How old before you take a child out fishing.

I know I am jumping the gun a bit, but I am wondering how old your young ones were when you took them out in the boat for the first time.

About a year old she just will go for a boat ride or sunfishing when I sit there and watch and mom fishes.

My daughter was just past 2 years old when she was introduced to fishing. She handled a spinning rod WAY better than I could have hoped for.

There’s a couple keepers from a proud father!

As long as there is two adults in the boat…and it’s not too hot or cold…get them out asap…worry about the fishing part later…
Besides, you need more rod holders installed!

I have to ask Whiskerkev….did you get them by the rocks too?

Sorry, I thought it was humorous…

My wife would scalp me if I tried this season. they turn 6 months in 5 days. I doubt I will ever have a problem getting someone to go catting again. Brian…. I actually had just returned from the rocks… I never do anything half a$$ed,

I took my boys out on the boat as soon as they where big enough to wear a life jacket.

It all depends on the kid. My 3 year old is a maniac and has not been in a boat yet. Except when he climbs into the boat at home. Then once he is in my boat he starts throwing everything out of the boat he can get his hands on.
My daughter is much calmer and has been in boats since about age 2.

dd

At that age they can be out in the boat, but it really isn’t that much fun for them or you. And it should be for a rather short time. There are complications like brutal sunshine in the day and brutal mosquitoes at night that make the river a bad place for pre-walkers. Sandbars are a different story, you can set up a screen tent and have a nice little place for them (but it’s still a lot of work). My boy was 4 months old on his first trip – we have pics of ourselves and our three sets of footprints in the sand that are great memories for his mother and me. But that was a two hour trip and any more would’ve been overkill. Three years old is ideal for having a kid in the boat participating in the action – seeing the fish, having the snacks, watching the birds and trees, feeling the water. They get to be real comfortable in the boat in a hurry if you give them enough to do.

I took my son out starting in his 2’s.. it was more of a *boat ride* then.. anything of walking age would have been about the same.. hard to do anything but troll around a little with real little ones in the boat… big enough for a life jacket would probably be a good standard to go by.

My some is 4 now.. loves the boat and fishing..shore fishing is still easier.. but I simplified the boat fishing.. I put in a 12V outlet(cig lighter) so he could charge up the *game boy advance sp* while in the boat.. all is well when the rods arent bending.

The game boy died after the last trip when it was put away in a bag with his dirnk.. didnt tighten the cap down.. new game boy will be purchased today… It does improve the trip for young kids that lose interest when the line is not tugging.. rod holder and game boy.. only way to go.

I know they are supposed to be out there to enjoy nature, and learn.. and they do.. but only for as long as they want to.. video game takes up the slack and lets them enjoy being outdoors, and elimintates the boredom.

Had both of my daughters out as soon as they were able to sit there with a life jacket on. They were a lot happier in the boat when I explained to them that they didn’t have to fish the whole time. They could color or play with dolls or whatever, I just wanted to spend time with them out in the boat. Eventually they developed an interest in fishing and now they’re both very accomplished anglers.

Rootski

For waaay down the road (say five or so) combine the fishing trip with other activities out of the boat. My son gets ready to go fishing by putting a swimsuit on and making sure I remember the snacks. We always baitfish, swim, then catfish. Most times swimming comes first. Letting him burn some energy really improves his boat attitude later and makes him look forward to our trips. It’s also fun to see how excited he is finding clams and showing me new things he can do swimming – “Dad! Dad! Watch this!”

When the water’s colder in the spring and fall, we tromp around on a shoreline somewhere and see what we see – mushroom hunting was good in the spring and looking for tracks is always good in the fall.

Whatever you do, don’t force them to fish when they aren’t having any fun – break them in gently and remind yourself how young they are. As time wears on it’s inevitable that they’ll come to cherish the time out there, but it won’t be as soon as you’ll want it. Of course making a big deal of what they catch is important – make it seem like they just did the most amazing thing in the world.

In my opinion, there’s no better way to bond with your kids than to show them what you love and make them a part of it. We’re just lucky that the thing we love is so darned interesting – it’s a natural for kids.

I used to take mine to a park with lakeshore.We’d fish for fifteen minutes,then he’d go to the playground.Back and forth until he was tired.I didn’t take him in the boat by myself until he was four.

My little guy has been going on boat rides since he was a year old and just started fishing this summer at the age of three. As stated above, it does help to have two adults in the boat. My beloved wife does a fantastic job of helping my son with sun screen, snacks, etc. while I get the fishing gear ready. We don’t have the patience yet to strictly fish, so we fish for 15-20 minutes and then go for a little cruise and find a new spot.

Next summer I’ll teach him how to flip the finger to those maniac bass boat drivers who are throwing dangerous wakes all over the place. (Please note the sarcasm in my previous statement and check out this thread ) He does ask “to go fast” but we do talk about when it is safe to do that in a boat.

Even when the fishing is not hot and heavy, he still enjoys looking at the bait, sorting through my plastics, pushing buttons on the GPS and graph, feeding any nearby ducks. It is such a joy to have my family with me on the water, enjoying a sport that I love. When I think about what my own dad put up with with three little boys in his boat, it makes me want to nominate him for sainthood.

CR

I remember my son in the boat when he was almost 1. Mom and her eyes on our son made it easier for me to drive. She always had something for him to do while she fished too. When river side he was in his carrier siting up on the ground with moms eyes on him again with his pole in his and her hands and his bobber out in front of him. It didn’t take long and he was with us all the time fishing days or nights, or with me in the boat out on the river or up in the creeks fishing the holes for catfish. The newer dads have to get a camera, even if its a cheap one because we all know kids are expensive, and take pictures to look back on. If you don’t its harder to remember those special moments, ive got a few pictures but wished i would have taken more than i did. Kids and the water are one very special thing in life and one heck of a good place to grow up around.

I have pictures of me when I was about 2 fishing and my baby neice has been out in the boat since she was one.