Kids first time fishing - advise

gzoladz

Hi all,

I hope this is the right place to ask...we will spend a few days next to a lake in the midlands (West of Lough Derg, several lakes in the area) and the kids (10ish) want to try fishing.

They never tried before and I have close to no idea either (I used to fish as a kid myself, but on the other side of the world).

Kids being kids it is more about the experience and fun, and the novelty may wear out quickly.

We would be "fishing" from the shore.

What's the most fun / reccommended approach to take?

-Small fishing net?
-Starter fishing set?
-Other?

I am a bit at a lost so appreciate any pointer.

Thanks

Super-Rush

If its coarse fish eg Roach, Perch, Rudd then the best method would be to get a 3 or 4 meter whip.

This is the closest thing you will get to fishing with a stick and some string and its the perfect way to introduce kids to fishing, and is also very inexpensive

You will normally get a ready made rig with a whip, and if not any tackle shop worth its salt should be able to sort you out with one.

A small bag of groundbait, again ask your tackle shop or go to YouTube to see how to mix and use groundbait and a pint of maggots for bait is all you need.

Oh and probably most important of all, buy a disgorger for removing the hook.

You won't be aiming to catch anything huge, 3oz to 1lb what you will be catching.

Best of luck and I hope they get something because you never forget catching your first fish.

gzoladz

Super-Rush wrote: »

If its coarse fish eg Roach, Perch, Rudd then the best method would be to get a 3 or 4 meter whip.

This is the closest thing you will get to fishing with a stick and some string and its the perfect way to introduce kids to fishing, and is also very inexpensive

You will normally get a ready made rig with a whip, and if not any tackle shop worth its salt should be able to sort you out with one.

A small bag of groundbait, again ask your tackle shop or go to YouTube to see how to mix and use groundbait and a pint of maggots for bait is all you need.

Oh and probably most important of all, buy a disgorger for removing the hook.

You won't be aiming to catch anything huge, 3oz to 1lb what you will be catching.

Best of luck and I hope they get something because you never forget catching your first fish.

Thanks a lot, really helpful!

gzoladz

Super-Rush wrote: »

If its coarse fish eg Roach, Perch, Rudd then the best method would be to get a 3 or 4 meter whip.

This is the closest thing you will get to fishing with a stick and some string and its the perfect way to introduce kids to fishing, and is also very inexpensive

You will normally get a ready made rig with a whip, and if not any tackle shop worth its salt should be able to sort you out with one.

A small bag of groundbait, again ask your tackle shop or go to YouTube to see how to mix and use groundbait and a pint of maggots for bait is all you need.

Oh and probably most important of all, buy a disgorger for removing the hook.

You won't be aiming to catch anything huge, 3oz to 1lb what you will be catching.

Best of luck and I hope they get something because you never forget catching your first fish.

Just one more question of you don't mind, I have noticed that there are artificial maggots too...are those any good?

Bogwoppit

gzoladz wrote: »

Hi all,

I hope this is the right place to ask...we will spend a few days next to a lake in the midlands (West of Lough Derg, several lakes in the area) and the kids (10ish) want to try fishing.

They never tried before and I have close to no idea either (I used to fish as a kid myself, but on the other side of the world).

Kids being kids it is more about the experience and fun, and the novelty may wear out quickly.

We would be "fishing" from the shore.

What's the most fun / reccommended approach to take?

-Small fishing net?
-Starter fishing set?
-Other?

I am a bit at a lost so appreciate any pointer.

Thanks

Might be worth getting a day on Lough derg with a guide, a quick google should give you a few options. Would save a lot of hassle worrying about having the right gear and being in the right place as it should all be sorted for you.

Super-Rush

gzoladz wrote: »

Just one more question of you don't mind, I have noticed that there are artificial maggots too...are those any good?

Personally I've never used them, so I can't comment.

There's a lot of bait out there and tackle that are designed to catch anglers rather than fish.

You could also use a small piece of sweetcorn, bread flake, half a worm along with the maggots, but there's nothing that swims in Ireland that won't eat a maggot.

gzoladz

Bogwoppit wrote: »

Might be worth getting a day on Lough derg with a guide, a quick google should give you a few options. Would save a lot of hassle worrying about having the right gear and being in the right place as it should all be sorted for you.

Thanks, that is a good idea! Certainly to consider if the kids get enthusiastic about it!

gzoladz

Super-Rush wrote: »

Personally I've never used them, so I can't comment.

There's a lot of bait out there and tackle that are designed to catch anglers rather than fish.

You could also use a small piece of sweetcorn, bread flake, half a worm along with the maggots, but there's nothing that swims in Ireland that won't eat a maggot.

Got it - That sums it up perfectly. Thanks again.

timoh

Maureen at Palmerston Stores Portumna will have everything you need including live maggots. I've used the artificial a few times including catching hungry rudd when I'd nothing else in the car.

I've fished the area once from a kayak, inside Portumna Castle Harbour was stuffed with roach and some of the lads had hybrids off the bottom. It's directly south of the town.

Along the Connaught Harbour marina there were roach and small perch. That's on the north west side of the bridge.

YouTube whip coarse fishing and waggler coarse fishing and watch a few videos.

Enjoy yourselves!

gzoladz

timoh wrote: »

Maureen at Palmerston Stores Portumna will have everything you need including live maggots. I've used the artificial a few times including catching hungry rudd when I'd nothing else in the car.

I've fished the area once from a kayak, inside Portumna Castle Harbour was stuffed with roach and some of the lads had hybrids off the bottom. It's directly south of the town.

Along the Connaught Harbour marina there were roach and small perch. That's on the north west side of the bridge.

YouTube whip coarse fishing and waggler coarse fishing and watch a few videos.

Enjoy yourselves!

Thanks for that, we bought a whip-thing yesterday so just need the maggots, what I may get in that shop on they way.

gzoladz

Hi all

Back from our trip so while I learn to navigate the new Boards lay out I wanted to drop a quick thank you and leave a few comments for other absolute beginners like us:

1. Fishing was successful. The children and I had a ball and caught (and released) a good few Roach, Perch and (I think) Rudd.
2. The tackle shop in Portumna was great, very well stocked and great advise.
3. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the disgorger...really, really important!
4. From the 3 species listed above, in 50% of the Perch catches the hook was quite deep (throat), where in 99% of the Rudd and Roach catches the hook was just at their lips...Is that a characteristic of the species, or just a coincidence?

Thanks

Mimon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117470186#Comment_117470186

Tis true, caught my first Pike on maggots, 6 pounds! Was in a boggy lake and was right by the shore and went for the movement as I was reeling in 😁

Super-Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117629254#Comment_117629254

Perch are greedy feckers and will totally inhale the bait, hence why you'd usually find the hook down deeper. Rudd and Roach will suck the bait in slowly and then dart off quickly once they feel the hook, therefore giving you a better chance to hook them properly.

You can try and combat it by striking to set the hook earlier but it doesn't always work that way.

I'm glad it went well for you and the kids, we need more younger people to get into the sport of coarse fishing in Ireland.

gzoladz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117682016#Comment_117682016

Thanks! It's a great family activity to do with the kids, it exercises the patience, you are in contact with nature, good for mental health, etc... Fishing, (same asBirdwatching and similar activities), etc provide significant surround benefits that go beyond their core objective and they should probably be marketed that way.