planned on only making it a 3 hour trip or so, and I'm going to set her up with a night crawler and a bobber.  If she asks to try anything else that I am throwing then I will let her try.

[cport]

Very exciting. I enjoy it when my kids ask me to go fishing. Best tip I can offer you is keep the outing short, and let her be your guide. The K.I.S.S. principle reigns supreme when taking your kids fishing. Ask me how I know..    Good luck with your outing, have fun!! Oh....  and remember pics!! 

I would add that you shouldn't plan on doing much fishing yourself at first. It only gets frustrating if you can't get your fish groove on unless you resign yourself to instruction and guidance. After they learn the fundamentals, then you can fish, and this will re-enforce what they have learned, as they will have a seasoned angler to model themselves after. Thats when it gets really cool, when you can start teaching strategy and technique.

[Capt. BassinLou]

I would add that you shouldn't plan on doing much fishing yourself at first. It only gets frustrating if you can't get your fish groove on unless you resign yourself to instruction and guidance. After they learn the fundamentals, then you can fish, and this will re-enforce what they have learned, as they will have a seasoned angler to model themselves after. Thats when it gets really cool, when you can start teaching strategy and technique.

Great point Chris. I also believe the parent is more excited than the child in the first few outings and the excitement to try to get your kid on fish builds on you. If I can have a "do over" I would chum the water with bread, and  build up the pan fish into a frenzy and then toss the worm with the bobber. The child will go nuts seeing all that action. Lol!!

[Mike Cork]

Catching is always a bonus but just remember it's about her and having fun. The kids have fun with a day on the lake in a variety of different ways.

Check out these couple articles for tips to make sure she has a blast catching or not

Fishing with Kids
Take a kid fishing
Take a child fishing

[Adam]

Great point Chris. I also believe the parent is more excited than the child in the first few outings and the excitement to try to get your kid on fish builds on you. If I can have a "do over" I would chum the water with bread build up the pan fish into a frenzy and then toss the worm with the bobber. The child will go nuts seeing all that action. Lol!!

hmmm good idea.  I never would have thought of that.

[Adam]

Catching is always a bonus but just remember it's about her and having fun. The kids have fun with a day on the lake in a variety of different ways.

Check out these couple articles for tips to make sure she has a blast catching or not

Fishing with Kids
Take a kid fishing
Take a child fishing

Thanks for the resources.

[big g]

You doing the right thing with the worm and float.  I still have the small rods and the zebco 20/20 reels.  Bring lots of their favorite foods.  Peanut butter crackers were a big hit with fruit cups, and fruit drinks.  That 5 year old girl is now 33 with two of her own,and still remembers her dad taking her fishing.  Your making memories for a lifetime!!!!!!!

I have taken a container of old rice, made little rice balls to throw out there.  Looks like little maggots in the water.  Small fish love it.  Anchor up, Chum up, and reap the bounty!

[SteelHorseCowboy]

I also wouldn't plan on how long to be out there! Maybe set aside that amount of time or even more, and encourage her to be patient, but I'd haul ass as soon as she made it clear she's ready to go "RIGHT NOW".

I tell my youngest son to bring something to entertain himself when he gets bored. He'll fish a bit, read a book. Fish a little more, go exploring. Fish a few more minutes, have a snack. I guess I mean to say, make sure she has some sort of small distraction, even if it's just talking.

It can't be harped on enough, for the kids to enjoy it, it has to be enjoyable.

Not sure who compiled this.

[coldfront]

My eight year old daughter has recently taken an interest in fishing and has been asking me to take her.  So, on the 25th I am taking her out for the first time.  I hope she can catch a bass or two, and get bit by the bug.

take along the grape soda!

[FlatsNBay]

I've done what Lou does, Chum them up really good first. The only thing to add is to scout out a good spot first that has plenty of eager fish like a neighborhood dock or park. That way the fish are usually accustomed to being fed so they are already there and waiting to be fed. I started that with my daughter with a cane pole and now she has her own pink spinning rod and reel and can fling a beetle spin like nobody's business!

[j102]

Yes, a T-rig worm is the best for the kids. They hate getting stuck in the grass, so a T-rig setup helps with that.
And bring lots of snacks, water and her favorite juice.
Hope you both have a lot of fun!