How to Encourage Your Child to Try Fishing

Any parent can attest to the fact that it can be very difficult to convince kids to try to new activities. They tend to like what they are familiar with, and aren’t always willing to step outside the box. So what happens if you’re a fan of fishing and you’re looking to get your child involved in the sport as well? Perhaps they’ve shown no interest as of yet, and you’re wondering how you can change that.

Here we’ll take a look at a number of ways that you can encourage your child to try fishing in a manner that is fun, not intimating, and even educational for them.

Make Sure They are Old Enough to Get Started

One of the biggest mistakes parents can make is to try to encourage kids at too young of an age. Kids need to be able to understand instructions and display a certain degree of skill. If your child is too young still, you can always start talking about fishing, showing them various lures, and answering questions they may have. This will help give them a jump start for when they are a little older.

You can also take them on fish-centric outings such as visiting the beach and checking out the fish in the water, heading to a fish store and even buying them their own fish, and checking out the local aquarium. All of these tips will help to build an interest and take any fear or apprehension out of the equation.

Involve Them in Shopping for Their Own Gear

Before taking kids out on their first fishing expedition, it's important to get them the right gear. This is a chance to get them involved in the sport. Even if you do your shopping online, you can still have them taking part in the shopping experience. You can visit retailers such as woodburyoutfitters.com that has all the basics you'll need such a lures, rods, reels, tackle, and fishing line. The more you involve them in the process, the more their interest tends to peak.

Practice Casting at Home

When you turn things into a game, kids are automatically interested in what you're doing. The casting game is a great way to encourage their interest in fishing while teaching them how to cast. For this game, you'll need one bobber, and at least one hula hoop. This is ideal for younger kids who are feeling intimidated by the whole experience.

What you'll want to do is lay the hula hoop(s) around the yard or room, then pick a "home plate" where they will cast from. They can then practice their sidearm cast simply by throwing the bobber out and trying to get it in the hula hoop.

Don’t Feel Discouraged if They Don’t Show Instant Interest

Even if you follow all of these steps, there is still a chance your child may not show immediate interest. While this can seem pretty disappointing, it’s important not to let that disappointment show. Instead be patient with them, continue answering their questions, and give them time to make their own decision. Chances are the less pressure you put on them to try it, the faster they will be to come around.