My son is getting crazy.

[Mike S.]

We are headed out to Muskegon Lake here in a minute. I gave the boy a choice of where we can go, being as it is really windy right now. I told him we can go to the spot I found all the big fish in last week and either catch some or not, don't know if they will be there. Or, we can go to Wolf Lake and hammer a bunch of little ones for the evening.

He chooses Muskegon. Then he says to me, "Can we have a tournament?  I get a livewell, and you get a livewell. Then we will see who has more weight". I guess if that's what he wants to do....  I hope he hammers them. The more he catches, the more he likes fishing.   

[Mike S.]

Short story. We get to the lake and he turns into a pouty whiney brat. Didn't even get out for 2 whole hours. I'm pretty frustrated, but I understand that that's kids for you. Hopefully better luck next time.

[Firefighter Jeff]

How old Mike

[djkimmel]

Kids like to catch fish. Any kind of fish for many of them. Or do something else if they aren't catching fish. Or do something else even if they are catching fish.

That's just kids. If you get them to fish for a while some of the time, you're doing pretty good.

[Mike S.]

How old Mike

He's almost 13. He caught one fish, then lost one on the very next cast. I caught 2 dinks and then we ran to another spot. While he sat there with his bait dangling above the water, I caught the first keeper at only 2 pounds. I told him that if your bait doesn't hit the water you won't catch a fish. Then he starts talking about LSC. I told him if he's not going to do anything but whine at a home lake, there was no way I'm going to take him across the state to fish. It seems all he wants to do anymore is play video games. I don't like it.

[djkimmel]

Well, that is a challenge all of us are facing now. It is why I put some of my time every year into youth fishing events and activities. You have to be patient and flexible when it comes to kids and fishing.

The tough answer is when you take a kid fishing you can't expect to fish the whole time yourself and you need to be prepared to adjust your schedule at any time for other activities.

It might be expensive and end up a bust, but maybe you should plan a day to Lake St. Clair with him? I've taken my brothers when they that age (a little younger) and also my Godchildren. The change, different sites and possibilities made it exciting and fun for them.

Yes, we had to slow down or stop fishing a time or two for one of the kids to go swimming a while. We had a time when one of them got bored and a little cranky because he wasn't catching them good enough.

I always had a backup white bass or rock bass pattern, or even largemouth depending upon the time of year to get the excitement level back up. Like I said somewhere before, I had 1 trip where we spent most of the day fishing for rock bass because that is what they wanted to do.

It isn't about me when I take a kid fishing. It is about the child. I 'lost' all my siblings from fishing over the years to other things. I may have done a better job if I had not been fishing so many tournaments during that period with my own siblings. I was gone a lot for a number of years. I missed quite a few family activities.

BUT... some of the 'kids' still remember and talk about the fishing trips, and some of them are asking me to take them again now that they are getting older and settling down a little. My Godchildren still want to go. Their schedules are crazy right now with all the teenage sports but they do a little fishing with their Dad and we are talking about another trip.

Sometimes, you just need to be persistent in finding out what the problem is when a child seems bored or cranky on a fishing trip. Maybe a simple change in what you're doing can restore the fun? Heck, I can think of how many times I've been in the boat with adults and you can tell they aren't happy at the moment. I may not be a accommodating as often with a 'cranky' adult but I try to stop what I'm doing when I'm with a kid and find out what I can do to turn things around.

Sometimes, you have to leave. But often, you can get things going again with a change in location, a different fishing approach, targeting a species that is biting better, a little snack and talk, a little boat drive, some swimming, maybe some creative nature observations? Lots of possibilities. I've used them all at one time or another with a fair amount of success.

You're lucky at least at 13 that you can fish a fair amount. I learned a long time ago to not even get my rods out when the kids were younger. Or at best, to fish while the interest level was high and then put the rod away for the rest of the day.

[Waterfoul]

Just to let you know... I fished "the spot" yesterday morning.... caught a couple dinks and that's it.  Caught some really nice ones out in the wind though!

[Mike S.]

Did you fish "the spot" with "the bait"?  I have found over the past few years, it is a more productive afternoon/evening spot.

[Skulley]

I know what you're going through Mike. I was fortunate enough to take my kids to LSC and Erie because I live so close to both those venues. So essentially, my kids have been spoiled. My son is turning 12 next week and loves going to LSC. He says it's his favorite lake in the whole world. My daughter, now 18, doesn't go with me as much anymore, but says the same thing. The only time she will go anymore if it is LSC or Erie. One good trip to LSC will get him hooked.



BD.                         

[YpsiBass]

Did you fish "the spot" with "the bait"? 

This is the funniest thing I've seen on these boards in a while.  Just what I needed today, thanks!

