I posted this a few years back and felt it warranted another shot. Taking Mac out fishing has been a fun activity that most families do not embark on anymore. I thought I would help. If you want take your little one out, here are some tips and tricks. Weather conditions! Check the weather forecast before you go just to eliminate any sudden surprises. For instance we hit high winds as soon as we got all of our equipment out of the car. So plan ahead!
Of course you need to purchase the fishing equipment before you plan a trip.
You will need:
*Tackle box ( you don’t have to buy a special one I picked one up at an auction for $1)
*Fishing pole (Wal-Mart has them on sale)
*Lures, hooks & bobbers (you can score these with your fishing pole)
*Bait ( worms live outside and they are FREE)
*Fishing Net or Needle nose players
*Fishing license. You can get these at Walmart
When fishing with your little one try explaining what you are doing, as you are doing it, to help include them. He was not ready to bait his own hook but that’s ok. We used worms for this trip! We bought them at Walmart ($3.25) because we just didn’t want to go and dig some up, yes lazy butts we are! Remember to bring a towel, fishing can get messy. Also practice “Catch & Release”.
The last few tips don’t really seem so important and may be common sense but are VERY important. Fishing is a waiting game! So bring snacks, drinks and a plan B if the fish decide they are not hungry. Most important have fun! So you may not catch anything or you hook a tree, sea weed and then some, so what? Stuff like this will help build memories and fun past times.
My grandma taught me & all my siblings to fish. I intend to teach my children as well, and at the moment it is my husbands coping mechanism to deal with his PTSD.
IMHO: I rarely take wet wipes. It taints the smell of the bait and will cause you to have less nibbles/bites than not. 🙂 You just have to remind the child to not put their fingers in their mouths, and if they do happen to do so, fish slime won't kill them, unless you're fishing in a polluted area, in which case you shouldn't be keeping the fish you catch in the first place. 🙂