Best Lure/technique To Start My 8 Year Olds On

[bassmaster8100]

So I have a son and step son who are both 8 that I take to fish for bream and catfish all the time and they love but they both are just dying to get started bass fishing. What do you guys think is the best lure/technique to start them on?

[roadwarrior]

Mix it up and keep it interesting.

Start one off with a Jitterbug, the other with a Spook.

Then maybe a Senko and an Ika.

Next, Rattle Trap, each with a different color.

Put a spinnerbait in the mix, too.

Things they can cast and retrieve are more fun than bottom baits,

unless they start catching fish on the plastics!

[outdoorsman110]

I started with inline spinners and cranks.

[MCS]

My son gets the hang of jerk baits, top water poppers, Zoom frogs, crank baits and swim baits. The top water baits especially the Rebel Pop-R are his favorite because he can see the action and the fish hit. They do take a little work to get the technique down but he has deffinitely caught the most effectively on the topwater. Rapalas and cranks he just retrieves are the easiest but he doesn't really know where to cast (nor do I really want him putting it near something he can snag on), however he does usually get a catch on these, a rougue bluegill or small bass. I agree with roadwarrior the plastics are for the patient, and can get boring. They should love the top water.

[J Francho]

I don't start any beginners, especial kids, on a bait that you have to detect the bite, and set the hook in order catch bass. Use a moving bait. They'll be less bored, and you won't be dealing with deep gut hookings. Once they understand the mechanics, work them into a "feel bait." Pre rigged weedless worms are a great start, as are grubs on a ball head.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Buzz bait.

[ww2farmer]

I have not yet taken my 7 year old bass fishing, we have just fished for panfish with a worm and bobber, and she's doing great with that, catches lots of fish. This year I bought her her first "real" rod/reel combo, no more Dora the explorer or Barbie spincasting outfits. I had her out with it Sat. at a local pond and she's doing well casting, but we still did the bobber thing for gills. Before we go next time I am going to go down to wal-mart and get some of those small Rebel cranks and see how that goes. This pond is loaded with 10"-12" bass that will bite anything, I don't think she's ready for "feel" baits yet. Thats just how I am going to do it........YMMV.

[Bluebasser86]

Grub or an inline spinner are a couple of my favorites for kids. Small crankbaits are also good.as are small safety pin spinners.

[200racing]

something i like to use when just having fun is marabou jigs. they are not just for panfish. i have also caught largemouth, spots, catfish,stipers and hybrids.

i tie a 1/16oz on the line with a Palomar knot leaving a 16-24'' tag end.then i tie a 1/8oz on the end of the tag line.

i just cast them out and twitch them back like a jerkbait. the twitching usually sets the hook for you.

they are very cheap so a lot of hangups wont break the bank.

[Bassun]

I think for kids you don't need to think so much about what lure; but rather how the child is going to be able to work it. They are just learning, and are eager for success, and need all of the advantages they can get. They also like to feel like they are part of the process. I personally would put together a small box of lures that fill these catagories. A: Visible. Not just top water, but shallow running and easily seen. B: Easily worked. Focus on baits that cast and wind work well for. C: DOWN SIZE. If you are choosing between a 5" grub and a 2.5" - go with the smaller. D: Weedless is good, but not necessarily the only option. Most cranks are not weedless, but a small crankbait can be an excellent starting lure.

So what fills those roles? Grubs, small cranks, torpedos, small spinnerbaits, etc. etc. etc. Just mix it up, keep it small, and focus on lures that fit the needs of the angler: Easy to fish, high success rate, greately visible, downsized. Mixing in a few gills, or perch with those small bass is perfect. By doing so you just doubled the success rate for your young anglers.

Anywho -- that's my opinion...

[bassmaster8100]

Thanks for all the great responses. You guys definitely gave me some good ideas to get them started on.

[smalljaw67]

I have a Grandson that I got into bass fishing and now he even helps making lures and I asked him what was the most fun lure he used and it was by far the old Beetle spin. The nice thing about the beetle spin is it catches all kinds of fish so it keeps them interested, it is easy to learn to cast and they will know when they get a bite. This is how my grandson learned to use spinning tackle at the same time and the fact that he was using a bass spinnerbait just like me made it even better and if the bass weren't biting he would still catch crappie, bluegills, and even a catfish on the beetle spin. Try it, your kids will love it!.

