Adam Johnson Outdoors • Reading Outdoors

Eight Hours of Kid Style Fishin'

By Kolt Ringer

Parents often ask me how I keep kids interested during fishing trips that last a half day, or longer.

"My kid is whining after 20 minutes," one father told me recently. "I don't even take him out anymore."

My teaching background influences how I handle my young fishing clients. Check out a Kindergartner's daily schedule sometime. Their teachers never spend more than a half hour, or even 15 minutes, on any subject. As students grow older, the length of a school subject gradually increases with their attention spans.

The same rule applies in a boat. Change your tactics often, particularly with young kids. No one wants to stare at a bobber for an hour. Keep their interest engaged by keeping their minds engaged. Young minds are sponges eager to soak up all the information and facts you can throw at them. Change lures and bait frequently and explain why you're doing it.

When in doubt, keep 'em talking! In school and at home, teachers and parents constantly harp on kids to "listen!" In the boat, it's their time to ask questions, tell stories, and have fun.

Change fishing spots frequently. When the fish aren't cooperating, some of my trips feel like boat tours more than fishing outings. That's OK, because kids like seeing new places and terrain. In all my outings with kids - and some of these trips last seven or eight hours - not one has demanded to leave early. Usually they want to stay out longer.

In the Midwest, most kids have some fishing experience. Challenge this next generation of Roaches and Lindners by getting beyond the simple worm, hook, and bobber rig. Kids love trolling, and it's a fast way to locate active fish. Plus, when that big northern hits, the hook usually sets itself, leaving the kids to the fun part - reelin' 'em in.

Another good tactic: Bring lots of live bait, particularly large sucker minnows. Work a weedline for pike with those suckers, and you'll likely have steady, arm-tiring action.

Kick it up a notch with the older kids. Before you leave shore, explain a new technique you'd like them to master. Rigging plastics Texas-style, for example, is a technique they can take anywhere in the country to consistently catch bass. Teach a kid to consistently catch bass and you've created an angler for life.

Older kids who display a deft touch with the rod and reel may be ready for walleye rigging. Much of my fishing occurs on Lake Minnetonka, a multi-species body of water where kids can sample virtually very style of freshwater fishing. Consider similar fisheries before hitting the water with your own kids.

Last summer, I had some repeat clients who'd fished Minnetonka several times, and they wanted something new. We hit a small, west metro lake full of carp, and tossed out Lindy Rigs with corn. The result: a mess of fast-running carp, exhausted forearms, and a pair of smiling faces at the day's end. Mixing in new species, whether it's channel catfish on a river system, a roughfish hunt, or even tossing serious lumber for muskies will keep them coming back for more.

Hey, if it bites, kids like 'em.

If you do chase muskies or bass, just crank that spool tension down on those baitcasters so they're easier to cast. Last summer, I watched a 12-year-old work an impressive figure-eight in front of a muskie's nose on Minnetonka.

Instill a conservation ethic and respect for catch and release at a young age. Handle fish carefully and stress the need to snap pictures quickly, then gently return fish to the water. In my experience, kids eagerly grasp the concept of catch and release. Set an example yourself by demonstrating proper catch and release.

Also stress safety. At the landing, talk through the number of lifejackets on board. Again, set an example by wearing your lifejacket. Discuss general boat safety, as well as rod and reel etiquette to avoid any hooked thumbs or ear lobes.

Remember, creating a fishing partner for life should be fun!