“Give a man a fish he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime.”
Teaching your kids how to fish can be a great bonding experience. It can strengthen the relationship between you and them, and teach your child some valuable lessons about life. If you would like to teach your kids how to fish, the guidelines below can help you take the right steps.
Get Kid-Friendly Equipment
Before you can go fishing with your kids, you will need some kid-friendly fishing equipment. This equipment is quite easy to find because any dedicated fishing store will have some simple, basic fishing rods that kids can use.
You can also make the trip to buy the fishing equipment a learning experience. Teach your kids the names of all the equipment and explain to them how everything works before you go fishing. This will help build the excitement.
Find a Good Spot
Finding a good and safe spot to fish is also essential, especially with young children. Getting a peaceful spot is also good to catch fish because noise can scare the fish away!
Bait the Hook
Putting the bait on the hook may be quite complicated and dangerous for young children, so you will want to put the bait on the hook for them when starting. Be sure you show your children how they can put the bait on the hook and let them try if they wish to do so. It is also important to be patient and not get upset if your child does not get it right from the start.
Teach How to Hold the Pole
Using the fishing rod also requires some skill, so you will have to show your child how to hold the fishing pole properly, cast and reel. Remember, it is important to not throw the bobber upwards, but downwards.
Teach How and When to Pull
Before you start fishing, you will also need to explain what may happen when a fish bites the bait. They will need to quickly pull back the pole to catch the fish.
Teach About Being Quiet
When you go fishing, it is extremely important to explain to your children why they need to be quiet. Tell them that the fish will not bite when there is a lot of noise and that being quiet can be a rewarding thing.
Teach to Be Patient and Pay Attention
Fishing is also a great way to teach your children patience. Kids tend to be quite busy and often get distracted quickly. Fishing can provide your kids with the tools to become more patient and concentrate on what they are doing.
Give Them Breaks
When children go fishing for the first time, it can be an exhausting experience, especially when they have to be quiet for a long period of time. For that very reason it is important to take regular breaks and let them play and explore.
Are you ready for a great fishing experience with your kids? Follow the guidelines above, and you and your child will be on the path to learning how to fish before long.