[WookieeJedi]

I start mine off on trout, with no bobber. They catch a lot of fish and learn to detect a strike. I can also do a whole fishing trip in under a couple of hours, so they don't get bored. When I want to get them on bass, especially when they are young, I put them on a slug. It is easy to cast, weedless, fairly easy to get out of branches, and nearly impossible to fish wrong. It will get bit, too, especially in the summer pattern when fish come up shallow early and late. Smalljaw67 is right on about the bettle spin, too. I still fish with them, don't judge me.

[eyedabassman]

My vote would be the senko or a wacky rig. I have turned so many Dads onto this at my seminars for there kids. It is so easy to fish and not alot of over thinking for the kids. Anyone that can't catch a fish on this rig should take up golf.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Alot of great replies already, but I'll throw my hat in on it too.

I'd go for some floating rapalas, they can be swam alittle below the surface, twitched on top, however they feel like fishing it. Smaller ones will pull in bass as well as bream.

NGaHB

[backwater4]

Wacky rigged 3" senko under a float. Keeps it out of trouble and they can still move it around for action. It worked great when my kids were young.

[Gavin]

My 5 year old daughter does pretty well with road runners and inline spinners. Just chuck em & wind em back slow.

[eyedabassman]

Here is another idea on the wacky rig. I like to use a Flick-It jig made by Buckeye Lures and Bass Pro has there brand also. It is a little football head with a wire weed guard and it is made for wacky rigging.With this jig I can now fish any worm as a wacky rig,( not just senko's )such as a trick worm,robo worm,french fry worm,fin.worm,ect. Another one I may try is a swimming jig. I think kids get bored with a bobber so keep them casting and when they do catch a fish there confidence will go sky high! That is why I like the wacky rig so much, it will teach kids how to feel; the bite,watch the line, and they will catch a ton of fish, from walleye,pike,rock bass,and evan a big gill now and then.And it will help them when you want to teach them how to fish the t-rig,jigs,C-rigs ect.

And the BEST part of the wacky rig is that you CAN'T fish it wrong!!!!!

[hatrix]

I would say 2" grubs on a 1/4 o/z head or something similar. I prefer white grubs Mr. Twister if you can find them. They will catch BG and LMB of all sizes. Once they get better they can even add some twitches or jerks to the retrieve. Now is a great time since fry are small from the spawn and they just catch tons of fish of all species and size.

[chromedog]

I find with my little ones, patience is just something they don't have. I usually try to give them something that is:

1) weedless as possible

2) something they can chuck and rewind

Personally, I give them a keitech swim impact on a darter head or a swarming hornet. They will usually insight anything to hit.

[TxBankFisherman]

you know especially in ponds those small roostertails and panther martins work great... they can work em like a spinnerbait or jig em up and down....

A topwater frog is exciting to see that strike... maybe a stanley ribbit or zoom toad... Zara spook for sure.. and chugger bait like a PoP R works great early....

Next I'd stock a few spinnerbaits in their box... booyah, terminator, chatterbait, etc...

But I think my favorite lures now you should add are ... fluke(watermelon seed), senko(watermelon), and powerworm... (blue fleck) 7" I'd also buy a pack of 10" ones if any huge bass are around... 3/0 hooks usually... but on the big worms have to go with 4 or 5/0....

If you wanted to buy a cool topwater that would get their interest up.. go to ebay and look for a Powerpak lure... believe it or not... it's kinda a gimmick lure with the string... when you pop it the tail flutters and it goes in a circle for a while... cool lure and it does catch big bass... I caught a 7 lb. bass one day on it and had another pop it way up in the air... around 5 bux on ebay...

I still like the old tiny torpedo topwater lures.. maybe you could find a few of those??

Also a few rattle traps... although I do catch a lot more fish on the rattlin raps... chrome/blue

And last but not least I do catch a lot of fish drop shot fishing... many times you catch smaller fish this way, but the name of the game with kids is catching... you can also wacky rig with the drop shot...

My fav. is both zoom products... zoom finesse worm in watermelon... and zoom trick worm in candy color... a reg worm hook will work, but I like the small dropshot hooks for this technique... also try it with Senkos ( a good brand if trying to save money is the Strike King Zero...)

Last, we got craws and they work great in ponds... I'd buy a few packs of Baby paca craws, and Berkley chigger craws,,,, probably can't find the Gene Larew salt craws, but they are the best craw ever if you come across any...

Good luck