Is There a Fishing Hole in Your Future? Fishing 101

I must admit that I’m an indoor girl, and with two girly girls, fishing has not been one of our pursuits, but with this great post from Springfield Moms contributor Sarah Chandler, it looks fun and do-able.  Sarah writes: “With the onset of spring, my family and I are finally able to plan activities we like to do outside in the warm weather. This past weekend, we began sifting through the outdoor toys in the garage and came across the fishing poles. Immediately my children grabbed a bucket and shovel and headed for the garden. Yes, the time has come again to dig for worms and go fishing

My children each began fishing at the age of 2. My son fishes with a pole that has Lightning McQueen emblazoned across it while my daughter prefers Disney Princess Pink. While we normally catch smaller fish with these rods, at the age of 5 my son hooked a huge Largemouth Bass and surprisingly his little rod did not break under the strain! Now ages 7 and 5, they are well equipped to enjoy an afternoon of fishing.

We are fortunate here in Illinois to have a number of great lakes and ponds to fish in so there are no excuses. Here are the basics to have fun fishing with the children in your life.

• Adults or kids 16 and older need a fishing license to legally fish. A yearly Illinois resident fishing license will only set you back $15 and must be carried with you when you are fishing. These can be purchased online from the Department of Natural Resources website or most places fishing rods and tackle are sold. Check out the DNR site for vendor locations or to purchase: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/FishingLicensesFees.aspx
• Know your fish! When your child reels in a fish, it is helpful to know what type of fish he/she has caught. (Click here for species http://www.ifishillinois.org/gofish/fishingtips.html ) DNR has a guide which cites what lengths of a particular species are legal to be kept. Check out their home page on Fishing: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Pages/default.aspx
• Child-sized fishing poles…there’s nothing more fun than picking one out! There are many options out there for cartoon character rods and the choices go far beyond the Snoopy Fishing Pole I had back in the day. The simple rig set up makes beginning fishing a breeze.
• Smaller hooks and live bait make all the difference. Start children out with smaller hooks as they are better suited for catching small, more plentiful fish such as sunfish and bluegill. You may even catch a crappie or white bass. Digging for worms is as fun as catching the fish so be sure to find plenty. You can also purchase minnows, crickets or worms from a local bait shop. Weights and bobbers are also a necessity. Here is a photo of an Improved Clinch Knot for tying on the hook good and tight.
• Needle nosed pliers and an old towel are essential! Using a towel to hold the catch protects your hands from getting finned and also prevents you from dropping the fish as you wiggle the hook out of the fish’s mouth. If the fish should swallow the hook, a small pair of needle nosed pliers helps remove the hook a little easier.

If fishing is a foreign activity to you (i.e., you’ve never tried it), seek out a friend or family member that enjoys this pastime. I have yet to meet a fisherman who doesn’t like to “talk fishing.” For an online resource, check out TakeMeFishing.org

You can also visit the fishing department of a local sporting goods store, such as Scheels or Gander Mountain, to ask an associate what basics you need to get a line in the water. In no time, you’ll be snapping great photos of your child’s first catch!

Springfield Moms contributor Sarah Chandler is a Springfield native, wife to Jeff, and mom to Levi and Anne. She loves to be outdoors during all seasons and enjoys relaxing indoors by creating quilts and scrapbooking.