Advice on finding quality fishing partners

Kfish said:
I can relate, my son is 15 and not interested at all. I did take him a few times when he was around 8-9, I think it's one of those things - you either got it in you or you don't. My 11 y.o daughter don't mind it b/c she has more patience. Maybe they'll have interest when they get older, who knows...
Click to expand...
I’m 1 for 2 re my kids. My daughter loves fishing so I’m stoked and we have a trip planned for the holidays when she’s back from college. Last time she outfished me which was great. My son is a natural, he picked up a rod and was throwing 40 ‘ casts in minutes, the line slid away, he struck, played and landed the fish vs and went meh, tossed the rod on the bank and went back to exploring…that was 12 yrs ago and I’m still in shock. All said though I haven’t pushed him.

I have several very good fishing buddies who took me under their wing about 15 yrs ago and a newer one from just fishing on a lake and building off our rapport, it has all been brilliant for fun, learning and trips to cool places. One last night gave me 2 Cubans and an envelope stuffed with Whiting hackles. He used to be a rep for them back in the day. I will be mass tying soon and they all will be getting gifts of the dries I’ll crank out.

Dave
 
Last edited:
I made a fatal mistake with my kids. I waited until they were, “…old enough to be ready,” which I thought would be around age 12. News flash, by age 12 they already had a multitude of other interests and fishing just didn't take. They are incredible adults, though.
 
I started fly fishing with my daughters around 6 to 9 years old. On a lake trolling flies. Short bursts of fishing because attention spans were applicable. They loved the tugs, letting me bringing to the boat, they they petted them saying 'they are so pretty!'. Followed by 'Daddy, time to let them go to see their friends'.

Back story: my wife and I adopted two girls from China when they were very young. We held an annual get together at our place for 21 years for our adoption families. Everyone attended the whole time. I took all the adopees one fishing one time. In shifts of course. All caught fish too. Then lunch time. Asked if anyone wanted to go back out fishing. Only one said yes, Vivian. Took her out and caught some nice fish too. A couple of weeks later I received a handwritten note saying 'I like tugs'. @Northern had one adoptee's sister of our group that went thru the Mayfly Project she supports. After she graduated she was over for a 4th of July visit. Took her out and she brought a 24" trout to boat/net. Per her dad, biggest trout she will ever catch. Memories were definitely made.

Current status: neither daughter is interested in fishing. Our oldest daughter likes to tie flies. I show her the finished tie and she reverse engineers it and ties it.

Do I wish they were into fishing? Absolutely! They are each into their thing. Just happy they had the exposure to fishing and had that exposure.
 
Last edited:
Hint: some kids take to it, some don't.
 
clarkman said:
Hint: some kids take to it, some don't.
Click to expand...
Our oldest doesn't fish anymore, heck we hardly hear from him. The youngest seemed to loose interest middle-high school. Actually in high school and after he was bass fishing with friends. Once the grandkids came along we started fishing together again. We actually spent several days together recently steelhead fishing over break, just the two of us.
 
Last edited:
BryanG said:
Anyone else have teenage daughters? I could sure use a buddy in dealing with my 13 y/o. Talk about a lot of drama!

I’m just trying to survive
Click to expand...

Same here. But I can get her out fishing once in a while :).
 
I've taken my step son out at least once a year since he was 7. He's 16 now, and at no point in the last 9yrs has he had even a hint of interest in fishing. Less than zero in fact. He would go because I'd take his cousin along with us as well, who enjoyed it. But even his cousin has lost interest in his teens.

The 9yr old kid across the street who lost his dad a few years ago though... That kid is obsessed. I've taken him out a few times the last year for carp, steelhead, and salmon. He goes a few times a week to local ponds on his own to catch whatever he can.
 
Evan B said:
The 9yr old kid across the street who lost his dad a few years ago though... That kid is obsessed. I've taken him out a few times the last year for carp, steelhead, and salmon. He goes a few times a week to local ponds on his own to catch whatever he can.
Click to expand...
RCF said:
We held an annual get together at our place for 21 years for our adoption families. Everyone attended the whole time. I took all the adopees one fishing one time. In shifts of course. All caught fish too. Then lunch time. Asked if anyone wanted to go back out fishing. Only one said yes, Vivian. Took her out and caught some nice fish too. A couple of weeks later I received a handwritten note saying 'I like tugs'. @Northern had one adoptee's sister of our group that went thru the Mayfly Project she supports. After she graduated she was over for a 4th of July visit. Took her out and she brought a 24" trout to boat/net. Per her dad, biggest trout she will ever catch. Memories were definitely made.
Click to expand...
You guys are awesome!

Would do something similar when back east visiting my wife's family. Would rent a double kayak for the duration, one by one would take all the nephews and nieces and family friends' kids out fishing for a bit. All of them got into a few few fish here and there, but the weird thing to me was of all the other dads (like 10 or so), not one of them fished.

I have one son that will go with me wherever, though he needs the kayak as a platform to fish from. The other thinks it is not fun. AND declared he "didn't like roadtrips" which is hard to fathom as 23 and me says he is definitely my son ...
 
BryanG said:
Anyone else have teenage daughters? I could sure use a buddy in dealing with my 13 y/o. Talk about a lot of drama!

I’m just trying to survive
Click to expand...
When our daughters were that age, we made a game of adding the words "dumb ass" (using our internal voice) to every sentence they said to us. Try it. It will make you feel better......

