Help-Taking someone fishing for the first time

[JK Jake]

So long story short I’m going fishing on the boat with my dad tomorrow(he isn’t very good/doesn’t know a lot about fishing but really enjoys going with me even when he doesn’t catch anything) , but he invited a good friend of ours to come along, but this fellow has never even touched a fishing rod. Now don’t get me wrong, I would love to teach anyone how to fish, it’s just I don’t even know where to start with this guy yet I want him to have a good time. Plus I only know about Largemouth/Spotted Bass, any other “easier to fish for” species I have never fished for on the lake.

 

Any suggestions about how to help him have a good time? What are some lures that are easy to use for someone who has never gone fishing?

[roadwarrior]

If you have a boat, minnows. Otherwise, night crawlers.

[J._Bricker]

@JK Jake I’ll start by saying enjoy your day with your father and family friend and I’ll assume you’re going in a boat. I and all BR members share your concerns when it comes to putting friends and family on fish.  Wacky or T-rig a 5” stick bait (senko) or a spinnerbait is a good starting point for basic fishing experience and any age level. Good sandwiches and cold drinks or a place on the water to get a good burger will help put the focus on the company and conversation, that fishing was convenient excuse...

[Fishin' Fool]

I've been teaching some coworkers lately by verbal instruction and they are understanding how to throw a senko. If you could show them how it's not difficult  and its incredibly effective.

[NHBull]

A wacky or Trig on a spinning  rod is where I start with never-evers.  If you find the top water is on, let them through a popper.  Even if they don't catch the top water, it's exciting 

[Grim_Reaver]

Give them a spinning reel and 3-4" swimbait/grub. All they have to do is chunk and wind. Not complicated to fish but still active enough to keep their mind preoccupied. Quite possibly the easiest thing to fish and will catch anything big enough to eat it. The popper idea is also a good one.

[Wizzlebiz]

Id suggest putting him on a dropshot on a spinning rod. Its easy to cast or just vertical fish, and not much goes into creating the action required to get a bite. 

 

Just my opinion. 

[jbsoonerfan]

If you aren't going to use live bait, the I would suggest an inline spinner or some other moving bait. I'm always amazed when these threads pop up up and people recommend soft plastics where a newbie is expected to first, feel the bite, then set the hook. Makes zero sense to me.

[Black Hawk Basser]

Beetle spins!  I got my boy onto a slew of big gills this morning.  We were trolling.

[GreenPig]

Ned Rig. The open hook doesn't require much of a hook set. Drag it, hop it, or swim it and it'll catch fish.

[WRB]

I taught dozens of Indian Guide kids and dads to bass fish using the simple split shot rig. Most of the dads had some experience fishing with spinning tackle and standard meduim tackle to start with.

Step 1 is teach them to tie a clinch knot using size 1 or 1/0 straight shank or off set light wire worm hook.

Step 2 use a size 4 (1/8 oz) round split shot without ears and clamp on the 6 lb mono filament line about 14" ( 12"-16") above the hook. This is the basic rig.

Step 3 use any finesse size soft plastic, I used 4 1/2" Flutter Tail worms and Western Plastic 3" Reapers in smoke w/ silver and black flakes, any finesse worm that floats will work. Teach both dads and kids how to weedless hook the soft plastic, this takes some practice. My method is insert the hook point in the center of the front end to the hook to the barb then rotate the hook until the point comes out, turn the hook bend end so the point is facing the worm, then pull it out of the soft plastic until hook eye and line knot is inside the nose end. The final step is critical so the soft plastic doesn't spin in the water; show them where to insert the hook point in the belly of the worm by aligning the hook bend against the worm indicating exactly where to start the hook point into the soft plastic so the point just sticks out the top side, so the hooked worm hangs straight. This takes some practice but they get quickly.

You can fish this rig nearly anywhere there are bass and simply drag the split along the lake bottom. 

They will snag the rig a few times and break off, that is why you teach them steps 1 & 2. Inexpensive but quality hook like Mustad needle point and Water Gremlin round split shot are ideal and keeps the cost down.

Bass usually hook themselves using the split shot rig and a few will get gut hooked so be prepared to remove hookswith a tool.

Good luck,

Tom

[JK Jake]

Thanks for all of the advice, we all caught several fish, though none of them were big we still had a good time. 

[scaleface]

3 minutes ago, JK Jake said:

Thanks for all of the advice, we all caught several fish, though none of them were big we still had a good time. 

How did you catch them ? 

[JK Jake]

I gave him one of my good lighter spinning rods that was easier for him to cast(remember he had never been fishing at all) and we fished in areas with limited cover.

 

We came across these bridge pilings and some rocks that I know normally at least have small baitfish around them, so I just told him to cast the Ned rig and shake the rod, and he ended up getting 2 small ones, he also lost one on a grub. I figured those lures were the best because they are light yet easy to cast and he doesn’t really have to pull that much at all to set the hook.

 

My dad and I used several different lures and caught a small number of bass, but we didn’t stay out very long because he doesn’t like it when it gets really hot, though I took them to shady spots.