Whilst I was competitively fishing I never realised that I will ever get as much joy coaching kids or new people to the sport of bass fishing. Now there is very few things in live that give me as much pleasure as watching a kid or a new angler hooking into a bass. I have decided to share some advice/ideas with fathers to potentially make their kids enjoy the sport as much as they do. I will do this by telling you a littlet story about my grandchild.
Demetri joined me on the boat the first time when he was 2 years old, his mother/father/ouma all having a fit because I was taking this baby to spend a day on the boat with me. Before this I actually bought him one of these cheap fishing rods, R29 at Pick & Pay and I actually spend some time with him teaching him to cast this little rod. I also have put him on the boat and explained everything on the boat to him, at that age they have a lot of questions and all I did is answered his questions carefully and made sure he understood what I was saying, I even went as far as starting my boat at home with him on the boat. I did this to get him use to the noise of the motor, he was scared in the beginning.
Our first trip was to the Vaal River, on this trip I allowed him to stand next to me and cast his rod. Whilst I was catching some fish the fact that I caught some fish got this kid seriously excited and he tried his outmost to catch a fish, unfortunetly he did not catch a fish but he did start understanding what he needs to do. After this trip the kid drove me nuts, asking me all the time to teach him how to cast. I also promised him a decent rod and reel if he can cast 8 out of 10 into a hola hoop. Took him about a month to do that! Spending all his play time with a fishing rod in his hand.
My next trip with his new fishing rod, 5 Ft Eagle Claw spinning rod (Bought as a combo) and a Quantum spinning reel, was to Drie Koppies. The fish was seriously active and he managed to catch 2 fish both bigger than 800gm unfortunetly did not have a camera with me, BUT the joy in this kid was indescribable and he could not stop talking about it for months.
Above a photo of Demetri with a fish caught recently at Middleburg Dam, look at the sheer joy on the kid's face!
He will be 5 years old end of April, the skills that this kid have with a spinning rod blows me away everytime he goes fishing with me and he now teaches himself! We all know it can be tricky pitching a short distance with a spinning rod, this kid got it down to a tee! His accuracy is scary! He aslo decide for himself now what lure to use!
The next steps for him:
I am busy teaching him hard baits, jerk baits, spinner baits and crancks. I am also busy with boat safety, what to do if something happens to me on the boat! VERY IMPORTANT. And lastly I am teaching him to take photos of the fish!
His first photo! He will learn!
Remember:
Dont underestimate their abilities, Allow them to make decissions, Make sure you give him/her a decent rod & reel, Make them feel part of the fishing trip, Teach them safety on the boat, Answer all their questions properly, Don't get frustrated with them, Teach them trough playing, Always take photos of their fish, Always praise and motivate them even if they do not catch fish, Remember a day on the water is a LONG day for a kid garunteed when the boat is out the water they will be asleep!
Love them and enjoy your fishing trip with your kids!
Demetri joined me on the boat the first time when he was 2 years old, his mother/father/ouma all having a fit because I was taking this baby to spend a day on the boat with me. Before this I actually bought him one of these cheap fishing rods, R29 at Pick & Pay and I actually spend some time with him teaching him to cast this little rod. I also have put him on the boat and explained everything on the boat to him, at that age they have a lot of questions and all I did is answered his questions carefully and made sure he understood what I was saying, I even went as far as starting my boat at home with him on the boat. I did this to get him use to the noise of the motor, he was scared in the beginning.
Our first trip was to the Vaal River, on this trip I allowed him to stand next to me and cast his rod. Whilst I was catching some fish the fact that I caught some fish got this kid seriously excited and he tried his outmost to catch a fish, unfortunetly he did not catch a fish but he did start understanding what he needs to do. After this trip the kid drove me nuts, asking me all the time to teach him how to cast. I also promised him a decent rod and reel if he can cast 8 out of 10 into a hola hoop. Took him about a month to do that! Spending all his play time with a fishing rod in his hand.
My next trip with his new fishing rod, 5 Ft Eagle Claw spinning rod (Bought as a combo) and a Quantum spinning reel, was to Drie Koppies. The fish was seriously active and he managed to catch 2 fish both bigger than 800gm unfortunetly did not have a camera with me, BUT the joy in this kid was indescribable and he could not stop talking about it for months.
Above a photo of Demetri with a fish caught recently at Middleburg Dam, look at the sheer joy on the kid's face!
He will be 5 years old end of April, the skills that this kid have with a spinning rod blows me away everytime he goes fishing with me and he now teaches himself! We all know it can be tricky pitching a short distance with a spinning rod, this kid got it down to a tee! His accuracy is scary! He aslo decide for himself now what lure to use!
The next steps for him:
I am busy teaching him hard baits, jerk baits, spinner baits and crancks. I am also busy with boat safety, what to do if something happens to me on the boat! VERY IMPORTANT. And lastly I am teaching him to take photos of the fish!
His first photo! He will learn!
Remember:
Dont underestimate their abilities, Allow them to make decissions, Make sure you give him/her a decent rod & reel, Make them feel part of the fishing trip, Teach them safety on the boat, Answer all their questions properly, Don't get frustrated with them, Teach them trough playing, Always take photos of their fish, Always praise and motivate them even if they do not catch fish, Remember a day on the water is a LONG day for a kid garunteed when the boat is out the water they will be asleep!
Love them and enjoy your fishing trip with your kids!
