The Best Way to Teach Your Kids Fly Fishing for a Perfect Family Activity
Fly fishing is an amazing outdoor activity that you can pass down to your young ones. This sport can be your go-to excuse to bond and have a good time with your kids.
For this article we teamed up with the guys at Fly Fisher Pro to brainstorm some great tips to help guide you as you teach your young ones how to fly fish.
1) Start on the Lawn
Fly fishing requires a lot of patience, focus and resilience. While these are great traits to possess, they are not a kid’s strong suit (at least not yet). The cast is often the most challenging part of the learning process. We recommend that you start your lessons on the lawn.
Take your kids to a lawn or playground. Set up your fly rod, and show them how to cast it. Try to avoid any technical terms like straight-line paths or backcasts. Just keep the lesson short and simple. You can show them the cast in three easy steps:
*Step 1 – Point the rod upwards in the air
*Step 2 – Push the rod out in front of you and watch as the fly line jumps out
*Step 3 – Gently place the rod down
Try doing the cast together with your kids in a rhythmic flow. Afterwards, you can give them a target to aim at, for instance, a plate or a hula hoop.
2) Find a Smaller Rod for your Kids
Your kids might have a tough time casting with a long fly rod. Consider getting them a short, lightweight rod, possibly one with flashy colors. A three or four-weight rod can do.
Buying your kids a smaller rod will help them cast more effortlessly as they learn to aim. Plus, it will help prevent them from casting to trees and bushes. There are plenty of great fly rods under $200 available that will work well for kids.
3) Let’s Go Fishing
It’s now time to go fishing. Remember that kids get easily bored. If they stay too long without catching a fish, they will want to call quits and go, do something more fun. You want to take them to a fishing spot that has plenty of action where you can use the best drill for ice auger, one that can set them up for success.
A pond or reservoir that’s stocked with fish like trout and bass can be a good place to start. Show your kids how to set up their flying rod, then proceed to cast. Your kid’s first casts might be sloppy and amiss, but they will be thrilled at the chance of almost catching the fish.
4) Carry Snacks
Don’t forget to pack lots of snacks for the adventure. They can help keep your kids excited and occupied as they strive to catch that roaming trout. You can carry some granola bars, crackers, sandwiches and of course, drinks.
5) Watch in Excitement as Your Kid’s Catch a Fish
The most exciting part of fly fishing is the catch. That moment when you’re reeling in the fish, and it’s pulling out, then you’re trying to reel it in again. It’s sort of like a push and pull, and your kids will definitely want to be part of this dance and chase.
If your kids manage to catch a fish, acknowledge their effort, and show them how to unhook and release the fish back into the water. If you manage to catch the fish before them, you can give them your rod for the push and pull and eventually the unhook.
6) Keep the Session Short and Fun
Kids have a short concentration span. It’s unlikely that they will want to stay all day fly fishing. A session of one or two hours is enough to keep their blood pumping in awe and excitement. But if you’re all having a good time, then, by all means, stay as long as you want.
You might also want to consider adding snack breaks in between the session. You can fly fish for roughly 30 minutes, take a break, fish again for another 30 minutes and eventually another break. This way, the experience will feel like a picnic/fly-fishing adventure.
Closing Remarks
And there we have it. We hope you enjoyed the article, and most of all, we hope you get to hear the question, “when can we fly fish again?”. Remember to keep the lessons short, fun and simple. If you enjoyed the guide, feel free to comment or share it with your friends.
