Fishing for beginners

[Pelado]

My dad's dad loved to go fishing. Even as he got pretty old, he would still enjoy going fishing with his buddies - maybe because the fish didn't care how poor his hearing was. As a kid I remember wanting to go fishing, but we only actually went a handful of times, in part because my dad didn't care for it, in part because he had a lot of medical issues that precluded a very active lifestyle.

Fast forward to today. I have very little interest in fishing. The few times I have gone fishing, I have not been successful in catching much of anything. But my two oldest kids (13 year-old boy, 10 year-old girl) have both expressed interest in fishing. If I take them, I'd like them to have a good time and experience more success than I did as a kid. I don't want to invest a lot of time or money in the endeavor.

So, CS, please endow me with your wisdom. What is the simplest path to my kids having both fun and success in fishing. Stocked ponds/lakes/rivers? Type of bait? Time of day? What can I do so that my kids can experience fun in fishing without emptying my wallet?

[Flystripper]

My dad's dad loved to go fishing. Even as he got pretty old, he would still enjoy going fishing with his buddies - maybe because the fish didn't care how poor his hearing was. As a kid I remember wanting to go fishing, but we only actually went a handful of times, in part because my dad didn't care for it, in part because he had a lot of medical issues that precluded a very active lifestyle.

Fast forward to today. I have very little interest in fishing. The few times I have gone fishing, I have not been successful in catching much of anything. But my two oldest kids (13 year-old boy, 10 year-old girl) have both expressed interest in fishing. If I take them, I'd like them to have a good time and experience more success than I did as a kid. I don't want to invest a lot of time or money in the endeavor.

So, CS, please endow me with your wisdom. What is the simplest path to my kids having both fun and success in fishing. Stocked ponds/lakes/rivers? Type of bait? Time of day? What can I do so that my kids can experience fun in fishing without emptying my wallet?

Do you camp? Do you have a boat or access to one? If you do any camping, hiking, or boating an introduction to fishing will be a natural extension of that. Where you live and/or do your outdoor activities will dictate what sort of fishing introduction you could feasibly do. A little more info around that will allow for some advice that can be helpful to you.

[Art Vandelay]

I have several rules when it comes to fishing

1) Don't Fish
2) Don't take your kids fishing. If they don't know about it, they won't ask to go.
3) Let them go fishing with the scouts or a family friend who likes fishing
4) Go fishing with them once. Show them how boring, and miserable with it is, so they never ask again
5) Wait until they are old enough to go by themselves, and pay for their license.

So yeah, good luck with that.

[Northwestcoug]

I have several rules when it comes to fishing

1) Don't Fish
2) Don't take your kids fishing. If they don't know about it, they won't ask to go.
3) Let them go fishing with the scouts or a family friend who likes fishing
4) Go fishing with them once. Show them how boring, and miserable with it is, so they never ask again
5) Wait until they are old enough to go by themselves, and pay for their license.

So yeah, good luck with that.

LOL.

I felt guilty that I missed my opportunity to teach my son fly fishing, before a girlfriend and other interests took his attention. But then I forgot how when he was younger he would promise me he'd eat the fish we'd catch at the stocked pond, but would only get down a few bites before quitting. No matter how much lemon pepper seasoning, butter, or bacon I'd add, he wasn't a fan. He just didn't see the point of catching fish if we didn't bring them home.

I assume that he'll ask me if he gets serious about it again. But until then, I'll console myself with your wisdom!

[dabrockster]

LOL.

I felt guilty that I missed my opportunity to teach my son fly fishing, before a girlfriend and other interests took his attention. But then I forgot how when he was younger he would promise me he'd eat the fish we'd catch at the stocked pond, but would only get down a few bites before quitting. No matter how much lemon pepper seasoning, butter, or bacon I'd add, he wasn't a fan. He just didn't see the point of catching fish if we didn't bring them home.

I assume that he'll ask me if he gets serious about it again. But until then, I'll console myself with your wisdom!

https://youtu.be/bI8SviHawBo


I just showed my son “A River Runs Through It” and told him this is what happens to those who fish..