[Mike S.]

A day on LSC for me is right around $300. That's why I am hesitant to take him.

Now, to clarify "the bait" and "the spot". Last November, Waterfoul and I started fishing together here and there. He introduced me to "the bait" on the first trip. That's when he gave me confidence in catching cold water smallies. So, on that very same day, I showed him "the spot". We have traded information here and there.

It is nice to fish with guys from the site, because you learn a lot, and sometimes sjow others things they didn't know. Luckily, the guys here I have fished with don't fish the same tournaments as I do. Therefore, you don't have to worry about sharing spots. And, I never give up other peoples' spots.

[Mike S.]

Maybe I will drag the boy up to Skeg for the MadWags Memorial. We fished a few Tuesday nighters on White this year and he loved it. He lit right up during competition. White is also a change of scenery for him too. He doesn't get on that lake but a couple times a year.

Skeg will be a big change. Not as long of a drive, or as big of an expense. I really want to share what I love with him. I want him to get that heart stopping adrenaline rush I get everytime I get a bite. I just hope that if he goes with me, it doesn't fish like last year.

[djkimmel]

The truth is he either will. Or he won't. The best way you can help is with patience. Lots and lots and lots of patience. Flexibility in your plans helps a bunch too.

[Mojo]

Be very very careful here mike. I lost my son thanks to rushing him into it. He was 8. We fished the NBAA kids division. He took second 4 of 5 events, and got ribbons but he didn't get a trophy. Kids.

Next was an 8 hour practice day with a friend, his kids and us. No fish from the 4 of us for 4 hours, and 6 all day. Clair was just shut down.

And last was a botched trip with his friends where we were supposed to hunt smallies, tried to catch white bass, but the captain sucked at both.

That was it. He won't fish. Period. So stay on good patterns, and always catch a lot of fish. When he starts changing his own baits and figuring it out  himself, then he's good to go.

[Waterfoul]

Yes, and yes.

[Skulley]

Always ask him what he wants to do. My son likes to have that input. Instead of saying "I want to go home" my boy now says "let's try another spot." It's somewhat of an evolution. I always make sure that I'm on fish which means take a trip without him and then when he wants to go, your chances are better that he will catch fish.



BD.                             

[Mike S.]

I have always done that with my wife and kids. I only take them where I know there are fish. I have always let my boy have a say in where we go to fish next. We have had days where it cost me $60 in gas simply because he was enjoying the high speed boat rides. I bought him really nice gear. He wanted his own tackle box, so I bought him everything that I catch fish on regularly.

When I was young, I didn't like fishing much because my dad had, and still has to this day, a 12 foot Bass Tracker Tadpole. He always harped at me about making noise and sitting still. I hated that. We have a 20 foot Skeeter. He could run laps around it for all I care. I don't believe noise hurts the fishing in most scenarios. I catch fish all the time with the kids splashing in the water and banging around the boat. I guess I will just have to sit back and see what he does. I can't force him to like what I like. Sure wish he would though. 

[djkimmel]

I understand your feelings but I have definitely found the physics principle about for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction can apply in an unsatisfactory way anytime you try too hard to get a human to go along with your way of thinking.

Seems to work better if you just go patiently along and let them figure it out. Of course, every person, including every child, is different so only general advice and examples apply, but I think the most important thing, and the thing they usually seem to remember, is spending time with you, regardless of what you were doing.

Great if you can have a lot of that time fishing. With many of the kids I have been involved with, they seemed to remember the other activities in conjunction with the fishing, and especially remembered the talks we had on the way to and from the lake. That's the thing they seem to bring up to me most often down the road.

I do hear from their parents about the other stuff - things like how they couldn't stop talking about the fish they caught or the boat ride. Always nice to hear.

I know I personally appreciate anyone who takes the time and patience to get kids out fishing! Thanks!!!

[Got Fish??]

 My two sons are also happy when catching fish. Targeting one species of fish sometimes dose not cut it. I have found, that know matter what age they are. I need to be prepared to catch fish. If the bass or steelhead are not biting. I always have other gear on board that I can grab,setup and start catching gills, sunfish, chubs, perch or what ever. Because upset children make for a bummer day on the water!

[djkimmel]

Yes. I have saved a number of trips over the years with a bobber, split shot, hook and worms or similar panfish type rigs. I have also resorted to funny stories, swimming, strange contests, boat driving and other activities too to keep the trip going (rescued a fawn from the Grand River once with my Godson - hardest part was he wanted to keep it - catch and release, catch and release ). I think more successes early on than failures. Definitely, many days did not end up how I pictured them though I still recall them fondly, and more importantly, so do the 'kids.'