Words Of Encouragement

[Mobasser]

I've often wondered how many youngsters start fishing, then give it up and never fish again. Many times, this is due to the person who is teaching them to fish.I was lucky to have an older brother who taught me the basics of bass fishing back in the mid 1960s. He never scolded or laughed when I made a mistake, and I made plenty of them. Because of him being patient, I had this as a background when my grandson started fishing with me at 10yrs old. For his first couple of years, I wasn't sure if Aiden really liked fishing very much. He didn't really seem that interested, and I spent most of our time untangling his line, and helping him with. other problems. At age 13, he hooked and landed a 4lb bass on a spinnerbait, and everything changed. Now at 16, Aiden is a pretty good bass fisherman, and I'm sure he'll be fishing for the rest of his life. We also have to remember that not all kids are the same. Some take to fishing right away, while others may need more time to develop an interest, and may never really love fishing as much as you do. The main thing is patience. When they make a mistake, don't jump on them, or scold them. This can shut them down, and cause them to dislike fishing. When they make a nice cast, or hook a bass and bring him to the net, let them know with a " nice job" or " you did great on that one, keep up the nice work". And, " your getting better every day, stick with it". Take the skills you've learned, and teach them in a calm, patient way. Before long, you'll have a good fisherman tagging along. Keep in mind that you were a beginner at one point, and had many of the same struggles along the way. A few words of encouragement, and hooking and fighting that first nice fish, can make all the difference.

[Vilas15]

I fished with my dad as a kid but I can remember getting bored and not wanting to sit in the rain. It wasn't until I turned about 21 that I got back into it. Now we're both out there in rain gear freezing our ***** off for a few bites. It's a hobby that takes a lot of patience on the part of the angler and anyone teaching them.

[WRB]

Most of us started with a bobber and worm for bluegill, success was garenteed. Graduating to game fish like bass doesn't garentee success for youngsters or adults and that fact should be taken into consideration when introducing fishing to a kid.

Take a kid or new angler fishing when and where you know a good bite is a high percentage for whatever species of fish being caught.

Successful fishing is fun, unsuccessful fishing is discouraging.

Everyone learns life lessons soon enough and catching fish isn't always garenteed but it should a enjoyable experience.

Tom

[jimmyjoe]

   The principles you mentioned apply to just about anything, not just fishing.    jj

[tander]

Take a kid fishing whenever the opportunity come around. I had rather see them on a lake or pond fishing than behind a computer screen playing games.

[Captain Phil]

I was introduced to fishing by my grandfather.  After he retired, he would take me with him.  We would sit on the bank of a canal for hours.  We hardly ever caught anything.  I was never bored because I wanted to be with my grandfather more than anything. 

 

Taking a kid fishing is not about catching fish.  It's about telling stories, sharing the experience and just having an adult's attention for a few hours.  Today's families don't spend time with their kids.  Everyone is too busy.  Kids substitute their phones and the Internet for their parents.   They are no substitute for a real Mom and Dad.

 

 

[roadwarrior]

"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own

 

[Teal]

My son is 10 (he will be in June 19)and has been fishing with me since he was able to stand and walk.  I've never been much of a bream fisher, or bobber fisherman, so it's cool that he experienced the disappointments that go with bass fishing because with those come the super highs when we get on a pattern or when he makes the perfect pitch to the right spot or sets the hook and gets the bass in what I call "center mass" (square in the roof of the mouth).  Its definitely been an adventure.  I rarely fish alone anymore,  I spend a good amount of time getting him unhung or out of a tree, but it's not as bad as what it was..  I was also blessed years ago with a young man from church that I was able to help and get into fishing...he didnt have a father in his life andI took up alot of time with him and helped him get his first two jobs and turned him into a tackle junkie (he is all up in the JDM stuff now, way outta my league) he is 22 or 23 now and fishes with me whenever he is home ( hes in the navy) he calls ever fathers day (makes me cry) and thanks me and baits me into going to bass pro with him.

 

Bass fishing is fun and addicting, but with my two boys,( yes the other one counts lol)  IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT THE 8FISHING. The hardest thing has been being patient and allowing them to fail a little and sometimes even letting them make the call on where we go and we try.

 

 

[Rpratt]

Well, with my step sons, I had no luck. It's hot outside, or it might rain.... Name any excuse and they were just not interested. All they cared about was their phones and Xbox. I got to them too late sadly. 

 

However I was very encouraged this past weekend when I spotted a young man on his bike at Casey's. He had a backpack and 3 rods and he was headed to the town park lake. I asked nicely to leave some fish for me. He thought that was funny...?

 

I went home, grabbed a few packs of worms, went to the lake and to his surprise.... Handed it to him. He asked me why I was doing it and I let him know. I said to him....

 

You are the coolest kid I have seen in a long long time! ?

[Mobasser]

31 minutes ago, Rpratt said:

Well, with my step sons, I had no luck. It's hot outside, or it might rain.... Name any excuse and they were just not interested. All they cared about was their phones and Xbox. I got to them too late sadly. 

 

However I was very encouraged this past weekend when I spotted a young man on his bike at Casey's. He had a backpack and 3 rods and he was headed to the town park lake. I asked nicely to leave some fish for me. He thought that was funny...?

