Teaching Kids to Fish: The Gear, Equipment and Tackle You’ll Need

Although kids in the modern world tend to prefer digital forms of recreation, most still love fishing if introduced to the activity. Fishing gets kids outdoors, gives them a chance to interact with the natural world and provides a great bonding opportunity for you both.

But you’ll need to provide them with age- and size-appropriate equipment to prevent frustration and tangled lines. A cane pole is the perfect rod for very young anglers, as it doesn’t require them to cast or reel in caught fish. They simply place their bait in the water where they like, wait for a bite, and then lift their fish right out of the water.

Slightly older children (those between about 7 and 10 years of age) are usually capable of learning to use a spinning reel  & rod combo or a spin-cast set up. They’ll need you to show them how to operate the reel, but most kids will pick up the technique pretty quickly.

For more information about the type of equipment you’ll need to take your kids fishing, the types of locations you’ll want to visit and the best types of fish to target, check out Outdoor Empire’s comprehensive article on the subject.