Fishing advice for a small child

You are braver than I! My grandson just turned 6 and I am just now considering taking him fishing. I know that it will be a challenge, even now. Their attention span is just too short. My first trip will be in the bay for Spotted Bay Bass. That is where I started my kids. Fishing is free and the fish are easy to catch. Also there is a lot of things to see if the fish are not biting.

If this is something you want to continue doing, you will want to invest in a modest used boat.

 

I'd go to shelter island pier you can fish on the pier and if he gets bored there is a playground he can play at and you can fish from the rocks. I'd set him up with a 4-6 mosquito hook with a small split shot with a piece of Mack if the current isn't too strong. So he doesn't drift into others lines... Should get bit.

 

I'd put the split shot about 12 inches up maybe 18... for spotties I would go with artificial personally but for a kid that setup will serve the purpose of catching a fish... I've caught spotties on that before even though I was targeting macks.

 

If you're just looking to catch any fish that bites, a sabiki will catch you lots and lots of mackerel and possibly various saltwater bass too. I know there's a lot of knowledgeable people on here who fish the bay pretty frequently. I would maybe go on the partner finding section on this forum and see if you can find anyone to put you on some fish.

 

Yeah I cast it out with a small split shot it should drift and slowly sink down once it's at the bottom I'd wait few seconds then slowly reel it back up... for me it seems 90% of the time it gets bit on the drop... yeah artificials are lures once he figures out casting then I'd switch to those

 

Chollas lake in Lemon Grove its a 16 and under only lake if you bring your kid adults can fish with them. I grew up there as a kid fishing and the bluegill and bass bite there is great have him toss out a bobber with redworm wiggling on the hook should have fun. There are ten plus pound bass in there and rainbow trout that they stock all winter. Its a very fishy lake always did great on the trout with a half ounce kastmaster far out cast and retrieve.

 

I have had my boys fishing with me since they were about 2 years old...now 9 and 11. We have definately had our share of skunked days but there are a lot of ways to make it more about the experience than just catching fish. One of the funnest experiences for us has been to target an incoming tide. Starting at the lowest of the tide, take your boy to pump ghost shrimp. This activity alone is a lot of fun for the kiddos because it's new and "daring" for them to pickup a shrimp that could pinch them. Also, a good opportunity to teach them about good stewardship. I explain to my boys why we return the berried shrimp (eggs under the tails), the possession limits (50 per person) and the license requirements. I also have them pick up 3 pieces of trash before we leave the shrimp beds. You gotta do the pumping though because it's a bit tough for the kiddos. Now that you've got the "fish candy" and the incoming tide ahead of you, find an AO that is a quiet cove where you can sit comfortably and have access to a bit of a drop off, ledge and/or eel grass. Rig up like you would for trout (caroline rig, 1/4 oz. - 1/2 oz. sliding sinker to a swivel clip, to a 12" - 16" fluoro leader to a #6 circle hook or bait hook if you can teach him to react on the bite). Kid friendly AOs are any coves on Mission Bay where the wind is on your back, Spanish Landing and the shores by Liberty Station NTC Park to name a few. I always pack snacks and drinks in a soft backpack cooler and bring a few chairs. When they were younger, I made up little laminiated licenses and even had DFG ask for them (with a wink). We came up with a scoring system for the bays, bonefish = 5 pts, corvina or wsb = 5 pts, croaker = 3 pts, spotted bay bass = 2 pts, rays = 1 pts (2 pts if the kiddo releases it). Prizes for the end of the session would be a large size of whatever the winner chooses, usually icecream. Pizza for the bay bass trifect (SBB, WSB & SB). Make sure to take pics of the fish you DO catch and help elaborate on the "humongous" size of the one that got away. If fishing is slow, play "bingo" by spotting 5 things of your choosing. I usually pic types of birds, sometimes airline brands (planes flying overhead) or boat types. If you end your session and still have bait, have them offer it to another fisherman....again, that stewardship thing. Give it a try and goodluck.

 

Come and fish with me and my 4 yo. He catches plenty.. Really.. Keep it short and fish next to a playground. .

 

You'll not find a better offer than that!