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Tips for introducing your children to fishing: Part 1

Taking kids fishing is more than entertainment

Author: Ultimate Fishing Date Published: 23rd of August 2015

One of the best parts about being a fisherman, for many, is passing on the love of the sport.

But, when you teach a child to fish, whether it's your child, your niece / nephew, grandchildren or kids you are mentoring as part of a community youth program, there's so much more going on than just fishing.

First and foremost, fishing gets kids out of the house. It gets them out into nature and enjoying the great outdoors. This is something that will stick with a child for life. It may even have an influence on their career choices as they get older.

Taking a kid fishing, especially at an early age, will teach them a variety of things. First, fishing builds character. Any outdoor sport you can teach a child will help build his or her character. Kids will learn patience, and they will build their own self-esteem. They will learn to take pride in themselves and their accomplishments. Even on a slow day of fishing there are sure to be some accomplishments that can be shared, whether that be a great cast, learning a new technique, or even baiting their own hook. Outdoor activities help kids learn to respect themselves and the world around them.

Kids are natural information sponges. They will soak up any knowledge you can give to them. They are forever asking question after question. They want to know how everything works and they are curious about the world around them. When you take kids fishing, there are a wealth of opportunities to teach them about the world around them.

You can teach about fish identification and the food chain. Learning about the food chain always puts things into perspective, especially for young people. They learn how nature works and more about their place in the world. Teaching stewardship is another great benefit of fishing with kids. You can explain to them the role they play in keeping the lake and, really, the world around them, clean and how they can use their love of the outdoors to take care of nature.

Spending time with a kid fishing is a great way to build a bond that will last a lifetime. As a parent, uncle, aunt, or friend of a child, there is no greater gift you can give than the gift of your time. As kids age, they go through so many changes and so many complications in school, with their friends, and in just about every relationship they have. By spending one-on-one time with a kid early, you are setting up a bond. When you spend time fishing with a kid now, while they are young, chances are good they will come to you with problems in the future, rather than trying to deal with them alone. You will have built that bond of trust, and that, too, will last a lifetime.

Taking a kid fishing is more than just fishing. It helps to build character and fosters a love of the outdoors that will last a lifetime. It also builds relationships between adults and kids. It builds trust. Teaching a kid to fish can help him or her grow up to be more self-assured, self-reliant, and to truly understand their place in taking care of the world around them. A love of the outdoors will help kids in many ways as they grow into happy, well-rounded adults.

This article was prepared by our associated writer Rebecca, who is a life long competition fisherwoman from the USA.

View more articles in our Australian Fishing Guide.

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