Teaching Kids How to Fish while Boating

National Fishing and Boating Week is the perfect time to teach young boys and girls all about how to enjoy the sport of fishing while spending family time on a boat
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If you are an avid boater then chances are your kids are just as fanatical about the boating lifestyle. Spending time on the water enjoying nature is a great family activity to share. There is always something new and fun to show young kids on the water, and the sport of fishing is a great way to enjoy boating with kids even more.

Seeing a young kid catch their first big fish is exciting for both kids and adults. And it’s just one more reason why your kids will learn to love the boating lifestyle and make it a lifelong passion.

In honor of National Fishing and Boating Week – June 4-12, 2011- take the opportunity to teach your kids how to fish and enjoy the art of reeling in the big one. Fishing can be a great way to teach kids about wildlife and nature while building patience and agility.


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Celebrating National Fishing and Boating Week with Kids

The folks at TakeMeFishing.org are hoping that encouraging support and participation in National Fishing & Boating Week – June 4-12, 2011 – will get even more people hooked on fishing. And celebrating with young kids might just be the perfect way to enjoy the week.

Just about every state has resources available to enjoy fishing safely and responsibly. And most states are also participating in National Fishing and Boating Week by offering free fishing days so you can fish in all waterways without a state fishing license. Simply check out the state directory on TakeMeFishing.org to look up your state’s free fishing days. You can also learn more about how to get a fishing license for future excursions.

In most states kids under the age of 16 can fish without a license. But of course young kids should be accompanied by an adult while fishing or on a boat.

Fishing is a great way to teach young boys and girls about the many different fish species that exist in the waterways where you boat. They can learn about how to identify different fish, which lures attract different types and techniques for casting and reeling. Young kids are eager to learn all the tricks and techniques of fishing. Teaching kids about how to have patience while waiting for the tug of a fish biting is also a good lesson.

Teach Young Girls to Learn to Love Fishing too

Our [almost] 4 year old daughter has been with us on our boat since she was just a few weeks old. When we take her to the boat she is like a sponge trying to absorb everything she can about the water – from how the moon affects the tide patterns to all the different wildlife that frequent the area where we boat.


More recently she has become interested in joining dad on the dock to learn how to fish. Perhaps it is because of the abundance of carp we have seen in the water recently. When they are not hitting their bodies up against our boat to knock out their eggs, they are often seen skimming the surface of the water near our dock. Our daughter has gotten so excited by the carp sightings that she has perfected the art of drawing them with crayons. It may be time to take her drawings to the next step and teach her how to fish.

Okay the carp may be easy to catch right now… but maybe an easy catch that offers almost instant gratification is the best way to get kids hooked on fishing faster. They maybe we’ll think about moving onto that elusive rockfish.

When I learned to fish as a young girl with my uncle I thought it was so cool that my uncle took the time to teach me something that was more typically reserved for boys. He taught my sister and I how to fish for catfish and catch them with hotdogs instead of worms (to ease the icky factor for us girls). And the most exciting part that I still remember over 30 years later is when I pulled the rod out of the water and saw a surprise snapping turtle on the line! I’m sure the shriek I made could have been heard for miles, but I will never forget the excitement of that moment.

So remember that teaching young girls how to fish can be a great experience that can build a lifetime of memories for girls. And this year’s National Fishing and Boating Week is the perfect time to teach a young girl how to cast off for the first time. Maybe a kid’s fishing rod and mini-tackle box may get as many happy screeches on my daughter’s birthday this year as that latest “must-have” Barbie doll would. In fact, I found a Barbie Spincast Rod and Reel that might just be the ideal fishing combination for little girls learning to love to fish!

To learn more about National Fishing & Boating Week, like the Take Me Fishing Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @Take Me Fishing

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Diane Seltzer

View posts by Diane Seltzer
Diane is the founder of MyBoatLife.com as well as the boating lifestyle site for kids BoaterKids.com. Active in the boating industry, Diane has also led the marketing for multiple recreational boating businesses and startups.
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