Hook a leash on his life jacket an take that lil' feller to the water. From experience make it fun whether he catches any fish or not. He's a FINE lookin boy, and cherish every moment.
he looks like hes ready to go. get them started youg. my son is 7 and he loves to go. that wears off after about 5 mintues of sitting out there, until the gills start biting or until i help him reel in a 10 # cat. then he is all about it again. he starts hoopin and hollering and thats when you know its all worth it.
a. keep it short
b. keep it safe
c. dont have high expectations of the catch
d. plan on making it interactive. ex. let him help you dig some worms-put a gill in a bucket of water for him to look at play with etc.
Bingo Larry!!! I started taking both my son and daughter when they were very young. My daughter caught her first fish at 18 months. My 6 year old son can consistently outfish grown men. No I'm not kidding, he really can. He won't do it the way I tell him to, he has his own methods & they work, believe it or not. He can bait his own hook reasonably well, but that little toot can cast like nothing I've ever seen. He has about a half dozen poles already (I snatch up every used Zebco 33 I see in pawn shops) and he can use em to perfection. I have fishing line hanging from every tree in my front yard, from him getting out and casting in the yard. He loves to practice.
This last spring, when the water was coming over our local spillway, I was taking my son down there & murdering sandbass and stripers. Each time we went, Jaden outfished everyone standing around him. When we fish the sandbass run at the river coming into our local lake, Jaden will not reel his jigs in. He throws them out and leaves them lay on bottom, or allows them to tumble downstream with the current. He catches about 2X as many fish as anyone else I take. Don't ask me why, but his method works in a big way.
My only advice is this: when you're taking your kids..... It's not about you catching fish. It's all about the kids. If you think you'll be tempted to focus on your own fishing too much, then leave your own poles at home & just take the kids' poles. They will never forget the times spent fishing with you, believe me I can still remember my dad taking me all the time when I was little. Be sure they're safe, but take them. You will not regret it. If you have to, cast their lines & hook the fish and then let them reel them in. Do whatever you gotta do, but just get them involved and make it fun. They're gonna kill the bait, throw rocks in the water, and be kids.... let them. Take drinks & snacks, and let them be kids.
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