Family Fishing Fun - Cowboy Style - How to Get Started Fishing

THE THOMAS RANCH FAMILY FISHING FUN

How to get started Fishing.

For a child or a new beginner, an hour or two fishing provides quite a thrill. You don't need to be a fishing expert to teach a child or someone else to fish. Simply follow these fishing guidelines:

Begin with a close-faced spin-cast rod and reel. These reels are easy to use and are generally trouble free. These have a single push button activation. Choose a fishing rod that is lightweight and flexible, yet rugged enough to survive hard use. A beginner's rod should bend freely when shaken. This will allow the child to feel a small fish pull as if it where a lot bigger than it actually is. Select a premium grade fishing line. Beginning fishermen, especially kids, seem to catch the largest fish in the lake. Beginners Luck some say. A clear, flexible line, rated to break between 8 and 12 lbs., performs admirably.

Other items you'll need to complete a fish-catching system include bobbers (1-1/2" diameter), a few sinkers (1/8- to 1/2-oz. size), a package or two of hooks (sizes 6 to 10), a good pair of needle nose pliers, some bait and a few cooperative fish.

To rig your equipment, tie a sinker to the end of your line. Attach a snelled hook (a hook with a six-inch piece of line pre-attached) one foot above the sinker. If after a few minutes of fishing you haven't caught anything, move the bobber deeper at about one-foot intervals. Cast to different places, testing each new depth. If you still haven't caught anything after adjusting the bobber to six feet, remove it and try fishing on the bottom. When bottom fishing, hold the line between your fingers to feel bites. Or, keeping the line taut, prop your rod in a forked stick and watch for the rod tip to jiggle, indicating a bite. The size of fish you catch isn't important, and it's better to fish for abundant fish such as bluegills, crappies or bullheads (Catfish). Catching 10 is more fun (and more nutritional) than catching one small bass. Bass fishing is a great sport, but not one to start a beginner fisherman. More beginner fishermen are lost due to lack of interest and not catching anything because they start off trying to catch the monster Bass of a lifetime.

Bluegill feed on insects and smaller aquatic life. They like quiet water and cover, such as weed beds stumps, brush, docks etc. They can be caught year round, but one of the best times to fish for them is during the spawn. The spawn takes place in the spring and early summer when the water temperature hits 70 degrees. They're easily caught during their spawn because aggressive males guard the spawning beds. Bluegill tend to school together, so if you catch one don’t move, others should be there. After the spawn is over Bluegill move to deeper water, and come back into the shallows in the early morning or late evening to feed. The best places to fish are small, uncrowned waters close to home. Local ponds are a great spot to try a new beginner. Try in the shallows, around docks, rocky spots, weedy shorelines, places where trees overhang the water or where submerged trees, brush or other shade is found. Contrary to the practice of many beginning anglers, fish are not found in trees or in bushes.

Worms (night crawlers) will catch an endless variety of fish and are available at most bait stores. Worms feel no pain, even thou they wiggle about when you cut them and put them on the hook. Or send junior out near home to find grasshoppers, crickets or other small critters that scurry about where kids play. This provides good entertainment the day before you go fishing, too.

Make your first few fishing trips short and interesting. When short is used it could be as little as 15 min to 2 hours it will depend on the child and their attention span. Fish in places that have lots of fish and don't feel too bad when your child or friend catches the biggest fish, it seems that it always happens that way. Holding a rod for a child and setting the hook on an unexpected fish, then handing the rod back to the child is a great way to get them motivated in fishing. This will alleviate all of the missed hooks. Nothing is more disturbing to a child then to miss a bite from the alluring little blue gill.

Water safety is an important issue when it comes to "Fishing With Kids". Remember to always leave the alcohol at home. Never leave a child unsupervised even for a moment when around the water fishing. Think about taking a CPR class. Enjoy your day fishing and do it safely.

Take a moment out of your life and Take A Child Fishing.