Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 36
BEGINNER
FISHING
PRACTICE
FOR KIDS
by John Allen
photos by the author
P
ractice? Yes, we're talking about practice. We have all
been there. On opening day of trout season, you make
that first cast and your line ends up in a tree. For a
kid, it has typically been 6 to 8 months since last casting a
rod. While they may have been good last summer, that will
completely change after a long layoff. Practice goes a long way
to allow for a better first outing. You can't make it " fishing
practice, " but rather a fun activity that involves using their
favorite fishing rods.
My kids usually get the fishing itch just as it starts to get
warm in the early spring. It also happens to be close to trout
season. I like to capitalize on this desire by getting them out
of the house and a fishing rod in their hands.
Equipment
When practicing, it should be as close to fishing as
possible. To increase safety, do not use any hooks attached to
the line. There are rubber practice fish that come with most
36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater
kid-style fishing rods, or you can take an old rubber bait and
thread the line through it. Both come close to simulating the
normal amount of weight on the line while fishing with a
piece of bait, some weight, and a bobber.
Open casting
The first practice is just getting used to the motion again.
This is the biggest and sometimes most frustrating obstacle
for kids who have not used a fishing reel in a while. In this
case, we go into our yard with plenty of room around us
and just cast and not worry about where it goes. If it doesn't
go well, walk through the steps and let them keep trying. If
they get too frustrated, try moving to something else or just
stop for the day.
Targets
After the initial practice, I work on accuracy by putting
several targets about 10- to 20-feet in front of them and see
if they can hit them. Hitting the target is not the important
concept here, but getting them to focus on a spot will help
hone their casting skills. Casting to the targets is a game where
I get out a rod and participate as well. My kids, however, seem
to like a game they came up with on their own.
fishandboat.com
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 13
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover4
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