I admit it. I’m not a fisherman. Fisherwoman. Whatever. I’ve never really felt a huge thrill tossing a line into the water and hoping something will bite. Yankee Bill is better than I am, he enjoys casting a line in occasionally. He’s not fanatical–he says to be a real fisherman you have to get up too early! However we have very close family friends who are really into fishing. Their 16 year old son is the next thing to a nephew for me–and Princess, Buddy and he have grown up as close as cousins. As is the way with such things, anything the 16 year Logan does 12 year old Buddy thinks is awesome. Logan loves to fish, so Buddy is into it. . . at least for short periods of time.*

This month when Walmart asked me to write about a fun summer activity I knew Fishing was it. I’m encouraging the kids to do things that get them off of the media (as limited as we keep it) and stay entertained. Fishing is a great way to do that!

Buddy has been yearning after a “good” fishing pole, which means a spinning reel like his father and Logan have (all our other poles are spincast). We live in a rural area-not only do lots of folks who live here hunt and fish, but there are lots of summer homes, camps and hunting leases around. That means our Walmarts (there are three in a 40 mile radius) all have a pretty extensive sporting goods departments with plenty of fishing gear!

We found the perfect rod. The Ready 2 Fish All Species Spinner Combo. That’s a spinner reeled rod plus a small tackle box with everything you need to get started. . . All for $17.76! Not only that, but when you break the pole down into two pieces for storage, you can use the little tackle box to keep it all together. When he’s 15 or 16 if he’s still into fishing we’ll spring for a higher end fishing rod.

So where do we fish? We are lucky. Our town is right on a river, so in about a 5 minute bike ride Buddy can be down at the town park and fish there. A 5 min ride in the other direction and he’s at Nana’s house with her backyard pond, complete with muskrats, a snapping turtle and some elusive fish. We’ve got 2 NY state parks within 20 minutes drive. This year we finally have a boathouse on a private lake we belong to that has great fishing 20 minutes from the house. Finally we spend a couple of weeks in the summer up in the Adirondacks staying right on the lake where getting to the water basically means walking out the front door and walking a few steps! Princess even throws a line in when we are at the boathouse or on vacation, although she tires of it quickly.

If you don’t know where folk fish near you, just ask around. An enthusiastic fisherman will be happy to tell you some of the areas you can try (although don’t expect them to give up their super secret special spots–avid fishermen always seem to have these!). You can always do a quick internet search for “fishing” and your town, county or city. Looking up state or national parks in your area should also give you some good information on fishing areas.

When you and your kids (or you kids by themselves if they are old enough) head out fishing, you want it to be a pleasant experience. That means you should keep the legnth of the excursion fairly brief at first. It’s better for them to have a good time and wish they could have stayed longer than to have them completely bored and whiny before you leave. Although as far as I’m concerned if they get bored with fishing and have a fantastic time poking at tadpoles with a stick and throwing rocks into the water then it’s still a successful trip.

Some prior planning will make your fishing expedition more enjoyable. If nice Mr. DEC cop stops you and you don’t have a fishing license, you get eaten alive by bugs or a kid starts whining about being starving an hour before you are ready to leave. . . it will kill everyone’s fun. Here’s what I suggest you bring:

Fishing Excursion Packing List

Mandatory Items

Fishing License
Fishing Pole
Tacklebox and tackle appropriate for the fish where you are fishing.
Pocket Knife/Scissors/Toenail Clippers (for cutting tangled line)
Needlenose Pliers (for removing hooks from fish you catch)
Stringer or Bucket (to keep the fish you catch)
Hats
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Water/Drinks

Nice to Have Items:

Ruler
Snacks
Cooler
Camp Chair

Fishing Trip Tips:

Walmart Sporting Goods departments typically sell fishing licenses. Every state has different rules, so make sure you read up on your state or ask some questions where you obtain your license. For example in New York you can buy annual, 7 day or 1 day licenses. All adults must have a fishing license, but children under 16 don’t need one if they are accompanied by an adult. In New York it is also not necessary to have a license under certain circumstances if you are fishing on private property such as the owners and family of a farm pond. Again–check with your state!

Generally the best time to fish are in the morning or in the evening when the fish are biting. Going fishing at noon will be hot and unfruitful, although if you have a kid who just loves fishing and doesn’t mind not catching much by all means try it!

Find out what kind of fish there are where you are fishing. NY’s state parks will say on their websites what kind of fish there are in a particular fishing area–hopefully your state is as helpful. Otherwise you can ask around with the other fisherman or ask at a bait shop.

There are rules by state on what size fish (dependent to fish type) you can keep and which must be “tossed back”. If you catch fish but are not planning on eating them then the standard practice is to “catch and release”.

Be safety conscious. Monitor smaller children near water to prevent drowning or accidents. Teach your kids to look behind them before they cast–it’s cheaper than a trip to the emergency room for a hook in the eye, cheek or ear. Use bug spray and then have everyone check for ticks when you get home (you’ll have to check for the younger folks)–learn about Lyme disease from tick bites and some of the signs (note: not everyone gets the bullseye rash!)!

Pick up some snap swivels while you are at Walmart. Trust me–you don’t want to have to cut & tie every time you change your lure!

Learn to tie a knot in fishing line.

Learn how to put fish on a stringer

Research what tackle to use for what kind of fish.

Still want some more information? The NY State DEC has a free printable I FISH NY Beginners Guide with lots of good information and a page on “Taking a child fishing“. For the record, I did not look at that page until after I had written this post–but I’m glad to see the DEC and I are on the same page 🙂

Happy Fishing!

*Buddy loses patience with fishing, especially if he doesn’t catch anything, after about 45 minutes. That’s ok! I consider it almost an hour of him occupying himself with something 🙂