going to take my six year old son trout fishing and need some info on the setup i should use. its a tagged trout for kids, do i need to use a swivel or tie direct, should i use worms with a bobber or should i use power bait pellets?? what size hooks ? how about lures and what type of presention? it will be in a river any places along the banks better then others? rocky areas with moving water or deeper pooling areas? any info would be very helpful freshwater is all new to me as i only fish the salt.

thanks
leo

For lures i like Rooster-Tails in either Flo Orange or Chartruese (1/12 oz. size) or a real Small Gold Kastmaster.

If your going with bait get some dilly worms (trout worms) and put them on a small Salmon egg hook then let them drift with the current.

I like where the Water pools in streams for fishing trout or the Stocked ponds.

If you go the Stocked Pond route same lures apply, or get some power bait in the Same colors. Then use a small treble and tie a Sliding Sinker Rig. This is where you put a hook on a leader and then tie the leader to a swivel. Then before you tie it to the line put on an egg sinker and a Glass bead (you don't really need the bead but that's the way a lot of peole do it). That way the fish doesn't feel the resistance of the weight. Cast it out, bring in some slack, and let it sit. or if you want get some of those dilly worms and a worm inflator (looks like a nose spray bottle with a needle attached), put a little air in the worm so it floats instead of laying on the bottom and use the same rig.

That should get you something.....hopefully

thanks dad, thats very helpful lots of good info.:kewl:

Those are all good lures. If it is a small river, watch junior with the spoons or he'll be in the trees on the other bank. One killer lure is a floating rapala, silver/black back. It is awesome in a little current, usually casting it quartering upstream, alot of hits on the swing, as it stops going downstream and heads back up to you. Also if the floater gets snagged (rocky bottom) you can usually give it slack and it will float out. You can also float it down to an otherwise unfishable tangle (say in a real small stream) then flip the bail and just let it wiggle in the current, working it around a little bit with the rod without reeling, even making it work under an undercut bank. But do hold on that rod when you do!:hihi: And you might want to bend down the barbs on those trebles.

thanks scotty, funny you mention about casting to the other side bank. i took a walk last week down to the river we are going to and the amount of bobbers stuck in branches across the stream was pretty funny, i think i counted 10 stuck in branches. :rotf2:

you should get a small ultralight combo with 4 or 6lb test line,i like a rod about 6ft.i like little clown colored kastmasters and roostertails. chartruse power or garden worms with some split shot above them works well.make sure to keep swivles black and small.

A small crappie jig will work also.

well we got a rainbow trout today, my sons second cast and he had a nice trout. used sliding sinker rig with small treble and some power bait, forgot the camera but will bring it next week for sure. thanks for all the info really was a special day for us.:kewl:

Good news Leo. I am sure it was a great day. The Power Bait Eggs hold on to the hooks the best.Chart or Pink. What type of river are you fishing, Shallow, Fast Current, rocks? Out here the Thomas Bouyants seem to work the best. Try and find the ones with the Gold Backs. White over Gold, Black and Gold, and the Brown work great. We have been catching some nice trout on them the past month. vary the retrieve a little each time. Good luck next weekend and get some pics.

My 3 year old has been getting a kick out of this as well. It is such a good feeling seeing him reel in a fish and getting excited.

yo-zuri pin minnows
rapala silver and gold jointed minnows J05 and J07
mepps black fury 0,1,2 undressed in yellow and flo-red along with similar sized chart and fire colored rooster tails
white grubs and angel worms and if you can get crickets
with bobbers use balsa pencils and hooks get size 12, 10 and 8 and use 1-4lb test mono, swivels are optional and not really needed unless your fishing a moving river stay clear from power bait pellets unless you know for certain a particular color/scent is working for your location. If the bottom is sand or mud get some 1/8th oz rubber grip sinkers (brainfart on the name) the ones with the rubber core that secure to your line, you want to run atleast 8-10" of leader and using the pencil balsa bobbers will keep everything natural.
Hope you and your kid have a blast.

Try a number 6 hook with half a night crawler on it. 4 or 6 pound test works well on a soft rod. One or two small split shot sinkers to weight the line helps for casting, less is better for feel. More is required for distance or windy conditions. In moving water I let the rig drift with the current and retrieve in spurts. In a pond or still water, I use a small bobber with about 3 or 4 feet of line below it.
A swivel is only necessary if you find your line is twisting.

Up here in the hills of western mass we are at least a couple of hours from salt water so we do a lot more trout fishing than anything else. My young daughter and I spend a lot of time fishing evenings after supper. I love the look on my daughters face when she hooks on to something.

Good luck. There is nothing better in this world than taking a kid fishing.

10-4, my son is hooked. after fishing saturday we got home and changed for soccer practice and he asked if we can go back fishing.
so i think he has the love.

Great, just keep making it fun. I caught my self a few times getting a little angry and just let my kid do what he wanted. Last thing I wanted to do was yell at him. Make it as enjoyable as possible. Sounds like you are on the right track and will have a fishing partner for life.

yeah i here ya casey, he got the line wraped under the spool a few times and i had to re tie and cut some line but i think i've done the same thing too in the surf.:laugha:

My son would just walk around grab a rod say I got a bite, reel it in a little then put it down on the ground. Instead of getting angry I tried to explain why we need to leave the bait in the water. The smiles he got from reeling in the fish were priceless though. It was even more fun watching him play with the fish on the stringer. He would bend down to touch them and one would jump so he would jump and giggle.

Panther Martins, and Rapala J- series jointed baits. I'm a big fan of the J7's and j5's in black and gold.

There is nothing better in this world than taking a kid fishing.

Quoted for truth!