Fishing with my 6 year old

arrowman · 15-07-2020 10:34am #1

My 6 year old son has said he would love to go fishing and I am thinking that it could be something that the lads (himself and myself) could do while his mother and his 2 sisters go on their shopping trips.

I used to do some fishing when I was in my early teens (in my mid 40's now) in the local rivers and lakes and always liked it but have forgotten any basic skills I had. I don't have any tackle either - I gave it all to younger cousins who wanted to try it for themselves.

I know well that my young lad may not stick at it so I was thinking of giving it a trial run on a family holiday to Donegal next month - we are heading to Dunfanaghy for a week.

Is there anywhere around that area that would supply the gear and give the two of us a steer on how to do it?

.red. · 15-07-2020 4:37pm

For a bit of fun, with a 6yo you can get fishing very cheaply.
Have a look in the likes of Mr Price, Dealz, the €2 stores, even some Woodies. You'll pick up little combo sets for less than €10, sometimes less than €5. Far from brilliant but they do the job. The rods usually last longer than the reels and if they're cheap enough, get a second just in case.

A quick Google says Portnablagh Pier is in Dunfanaghy, I don't know the area so not sure how safe it is. If it's not ok, look around for harbour walls or somewhere your comfortable.
Get some mackerel, tiny pieces, about the size of your small finger nail, the silver belly part is best, small hooks and a tiny weight. Drop them down the side of the pier wall, maybe 12 inches out. You should get a fish a cast.

Look up YouTube for the "clinch knot" and do it a few times at home. A few unhooking videos are worth watching too. A hook disgorger can be bought or easily made but you need to know how to use it.
If he likes it and wants to keep it up most tackle shops will sell you beginners sets that are more than good enough for €30/40.
A bucket to put the fish into is handy too to keep his interests up. Fill it with water and you can keep 3/4 fish in it at a time. Most chippers will give you a mayo bucket if you ask. Turn a second one upside down and it's a seat too for him.

Hope this helps,
Enjoy.

arrowman · 15-07-2020 4:52pm

Thanks .red. - I must keep an eye out for a starter rod for him before we head off.

Might keep away from piers for safety as he cant swim yet and I'm not hectic in water either. Want a safe place to let him (and me) get a feel for it

SeaFields · 15-07-2020 6:27pm

Good advice from red there. Plenty of small fish around in the warm summer months and easy to catch generally.

To be honest the pier is probably one of the safer places (I say this as a dad who has brought my 4 year old out many times.). Rocks are uneven. Easy to fall on even if you don't end up in the water. Rivers flow and can have slippy banks. Just tell him to stay sitting or kneeling. And don't take your eyes off him. But fishing or not, that's advice around water.

Id see young fellas accompanying their fathers while wearing life jackets on the piers by me. Another option if you have one or can borrow one.

Enjoy it anyway

boomdocker · 15-07-2020 8:15pm

^^^

great advice there
Only thing I'd add - sounds obvious but try to go somewhere that you are almost guaranteed to catch fish, any size - keep the young fella interested and occupied and most importantly, hooked

Also just bring one rod, you don't want to be distracted with a young fella especially off the pier

Spook_ie · 15-07-2020 9:22pm

Homestore and more have some rod reel sets in
https://www.homestoreandmore.ie/fishing-equipment/youth-fishing-combo-set-5ft-6%22/076454.html
https://www.homestoreandmore.ie/fishing-equipment/telescopic-starter-fishing-combo/071053.html
https://www.homestoreandmore.ie/fishing-equipment/telescopic-allround-fishing-combo/071055.html

downwesht · 15-07-2020 9:39pm

Why not start out the easy way and go fishing for crabs.This can be great fun,you will never blank and gives the kids a great buzz.Get a few fish bones or meat bones,fat from a chop for example ,weight it with a stone and drop it in off a safe prrch like a pier or strand.

bpmurray · 15-07-2020 10:44pm

The perfect way to start is on mackerel: they're easy to catch and put up an amazing fight for their size. Once he gets a couple of these, he's hooked for life! Donegal is a good spot for mackerel - ask locally for your nearest safe place.

flended12 · 17-07-2020 7:58am

Dunno what part of the country your leaving from but if you pass through strabane on the way theres a tackle shop (The bridge guns and tackle) there that the lads are very helpful.

Uncle Pierre · 20-07-2020 8:26pm

Hi all. Am in much the same situation with my own six-year-old son - except we're at the complete other end of the country to what you've been talking about here.

Anybody got any recommendations for possible spots around Co. Wexford that would keep a young lad interested? All my own fishing in my younger days was done on the Slaney and some of its tributaries, but I don't mind bringing him for some basic sea fishing either.

flended12 · 20-07-2020 8:42pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Anybody got any recommendations for possible spots around Co. Wexford that would keep a young lad interested?

Any old harbour structure will produce a whole series of micro species, enough to keep kids interested. Always found great craic trying to haul up crabs on a fish head. The main bridge at ferrycarrig has an inner jetty on the city side you could try from.

Fishing with my 6 year old

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