Quote:
Originally Posted by numbskull
Been there, done that. I have some advice you might consider.
You are going about this wrong. I know, I made the same mistake and often wish I could do it over. Catching a large fish does not hook kids on fishing. Having fun is what does it. Take them scup fishing, snapper blue fishing, schoolie fishing, fresh water fishing, squid fishing. Go at reasonable hours and for short periods. Take their friends with them. Measure success in laughs and time outdoors rather than catch. If it is in them (and often it is not) they will grow into the sport themselves.
I was too intense, too focused on getting my sons' a big bass. They sensed it and didn't have fun. If big fish come at the expense of fun a kid will turn off to fishing quickly. Getting a child a big fish does not make up for our short-comings as parents (if only it did). Luckily, spending time with our kids having fun does.
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Great advice, George. I took my 7 1/2 y.o. son a few times this season and we had fun every time, even when there were no fish around. I told him to let me know when he wanted to leave and never tried to force him to stay longer than he wanted. Now he asks me to take him fishing instead of me asking him if he wants to go. I had more fun fishing with him and getting skunked than I had on other trips where I got into nice fish without him.
As for my lowlights, I don't really have any. I didn't get out as much as the last few years, but I enjoyed it when I did. I also fished with some good friends and had a lot of laughs. I guess my only complaint is that I didn't get to fish with as many people from the site as I would have liked, but there's still time left this season.