Tips For Fishing with Kids

It can be a lot of fun and a great bonding experience to teach your kids how to fish. It can also be the start of many future fishing trips that help create fond memories for a lifetime! With some forethought and preparation, you can ensure that the excursion stays safe and fun for all. As your local fishing boat dealer in Sanger and New Braunfels, Fish And Ski Marine wants to help you keep all your fishing trips easy and hassle-free! Read our tips below for fishing with kids and if you’re looking for fishing boats for sale near Dallas or San Antonio, contact our sales team for further assistance!

Discuss the Expedition with Your Child

To ensure that your kids enjoy the fishing expedition, you should take care to make it match their expectations. Children are less patient and they may expect to catch fish every few minutes on the boat. When reality is different, they may feel disappointed and bored. Make sure your child is prepped for what the fishing trip will be like. You can even show them fishing videos and explain the basics in advance to help them better understand what a fishing trip is like. 

It may also be helpful to let them meet the captain of the boat and let them ask questions to help them feel more comfortable on the boat. Kids love routine and they may enjoy the same fishing day over and over again. It’s important to remember not to push your child too hard. Even if fishing isn’t something they originally wanted to do, you can help them make the most of the day by introducing other activities like exploring the dock, reading books, or taking naps.

Pack the Supplies

Here are a few essentials you will want on your fishing boat with your little ones. Make sure to bring:

• life jackets for everyone on board
• plenty of kid-friendly snacks (you can even get your child involved in packing by letting them pick the snacks)
• plenty of water so everyone can stay hydrated
• a first aid kit so you can address minor health issues
• hats or sunglasses to help shield young boaters from the sun

Keep the Fishing Trip Short

Try to keep your first few fishing boat trips short, around two to four hours maximum. This is enough time to teach your child some techniques and bond with them but not so much that your child is drained by the end. You want your kids to leave excited for the next fishing trip, not relieved to finally be hitting the road. 

If your child seems tired or antsy, cut the trip short. They might be ready for a nap, or maybe they just aren’t interested in fishing. Don’t push them too hard. Over time, you’ll all figure out the best length for future trips.

Aim for Easy Fish

You don’t want to start off by trying to make your child catch more tricky fish. You should focus on ones that are easier to catch so your child has more fun and less frustration. Try to set up your fishing boat in an area packed with fish that are actively eating - it'll help increase your child's chances of catching something. 

Another tip that helps make fishing fun for kids is letting them cast their own line and reel it in when they catch something. You can also do this by attaching a smaller fishing line to the main line to make it easier for kids to reel in their catch. At the end of the day, the most important thing is for your child to have fun while fishing.

Encourage Exploration

If you’ve got young kids, they will probably need to take breaks from casting and waiting. You can encourage them to explore the area while remaining where you can keep an eye on them. They can play games, seek out unique-looking rocks, race leaf boats, or any other outdoor activity that they enjoy. Kids love to find places where they can dig and create holes in the dirt, so be sure to encourage this. They can also look for rocks of different shapes and sizes. If they can find a small stream or lake, they can try casting near the water to see if they can catch a fish. 

If they need a break from casting, they can look for bugs to catch. Kids love to find places where they can dig and create holes in the dirt, so be sure to encourage this. They can also look for rocks of different shapes and sizes. If they can find a small stream or lake, they can try casting near the water to see if they can catch a fish.

Teach Proper Fish Treatment

If your kids are under 12 years old, you'll likely be releasing the fish for them. Talk through what you are doing so they understand the process. It's helpful to showcase the importance of being gentle with the fish, which will help teach your child how to properly handle fish.

Older children may be able to release the fish on their own. But you might want to keep your hands outside their hands for their first few times of releasing the fish. It's easy for kids to get startled by sudden jerks of the fish, which can lead to them accidentally throwing or dropping the fish. Keep your hands ready to intervene and make sure the fish is well taken care of!

We hope you’ll find this information helpful in teaching your kids how to fish! If you need more help or want to check out fishing boats for sale in Sanger or New Braunfels, get in touch with us at Fish And Ski Marine and we’ll show you our wide inventory! We’re very proud to be the leading fishing boat dealer in Texas for Dallas and San Antonio!