Teaching Someone To Fish

[Catt]

I hear a lot of talk about what the teacher wants the student to learn and nothing about what the student wants to learn!

Some of my students are completely satisfied with perch jerking while others are as intense as a Michael Iaconelli.

[RoLo]

If it's someone with little or no fishing experience, the first goal is to spark their interest.

The best way to spark someone's interest is to keep an arch in their rod,

for instance, bluegills in freshwater or pinfish in saltwater.

As noted above, instruction should be limited to an as-needed basis or to answer questions.

 

Roger

[Ben Eipert]

When I take my younger cousins out I start them with a tube or a small spinner. Both of those are hard to fish wrong and catch all different kinds of fish. The best thing I have found to do is to fish the same thing as them. I figured out that they usually look over and try and to the same thing you are (especially the younger they are).

[F14A-B]

Hmm, no one taught me to fish per se, I wanted to fish, thereby seeking out the creeks & farm ponds for success.. As time moved, I became interested in bass, rather than bluegills, etc.. I learned from TV shows in the 70's and thru Bassmaster magazine....

My circle of friends so to speak were interested as well. If one has the desire & enviroment handy, anyone can teach themselves in the early years.

At some point, I became insatiable, no one taught me that either, I'm not sure you can teach a love for this sport, but if one does, then there are many, many fine points to it, as a lot of us have learned. The great thing to me, I still am learning!

From guys right here on BR.. After 40 years of fishing for bass & other fishes, it tickles me to pick up the "fine points" of structure/cover and rigging presentations. A person has to want it, IMO

[Bankbeater]

Be patient and don't expect to do any fishing yourself.  When you are on the water it is all about the person learning to fish.

[Wiskey70]

I asked the original question. Grew up on Mississippi River between mid-state WI and MN. Fished for cats off the bottom using a swivel and a heavy sinker under slough bridges where fast currents carried food to them. Caught panfish in back-water calm areas, and caught northern pike on spinners in all areas of the river. I even spear- fished for carp in the shallows, and saw a friend “catch” an alligator gar with the calf of his leg. But never caught large- or small-mouth bass. What did I do wrong?

[FishinBuck07]

I always take them with me, gauge their interest in the sport on the fly.  Explain to them before I take them that fish are not always caught.  You will find out real quick who actually wants to learn and who doesn't!