Kids don’t care if they don’t catch
You don’t need to catch to have fun…
I took four kids (and their parents) fishing this weekend. The sessions were two hours each and we achieved a handful of bites but no fish. Were the kids bored? Not at all, they loved it and really want to go again.
Once they’re out there, kids love being in nature especially if the weather is good and there are snacks and water. They find it relaxing and engaging - one them (aged 11) described looking at the water as “hypnotic” and “fascinating”. And they are constantly learning…
So, given they didn’t catch anything, what did they learn?
More than I can remember, but for starters:
How to put a maggot onto a hook.
How to strike and play a fish.
What a float does and why.
How to remove a hook from a fishes mouth with a disgorger (don’t go fishing without one!).
Why we always wear sunglasses while fishing.
How to hold a rod so it doesn’t get tiring so quickly
How to snap off a line safely when it gets stuck in a tree.
The lifecycle of the fly (maggot, caster, fly, egg (repeat)).
What it feels like to put your hand in a pot of maggots (their suggestion, not mine).
The migratory patterns of geese.
Not many fish were caught around the lake that day (we only saw four fish landed between about 8 anglers over four hours) but the anglers who caught were more than happy to let the kids touch the fish and that was a thrill for them.
… and what about the parents?
They loved the scenery. They could see their children enjoying themselves. One said next time they’ll bring a book, the other joked about getting one of the reclining fishing chairs an angler on the far bank had fallen asleep in.
They learned many of the same things as the kids… the importance of sunglasses, how to hook a maggot and use a disgorger. They also learned about the pros and cons of barbless v barbed hooks. And that for me is key because they now have the knowledge they need to take their children fishing in the future (hopefully with more success than we had) so that the kids, and maybe the adults too, get the opportunity to enjoy the mental health benefits fishing offers.