Kids/fly Casting

[trucha]

So my girls are 5 and 6 and they're really showing an interest in angling. Right now it's just Barbie rods but I'm thinking, "wouldn't it be better if, at this young age, they learned how to wield a fly rod?" you know, just like it's easier for kid to pick up a language than it is an adult. I am curious to know what kind of experiences others have had, and whether anyone offers casting lessons geared towards kids.

 

Cheers

[reevesr1]

So my girls are 5 and 6 and they're really showing an interest in angling. Right now it's just Barbie rods but I'm thinking, "wouldn't it be better if, at this young age, they learned how to wield a fly rod?" you know, just like it's easier for kid to pick up a language than it is an adult. I am curious to know what kind of experiences others have had, and whether anyone offers casting lessons geared towards kids.

 

Cheers

 

At that age, in my opinion, it is far better to use whatever method is easiest and catches fish. Don't complicate things at this age. If it's too complicated, or worse yet not effective, most kids will get bored and quit. I know there are exceptions to this, but it is true in most cases. Get them hooked on fishing first, then worry about methodology.

 

[Conor]

Agreed. Get them both fly and gear and let them use what they like best.

 

It's all about fun for kids. When I take my girls out they spend more time climbing on rocks, finding bugs, playing with nets, going to the playground, etc etc then they do fishing. They ask to go fishing all the time.

[Din]

I've heard Tenkara is good for kids to get into the sport...may be worth looking into

[trucha]

Thanks for your feedback, good food for thought.

[Hawgstoppah]

Another thing that hepled out when introcuding my kids to the sport is to not overwhelm them until they REALLY want to go, and then when they do want to go take them somewhere that it is easy to catch fish. Cataract Creek for example, or any number of small cutthroat streams. I took my gals to a small section of cutty stream last year where they got into oodles of fish and (I think) fell in love with it. They are asking to go again this year already

[fishpro]

Do you have any sort of a boat? I learned how to fly fish when at that age mostly by trolling sinking lines for stocked trout, and then a bit of casting here and there. Worked well for getting me into fly fishing, however I was completely hooked on fishing by that age anyway.

[JohnBW]

All three of my kids have fly fished from a young age - although both my oldest (both girls) now have other interest, my son is 13 and has been casting a fly since he was 5 or 6 and is off the chart crazy for the sport and a damn good caster! My best advice would be get low end gear that you aren't concerned about them dropping in the sand or throwing down when a frog hops in front of them! Let them be kids and enjoy nature - including skipping stones when a fish is rising and helping them find bugs and frogs if that is what they want to do for an hour. It will grow on them and in no time they will be focused on casting and fishing with flies - but only when they are ready to enjoy it.