 

I went home, grabbed a few packs of worms, went to the lake and to his surprise.... Handed it to him. He asked me why I was doing it and I let him know. I said to him....

 

You are the coolest kid I have seen in a long long time! ?

That's great!

[scaleface]

  My dad was a very simple fisherman . He had zebco 202's and the cheapest rods made . Started me off with a cane pole before graduating me to a 202 .Most of the time the junk reels wouldnt cast   so a  dunk  in the water made it a little smoother .So I grew up catching bluegills , bullheads and such .It was pretty easy fishing , not complicated at all which I guess helped me enjoy it .  At age 12 I  got a  spinning combo for my birthday .  A Shakespeare Wonder Rod and reel .Finally , I could cast . I still have the rod . 

[DitchPanda]

My dad started taking me fishing before I could even walk. I've had a rod and reel in my hands all but a few years in high school when I thought girls were more important since the age of 2 or 3. My dad worked his tail off when I was growing up working 60 to 75 hours a week or more for years but he still made time to fish with me on his 1 or 2 days off a week after 5 15s. Can't thank him enough for that. I grew up inshore saltwater fishing for redfish speckled trout and flounder mostly..and as much as I love bass I miss it sometimes.

 

I myself don't have kids but my sister has two..a boy and a girl..they are my godchildren and I take them from time to time. Trying my best to pay it forward.

[Bluegillslayer]

I often take my brothers fishing but they dont love fishing as much as me and dont want to go as often. But recently my youngest brother who is 8 has been going with me and my grandparents and slaying the bluegill. Another one of my brothers is doing really good saltwater fishing and does not need any help fishing.

 

[Bruce424]

i took my daughter for the first time. she is two. she seemed to have a blast reeling the sunnies in. holding them was her favorite part?. hope she gets into it. she already has a pb bass of 3 inches.

[Bluegillslayer]

21 minutes ago, Bruce424 said:

i took my daughter for the first time. she is two. she seemed to have a blast reeling the sunnies in. holding them was her favorite part?. hope she gets into it. she already has a pb bass of 3 inches.

My grandma and I took my 2 year old sister fishing for trout, lots of bites but no fish after a while she would get bored and walk from one end of the small pond to another and eventually she peed her pants and we walked home. Not the best day of fishing?

[Bruce424]

41 minutes ago, Bluegillslayer said:

My grandma and I took my 2 year old sister fishing for trout, lots of bites but no fish after a while she would get bored and walk from one end of the small pond to another and eventually she peed her pants and we walked home. Not the best day of fishing?

yea fishing days with lil ones are usually short lived.

[NYWayfarer]

I took my son to a local pond when he was real young. It has a playground so I fished and kept an eye on him while he was on the slide and swings.

 

When I hooked a fish I would call him to run over and reel it in. Catfish, Sunfish, Bass and Trout. He had a great time and we did it quite a few times.

 

Flash forward to his teen years and he doesn't want to fish with me. He hangs with friends and goes fishing with them from time to time.

 

Sooner or later the pendulum will swing the other way and we will fish again. I know it did with me and my Dad.

[Jaderose]

Two daughters.  Most likely, neither will ever fish again.  BUT, we had fun when they were young.  I HATED taking them fishing until I learned a very valuable lesson.  When fishing with children, forget fishing yourself.  It ain't about you.  and if you make it about you, they will have a miserable time and so will you.  My daughters loved catching Sunny after Sunny for about an hour...tops.  When they were done, they were done.  I didn't try to push it or tell them they were "doing it wrong".  They weren't and they wouldn't have cared if they were.  They were doing something with Dad.  THAT'S what they remember.  Nor "personal bests" or any of the stuff we care about.

[Captain Phil]

I grew up in a bad area of Miami.  I didn't know it at the time.  In the eighth grade, one of the kids in my gym class turned out to be on the Public Enemy List.  I had as much chance of being in prison as being out.  Two things kept me straight, church and fishing.   When other kids were hanging out at night, I was either at church or planning a fishing trip.  If you see a kid carrying a fishing pole, that was me.  I learned to cast into a bucket on the front lawn of our home.  I taught myself to cast a fly rod.  I learned how not to get a backlash, most of the time. I saved money from my paper route to buy my first Mitchell 300.  I met my wife when she was 15 years old. She loved fishing too.  We fished before school and after.  Fifty eight years later, we are still fishing.  We fished with our son when he was too young to walk.  If you take a kid fishing, you could be affecting him or her in ways you can't imagine.  Some kids don't like fishing.  All kids want their parents to love them.  

[N Florida Mike]

Im so blessed to have had a dad like mine. He worked all the time, but always found time to get me out fishing, playing baseball, and church. 

Largely Because of him, I also use fishing to help others -family, friends etc. Nothing like getting out in the boat and discussing life, whether it be spiritual, physical, emotional issues,or life in general. My middle son took to it like a duck to water. He is the most like me, fishing wise anyway. I don’t remember getting bored with fishing when I was young - even  when we weren’t catching anything. Joe is the same way. Of course, we usually caught fish, because I wanted us to have the most fun possible. 
Now, he is so into it he commercial fishes part of the year and looks at it like he’s getting paid to do something he loves.

There were times when he was a rebellious teen that the Lord used fishing to keep us from being at each others throats- literally. 

The time spent fishing is a gift that keeps on giving.