Please do yourself a favor and take your kids fishing!  I know it can be challenging, but the rewards are worth it and you will be glad you did.  Here are some tips to make it easier.

Tip 1 – Fishing is about a lot more than just catching fish

If fishing were only about catching lots of fish then there would not be very many people that do it.  Most of the time when I go fishing I catch a few or no fish.  There is a reason it is called fishing and not catching.

A big part of the fun and the whole experience is just getting outside in a beautiful location and enjoying being outdoors.  It can just be a good excuse to get the family out to a beautiful mountain lake for the day.  Maybe you will get lucky and catch some fish, but more importantly your family will have a great time in the mountains together.

Tip 2 – The Focus is the Kids, Try Not To Let Yourself Get Frustrated

Dads or others who are experienced fishermen/women you need to remember that the goal for the day is to make it fun for the kids.  This means that even though you love to fish and want to try yourself you need to make sure the kids have first priority.  When you arrive to the lake or river that you are going to fish you should set up all of the kids fishing poles.  If you have more than one kid then the odds are that you will spend most of your time setting up the fishing poles correctly and untangling knots.  That is OK, just swallow your frustration and get to it.

Your day of fishing with your kids will most likely involve a whole lot of time spent untangling knots, fixing the fishing poles, and putting more bait on the line.  You must not let yourself get frustrated over the fact that you just spent ten minutes untangling a knot and then on the first cast your son somehow got a big knot again.  If you get frustrated and upset your kids will sense it and then they will not enjoy their time fishing.

Tip 3 – Spread Everyone Out For Safety

If there is more than one kid fishing at a time then you need to be sure to spread the kids far apart.  You want to make sure that everyone is safe, including the kids fishing and anyone else along for the day.  After all, there are a few problems that could arise once you give kids fishing poles with sharp hooks on the end.  I have had my fair share of close calls as hooks sailed by my head due to errant casts.

Tip 4 – Let Them Fish All By Themselves if They Want

For kids half the fun is just trying to cast and then reel in the hook.  This probably means that in the beginning they may not be able to cast the lure very far.  Seeing this happen as a parent, you know that not casting very far in the water means they will not have a good chance at catching fish.  Before you cast for them, you should talk to them about it.  Explain that if they can cast farther they may have a better chance at catching fish.  Then if they want you to do it, you can cast for them and let them reel it back in.  This will also let them see the correct way to cast and how far it is possible to cast.

Tip 5 – Keep Your Setup Simple

If you are fishing a lake try to keep your setup on the fishing line as simple as you can.  You do want to put something on that stands a chance at actually catching a fish.  But, make sure it is not too complicated because there is a high chance that the kids will get it tangled up or snagged on something and you will be retying or setting up everything again soon.  The simplest setup that I use with my kids is a small spinner rod and to tie on a spoon.  Then all they need to do is cast it out and reel it back in.  Simple.

Learn More

Here are some of the common fish of Rocky Mountains.

Alternatively, if you just want some other background information you can read about what makes a fish a fish.  Or you can check out where the fish go in winter.