Should you teach your child to fish?

So you want to teach your child how to fish? Whoa! Not so fast. Before you grab the fishing poles and head to the dock there are important things to consider. This is by no means an exclusive list but three areas you should consider before you get started:

· Desire
· Ability
· Safety

DESIRE: Does your child desire to learn how to fish or is it just a passion of yours?
Young children especially are greatly influenced by one or both parents and many times desire to imitate them even if not particularly interested in the sport. Try to determine if their desire to learn is genuine or if it's only to please you. If it's the latter then proceed slowly and don't have high expectations. If it's not fishing they are interested in but just wanting to be with you then perhaps you should try another activity with them. This may require some patience and sacrifice on your part especially if you're an avid fisherman. You may really want your child to have your same passion but if they don't, they don't. Don't force it on them.

ABILITY: If you determine they really "do" have a desire to learn how to fish then you must consider not only their ability but also their limitations. Age will be a determining factor for that. You don't want to burden small children with over sized equipment or complicated lures. They will quickly become frustrated and so will you. For instance if you know your child is squeamish then use a simple artificial bait instead of live crickets, worms or shrimp. On the other hand an older child likely will want the challenge of more sophisticated gear (like Dad).

SAFETY: This is listed last but Safety is always first when children (and adults) are around water. It should go without saying that proper fitting life jackets must be worn. There's no giving in here for any reason. If your child does not want to wear one then they shouldn't be around water. No room for compromise. You are the parent. Tell them they have to wear a life jacket or they stay home. NEVER take your eyes off of smaller children around water even for a minute. Accidents happen fast. If your child is older you may want to teach basic boating safety skills and what to do in an emergency. Hopefully you won't have one but it's best to be prepared and good for them to know.

Fishing is a fun and relaxing sport and one you want your child to enjoy fishing with you but be a good sport and parent. Test your child's desire and if it's genuine proceed with teaching them within their ability. Take all necessary measures to ensure their safety. Cover these three basic areas and perhaps you'll have a fishing buddy for life.

I have some very fond memories of fishing with my 3 brothers and Dad. We'd get up around 3 am to load up the boat and drive to a nearby marsh. When the boat lift lowered our 16' boat into the brackish waters it was still dark but the sun was just starting to peep over the horizon. Even in the middle of summer we had to wear a jacket. The mist was heavy from a fog that lingered over the water but soon the sun was up and we were shedding jackets. By noon we were sweating. Dad knew how to find the schools of trout and we pulled them in as fast as we could get out poles back into the water. Those were some fun times.

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