Problem solved..


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[old_gregg]

go to a trout farm. throw a bare hook in. catch many fish. throw fish in dumpster. go eat something that doesn’t taste like the bottom of a houseboat.

[Northwestcoug]

https://youtu.be/bI8SviHawBo


I just showed my son “A River Runs Through It” and told him this is what happens to those who fish..

Problem solved..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Before I watched your link, I thought you were referring to the outcomes of the sons. I was going to ask which one you were referring to, settling down in an idyllic Montana setting, or dying a tragic young death?

But he took up river surfing last year, so I don't think getting swept by the current would be much of a deterrent...

[dabrockster]

Before I watched your link, I thought you were referring to the outcomes of the sons. I was going to ask which one you were referring to, settling down in an idyllic Montana setting, or dying a tragic young death?

But he took up river surfing last year, so I don't think getting swept by the current would be much of a deterrent...

I love this movie. Being born in Montana makes it a bit more nostalgic for me. Even though I have no memory of living there..


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[tooblue]

Just remember ... "Fishing is like sex: when it’s great, it’s great. When it’s not so good, it’s still great."

[PaloAltoCougar]

I understand and agree with the negative sentiments here, but one of my fondest fatherhood moments came when (after investing in a couple of rods and reels, tackle box, finishing line and leader, salmon eggs, and who knows what else), I took our oldest, then 9 or so, fishing along the Truckee River just outside of Tahoe City. We spent an hour or two essentially feeding salmon eggs to trout, but when we finally landed a rather pitiful ten-inch rainbow, the look of excitement on my daughter's face and her jumping up and down with glee remain indelibly etched in my memory. Sure, that stupid fish probably cost me a couple hundred bucks, but it was worth it.

We returned a few times after that, with only middling success. I haven't fished in twenty years, though, with little desire to return. I feel about fishing the same way I feel about sailing--take away the awesomeness of being with your kids, and you can achieve the same effect by standing in a cold shower tearing up hundred dollar bills.

[BigPiney]

I don't fish even though I live in a fishing destination. Heck they celebrate Fishmas around here. For those that don't know, it usually occurs the same weekend as the NFL draft.

[Pelado]

Do you camp? Do you have a boat or access to one? If you do any camping, hiking, or boating an introduction to fishing will be a natural extension of that. Where you live and/or do your outdoor activities will dictate what sort of fishing introduction you could feasibly do. A little more info around that will allow for some advice that can be helpful to you.

We haven't done a lot of camping in the past. I'm planning to do more this year. Most of our camping will be in the Idaho mountains near small streams and rivers, but we can modify some/many of our destinations to be near more lakes or reservoirs if it makes a difference. We don't have a boat.

We could also do day trips to lots of potential fishing locations near the Boise area. My daughter expressed (again) her desire to go fishing when I took them to see Thousand Springs (and Malad Gorge and Shoshone Falls) on the Snake River last week, within a couple hours of our home. There are a bunch of hatcheries all along that stretch of the Snake because of the year-round 58 degree water coming out of the Snake River Plain Aquifer at Thousand Springs.

The Boise, Snake, and Payette rivers are all within a quick drive. There are also several somewhat sizeable reservoirs nearby (Lucky Peak, Arrowrock, Black Canyon, etc.). Lakes and ponds are available all along the Boise River - Quinn Pond, Silver Lake, Boise Cascade Lake, the lakes at the new Esther Simplot Park, Parkcenter Pond, etc. I don't know what fish, if any, are easy to catch in any of those bodies of water, but there are plenty of places to fish.

I have several rules when it comes to fishing

1) Don't Fish
2) Don't take your kids fishing. If they don't know about it, they won't ask to go.
3) Let them go fishing with the scouts or a family friend who likes fishing
4) Go fishing with them once. Show them how boring, and miserable with it is, so they never ask again
5) Wait until they are old enough to go by themselves, and pay for their license.

So yeah, good luck with that.

