Is it too soon to start

[Bluegill222]

I don't think it's ever too early to expose a kid to fishing (fly or otherwise), but 4 is a little young to expect much in terms of results. The trick is to get them to the water, then let their interest build as their attention span does. 4 is a great age to get a kid interested in the buggier side-- watching for bugs, learning to identify them and so forth. That and throwing rocks in the water, but if you get them to the water as soon as possible, the rest will come. The most important thing though is not to force it.

[cycler68]

I think I started fishing at about age 4 when our parents decided me and my brothers were old enough to give it a try. I still remember the first fish I caught was a shiner on a worm. It wasn't long before we were bugging our dad to take us fishing at every chance we got. I think my dad was relieved when we finally got old enough so our parents would let us go down to the creek by ourselves.

[billhouk]

Took my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter to a local fly show. She loved it. We came home and she sat on my lap and tied flies with me. They had to be pink but, we tied flys. Got her a spinning rig for Christmas.

[LadyFisher]

I fished early with my grandfather, bait rod and worms (and I helped catch the worms too.) I begged and begged and at 11 he finally took pity and taught me to cast his telescopic steel fly rod....with a hard-cover book under my elbow. (I didn't learn to tie flies until JC and I were married in 1973.) I think attention span and physical ability to "stop the rod" are important. I also recommend Phil's book - he had given us permission to run the book here on FAOL in chapters not long before his untimely death in the Florida Keys, but it was a verbal permission and we did not receive written proof. I tried to get it from the publisher who told me to forget it. Too bad, I think we could have helped a lot of folks with that.

[kbproctor]

It continually amazes me how we, as adults, don't seem to get it that kids learn by example most of the time. They are watching you do something and they want to do the same thing, just like Dad or Grampa (or Mom and Grandma). If you are bait fishing, they will want to do it that way. If you are fly fishing, they will want to do it that way. Kids that age learn by mimicking so let them mimic! It doesn't take them long to get the hang of casting and who cares if they are perfect at it? As long as they get the fly in the water and catch a fish or two, they will have fun.

I keep a 6 1/2' Wright McGill Featherweight rod around for the grandkids to "try". Cheap graphite reel and cheap line. Bright yellow so it isn't laid down and forgotten and if it is laid down, it's less likely to get stepped on.

[ohiotuber]

My Grandchildren all fish with me, but I've always waited until they have ASKED to go. Then I buy them a spincast outfit of their choice (Spiderman, Cinderella, etc) & I don't fish as I'm just the "helper". That being said, Granddaughter Tori (now 7) is "the REST of the story". She was 2 when she started fishing with Grandpa & we went every week. After awhile, she started insisting that I fish too, so on one trip I made some casts with my good 3wt while she was eating her lunch. Before I knew it, she was trying to fly cast that spincast rod & it was a MESS! I laid my rod down (with some line still laying out). As I was untangling her line, I caught some movement to my left...here's what I was able to get on film...


She actually made a few more casts that day, stripped line & all & caught some nice 'gills.

Here she is casting the 'boo that Uncle Jack Hise made & sent to her...



Other than the previous stated start, all the others are permitted to reel in fish on the fly rod. I may not be nurturing the next "Castwell", but we are sure building memories. Here are the 4 of 'em admiring a "catch".....



These trips are not all fishing either. We play with dogs, visit farm animals. It's all what they want to do.
Mike

[NCVirginian]

I can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit so that I can take him to the river one afternoon. I'm really hoping that he'll enjoy the water as much as I do. This summer might turn out to be the summer of woods, streams and lakes if he does. My father-in-law is itching to take him to the deer woods too. Thanks everyone for the replies. We're going to be at the VA FF Festival in April if anyone else is going to be there. I'm hoping that seeing all the cool 'stuff' there will help to pique his interest.

[kbproctor]

on one trip I made some casts with my good 3wt while she was eating her lunch. Before I knew it, she was trying to fly cast that spincast rod & it was a MESS! I laid my rod down (with some line still laying out). As I was untangling her line, I caught some movement to my left...here's what I was able to get on film...


She actually made a few more casts that day, stripped line & all & caught some nice 'gills.

Here she is casting the 'boo that Uncle Jack Hise made & sent to her...

She looks as good as 3/4 of the folks I see on the stream. She wanted you to fish so she could see how it was supposed to be done. Spin fishing might be OK, but it isn't the way Grampa does it.

Those kids are having way too much fun!