Example:
Hey honey, what time is your soccer game tomorrow?
It's at 2pm.... dumb ass.
 
My two daughters used to enjoy fishing with me when they were between 10-12…light tackle bottom fishing with spinning rod’s only (they didn’t enjoy trolling) so there was constant action with goatfish or shallow snappers, and usually a nice steamed fish for dinner…

As they got older, they have completely lost interest in fishing altogether…both now in their early twenties, the older one is traveling/working on a farm in Equador, the younger one enjoying the the fast paced city life of living in mid town Manhattan…
 
  • Like
Reactions: RCF
clarkman said:
Hint: some kids take to it, some don't.
Click to expand...
Indeed.

I've seen parents attempt to subtly 'coerce' children to embrace all sorts of activities they happen to love...like baseball, skiing, football, tennis, soccer, fishing, contract bridge, hockey...and it generally results in reinforcing a lifelong revulsion for said activity.

In my case it was golf.

My parents and most of their friends were fanatical golfers. By the time I was 15 I'd had my fill of junior tournaments (populated by little golf pricks that behaved like their golf prick parents), weekends spent on the course, lessons, observing adult tantrums over shitty hooked/sliced drives and missed putts.... and the endless post round club house sojourns listening to drunken adults rhapsodize about some incredible wedge shot out of a sandtrap.

Despite developing and displaying considerable skill on 'the links', I hated every fucking minute of it...which resulted in a lifelong distaste for everything golf related...to the point I genuinely enjoy hearing about the the steadily accelerating number of golf course closures.

Fortunately my old man also flyfished and hunted...and my grandfather had a ranch with a large creek and enough land to accomodate both...which provided an opportunity for a natural affinity to develop into my current flyfishing affliction. Did they coach or push me into it? Nope...they set me loose in an environment I inherently loved.

Did I mention I don't like golf?

Get over trying to turn offspring into flyfishing buddies. Give 'em a taste...and if they want more they'll let you know.

Your world is is not their world.
 
Last edited:
Brute said:
My two daughters used to enjoy fishing with me when they were between 10-12…light tackle bottom fishing with spinning rod’s only (they didn’t enjoy trolling) so there was constant action with goatfish or shallow snappers, and usually a nice steamed fish for dinner…

As they got older, they have completely lost interest in fishing altogether…both now in their early twenties, the older one is traveling/working on a farm in Equador, the younger one enjoying the the fast paced city life of living in mid town Manhattan…
Click to expand...

I think the most important part is having our kids catching fish on a repetitive and frequent basis. Their attention span is limited for sure. On the lake I live on trolling works great. I took out a dad and his two sons out trolling. We had 4 fish on at the same time, all 20+ inches. Their dad had to explain to his sons 'this is not normal'.

I am glad you got your kids out and helped them with what wprked best. Much as I did...

The important part is giving them the experience to learn from. Without that exposure, they have less to relate to.

I am proud of where they ended up career wise. Both ended up with biology degrees, one with a degree in cellular and molecular biology and chemistry minor trying to find a cure ifor Alzheimers disease. Hope she finds it before I get it.

I do believe my wife's and my efforts to expose them to nature early on helped them to choose their career choices.
 
BryanG said:
Anyone else have teenage daughters? I could sure use a buddy in dealing with my 13 y/o. Talk about a lot of drama!

I’m just trying to survive
Click to expand...

I have a young boy who is driving me bonkers and I am jealous of the daughters my friends have that seem like angels. I hear the whole thing switches around the teenage years. Sounds like your experience backs that up.
 
krusty said:
Indeed.

I've seen parents attempt to subtly 'coerce' children to embrace all sorts of activities they happen to love...like baseball, skiing, football, tennis, soccer, fishing, contract bridge, hockey...and it generally results in reinforcing a lifelong revulsion for said activity.

In my case it was golf.

My parents and most of their friends were fanatical golfers. By the time I was 15 I'd had my fill of junior tournaments (populated by little golf pricks that behaved like their golf prick parents), weekends spent on the course, lessons, observing adult tantrums over shitty hooked/sliced drives and missed putts.... and the endless post round club house sojourns listening to drunken adults rhapsodize about some incredible wedge shot out of a sandtrap.

Despite developing and displaying considerable skill on 'the links', I hated every fucking minute of it...which resulted in a lifelong distaste for everything golf related...to the point I genuinely enjoy hearing about the the steadily accelerating number of golf course closures.

Fortunately my old man also flyfished and hunted...and my grandfather had a ranch with a large creek and enough land to accomodate both...which provided an opportunity for a natural affinity to develop into my current flyfishing affliction. Did they coach or push me into it? Nope...they set me loose in an environment I inherently loved.

Did I mention I don't like golf?

Get over trying to turn offspring into flyfishing buddies. Give 'em a taste...and if they want more they'll let you know.

Your world is is not their world.
Click to expand...

So true. My dad was ski patrol and dragged me out of school on ski trips all the time and we went all over the place and I couldn’t be more turned off from the ski town mountain scene at this point. I will say I was always into the truly natural landscapes and moving through them slowly and observing small creatures and trying to catch them. That being said, I think dad is an adrenaline junkie outdoorsman which is very common and I am more of a scientific naturalist so it may just be slightly different personalities.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top