My fishing rules have been pretty similar. I was thinking of following your rule #4, making sure they had a miserable time, but I figured they are probably miserable around me enough already.

go to a trout farm. throw a bare hook in. catch many fish. throw fish in dumpster. go eat something that doesn’t taste like the bottom of a houseboat.

Is that how catch and release works?

I understand and agree with the negative sentiments here, but one of my fondest fatherhood moments came when (after investing in a couple of rods and reels, tackle box, finishing line and leader, salmon eggs, and who knows what else), I took our oldest, then 9 or so, fishing along the Truckee River just outside of Tahoe City. We spent an hour or two essentially feeding salmon eggs to trout, but when we finally landed a rather pitiful ten-inch rainbow, the look of excitement on my daughter's face and her jumping up and down with glee remain indelibly etched in my memory. Sure, that stupid fish probably cost me a couple hundred bucks, but it was worth it.

We returned a few times after that, with only middling success. I haven't fished in twenty years, though, with little desire to return. I feel about fishing the same way I feel about sailing--take away the awesomeness of being with your kids, and you can achieve the same effect by standing in a cold shower tearing up hundred dollar bills.

PAC's wisdom shines through once again. And the cold shower line elicited audible laughter from me.

[clackamascoug]

I've a ton of fond memories of fishing with my dad, mostly Flaming Gorge out on the boat. Used to take girls on fishing dates up the Provo while at BYU. Truth is... it's about 1/10th as fun as golfing. As I got older I had my kids focus on golf. Fishing never came up, anytime we had time, I'd take both the boys and girls golfing in late summer evenings. Watching and enjoying my daughter get a par... is the same as good feeling that all parents should feel individually with their children. If you can't find something better than fishing... fishing is better than nothing with your kids.

Waiting for the JL tsunami..

[mtnbiker]

Not getting too much help, are you? I wasn't much of a fan of fishing as a kid; not much success. But later on I was introduced to stream fishing along the Little Lost River, and that was a lot of fun. Find a winding stream that's only 5-10 yards across, and use a spinning rig to cast into the deeper holes along the bends. Leapfrog up and down the stream, stopping for a few casts near each hole you see. The fish may be fairly small, but they are easy to reel in. I hadn't been fishing for many years, but got invited to fish along the Owens River near Mammoth a couple of years ago. I pulled in a fish on the 2nd cast, and caught a couple of others in a couple of hours of fishing, while my son-in-law got skunked.

My favorite lure is a little Panther Martin, 1/16 oz, like this, matched with a 6-foot pole and about 4-lb test.
panther martin 16th oz-300.jpg

[Jeff Lebowski]

Pelado, it is very important that you ignore all these low-t desk jockeys who are falling all over themselves to justify their sad, miserable lives. I have seen this countless times when kids realize that their dad is a loser for not dragging them off the the couch and engaging in healthy, fun, and rewarding outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, rock climbing, backpacking, etc. You are wise to note their dissatisfaction. You need to get going now before your wife gets sick of it and your kids end up learning to enjoy life with their new stepdad who will be cool and way more fun.

As for fishing, you need to go big or go home. Don't try to figure it out by yourself. You will probably struggle and end up crashing and burning like Art Vandelay obviously did and NOBODY wants that to happen, except maybe Art. Find a friend or two who know what they are doing and beg him to take you and your kids along. Better yet, hire a guide to take you out on the river. Boise area has outstanding fly fishing as I understand. Most quality fishing lakes have guides you can hire for a day where they take you out on their boat. The nuclear option is to book a trip to Alaska to catch salmon and halibut. Catching massive fish surrounded by whales, orcas, seals, dolphins, sea lions, bears, etc. is a life-altering experience. Your kids would consider you to be the world's greatest dad at that point.

Flystripper has some good suggestions too. Take your kids out camping and hiking and get them conditioned to outdoor activities. Tons of websites where you can research trails and cool destinations. I would also recommend signing up for a rock climbing class at your local climbing shop. They are cheap and safe and you will have a blast.

If you are ever in Utah County, let me know. I could show you and your kids a great time. But I would need advance notice because I have a ton of dads in similar straits begging me to take them up.

Good luck!