There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the pure joy and excitement of your little fly-fishing apprentice hooking onto their first fish, but catching the fish itself is not what is going to keep a child from being hooked on the sport like you and me. We all know that it's not every time we match the hatch perfectly or strip the perfect streamer past a hungry fish. Helping a kid get pumped up for the whole outing is what will keep them wanting to go out again and again. Here are some tips I have come to learn that will help. First comes first, find a rod you are okay with possibly being broken as the common 10 and 2 rule-of-thumb doesn’t quite apply to a child who may not know the clock yet.
Get them excited
Get them excited about the outing! Buy them fishing-themed toys and books. Show them pictures and videos of fish being caught, especially pictures of you! Nothing better than their own idols holding a big brown trout with a bunch of feathers and fur in the corner of its mouth. The passion and excitement from a parent will hopefully captivate the little angler's attention. Take them to the local fly shop and have them look in awe at all the fancy feathers and bug imitations. It's not just a candy store for adults! I have seen little kids' eyes light up with all the new objects around and taxidermy on the walls.
Let them do it all
Once you get to your destination, get them to do as much as possible on their own. If it takes them 10 minutes to thread their line through the guides on their rod, then perfect, it's now a game. Tie on a piece of yarn with no hook on it and teach them a basic back and forward cast and let them whip the line around. Give yourself space, and I promise they will enjoy this. Since I don’t suggest putting a real hook on just yet, welcome to your new net guy! Have them net as many fish as they can safely do so!
Patience is Key
Let them be them. You can’t push fly fishing or fishing in general on to a young child, the most important thing here is getting them to love heading out with you. If they are purposely trying to catch seaweed, let them, if they would rather throw rocks or dig for worms than perfect, bring nets and shovels so they can discover bugs and when the fishing gets hot, help them cast their rod (with a real fly) and see if you get lucky and have that camera ready!
Non-stop teaching, learning, and safety
Bring a net, a shovel, and a bucket and ask them to catch bugs and scoop water creatures, teach them about the bugs and which type of fish eats them. Point out the wildlife and birds and ask them to pick the next fly for you. Teach them hook safety, rod control, water dangers and keep a life jacket on them whether they are on a boat or shore.
Be prepared
Sounds obvious, but bringing sunscreen, warm clothes, light clothes, sunglasses, and hats! This will make a huge difference in the kid's comfort level being out in the elements, and don’t forget good snacks! This is all about offering a child a positive experience so that they will want to keep coming again and again until eventually, your little apprentice can be their own independent fly fisherman!
Last but not least, I have heard countless times to keep the first fishing trips short to avoid the kids from getting bored. As all kids are very different, this is important to keep in mind, but if the experience is less about catching fish and more about ‘being out fishing’ then you are introducing them to a more intimate and fun experience rather than just a goal of catching a fish.
Now get ready, grab the kids, and get fishing!
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