What am I doing wrong? Son getting bored wit

[straddie]

Hi Tassie Boy

Blaze is spot on about bait, my two boys (3 and 7) love digging up pippies, helping take hardiheads out of a cast net, carefully picking up yabbies and small shrimp and other odds and sods we collect.

I think the secret is to mix things up for them and not do one thing for a long time. Even exciting stuff only holds their attention for about an hour then they just drift off.

Collect a few baits then put it on a rod in a holder while you go back and grab a few more, with luck the rod might get a run while collecting the rest of the days bait.

When you have enough to fish with hold the rods for a while, fish for a half hour then put them back in a holder and build a sand castle with them, explore the rocks, throw a few small stones in the water, just mix it up.

One other thing I find keeps the interest higher is to make a game or competition out of things, and give a running commentry of what's happening. OOh you getting a bite, do you think you will catch this one? that's it keep the rod up, this one is trying to pull your arms off ..... they love it gets them excited, and you make a big deal about the capture or loss.

My boys love detail as well, tell them why they are doing something, if you throw over there thats where the big ones live, etc if we make the barb poke out of the bait it makes it easier to catch the fish. Probably don't remember too much of what you tell them but the interaction seems to enjoyed.

seems to work for me anyway

[mako_5.2]

stuff him full of lollies

[bidkev]

Straddie's hit it right on the nose mate. Kids that age have very short attention spans unless they're autistic or ADD/ADHD.

You have to keep changing the "format" of what you are trying to interest them in. Looking for bait (all types), explaining the food chain, and generally talking about the "art" of fishing all helps.

Explaining how the tides and moon work, although a bit too complicated for them to fully grasp can be a good tool. Try showing the times of the tides and have a guessing game at where the tide may be at a certain time and checking that out. Fish ID is also a good tool to hold their interest. Knot tying and other skills can be thrown in when they seem to be losing interest in actually watching a rod tip. Anything at all to do with wild life is fascinating for kids and as you talk about this and you see them getting bored with it, you can pull 'em back to actually fishing.

Just a matter of using your imagination but the most important thing is to always remember that it is primarily about the kids needs and not your own. Do not get *so* engrossed in your fishing that you fail to see them becoming bored. Have done that myself and once they "drift off" it is bloody hard work to get them "back on task". It is also likely that they will lose interst in fishing altogether. HTH

cheers

kev

[mako_5.2]

Also find it helps to leave your own gear at home and help the kids, but I take two of them.

[2iar]

Good thread - I've got a 6yo who I haven't actively been "pushing" to stick at fishing, as I don't want him to see it as something to be endured, but enjoyed.

I nearly gave you a yell on Saturday Kev, as I was heading up the Pine. However, the little fella surprised me by saying he wanted to come.

As has been pointed out, if you focus on how they're travelling, rather than what's best for actually catching fish it helps keep them occupied sometimes. Consequently, we didn't catch much since we were moving around a bit too much, so the burley trail didn't have a chance to get going and I was getting him to pick likely spots from the sounder (they weren't really that promising, but he was pretty stoked when we got a reasonable run of bites in "his" spot).

We also developed a method where he could "run interference" by waving a SP on a spinning rod back and forward in the water attracting toadies while I caught a couple of whiting on bait.

I always let him take a few toy figures too, and try to contribute to the story he's making up when he's playing, while watching the rod tip. And I must admit I bribe him with some lollies too when he's getting bored. A comic doesn't hurt either

Being a boy, one of the things he likes best about being on the boat is peeing over the side. Not great for the environment or the fishing, but if it gets him to come along, so be it.

I know you're land-based, but getting him to look for the next channel marker, having a turn on the motor and giving him a commentary on what you're doing and why also helps. Also giving him reponsibilty like holding the boat (even though it's beached) when going for the car makes him feel important).

He'll get in to it one day I've no doubt, but for now, it's softly, softly. Who knows, in a few years time he can do all the driving and I can get on the turps

Interested in hearing everyone else's thoughts.

Good luck,
Mike

[Mick]

Do a charter trip. You can get new ideas and your son will realise there are good fish to be caught. Once he knows that, there will be no stopping him.

[bidkev]

<snip>
I nearly gave you a yell on Saturday Kev, as I was heading up the Pine. However, the little fella surprised me by saying he wanted to come.
<snip>
Mike

I was down at the Pin mate. The little feller was probably better company anyway :-)

Did you have any luck with all that coloured water?

kev

[saphire]

If you think he gets bored easily now wait until he is in his early teens. Everything will be boring then.
Enjoy parenthood.
saphire [smiley=balloon3.gif]

[Brejen]

Yes Saphire but wait till he's in his late teens.

Have to say that my young bloke (8) used to get bored with it all as well but now thinks fishing 20km offshore is the best. Tells his mate can't play tommorrow heading to the 36's with Dad. Asked him if he wanted to fish the Broadwater with me and his reply was only like the offshore fishing sorry Dad. He'll learn when he only gets out every now and then.....

Tassie boy all the best with it all mate. Nothing better than watching the kids having a ball doing something you both enjoy....
Brett

[Cheech]

My advice is don't push too much. My just turned 8 year old use to go out with me every trip up till a year ago. Then (without going into details), we had a trip that was not much fun,, and it really turned him off. He has started to come occasionally again. Now I make sure the gameboy is charged up. I make sure I fish in areas that will have smaller fish that are able to get landed by him on his rod (but bigger than 4 inch long fish), and if he wants to come in after only a short period, I just smile and say ok.

I note that you said he wants to catch bigger fish. Just have to make allowance for the size a 4yo can manage before you target too large a fish. Instead of just the jetty, are there any safe rock or beach areas that can be fished? Sand is really good for them to play in when they get bored.

[Just_chips]

Yep, I know where you're coming from. My eldest got bored with it. I was just too keen to get him out doing what I loved. It took me a while to realise. I just couldn't keep taking him out for the best part of a day with nothing else except for fishing to keep him occupied. I'm up to my third now and he loves coming fishing and my eldest one is just starting to get keen again because I started doing things differently.

I now make trips for myself and trips for the kids (there is no middle ground).
Kids trips involve lots of snacks and drinks and possibly a backup plan if the fish don't want to play (parks and ice-creams are always a hit with my lot) and I can generally guarantee that I won't have time to do much fishing myself so I don't even try. I try and pick a speices and target them with the right baits and rigs to try and increase our chances.

Just a nice quick trip and home before any boredom sets in is the way to go.

[DICER]

Does he have any friends who might also like to fish or catch bait?

Bit tough there being just with Dad!!

[Tassie_Boy]

I'm the bloke at the end of the Jetty who never catches anything with the bored son . I've been doing this for 30 years and hoped to share it with my son. I quite enjoy the day out but am concerned my son ( 4 y.o. ) is getting sick of fishing. I was taking him where I know we will catch quite a few small fish but he is now saying "Dad, I want to catch big fish". I can't blame him, you can only get so excited about 4 inch redbaits.

Heres a typical fishing adventure:
Get the gear in the car and the bait out of the freezer ( 1 tub of squid and i tub of blue bait, bought last summer ). Mix up some berley ( a bed of bread crumbs with a fusion of Homebrand dried & tinned of cat food and a drizzle of oil ). Drive down the the local Jetty ( Port Huon ). Set up rods, Bottom bouncer rig with 1 or 2 hooks. Throw out some berley. Turn on the radio and listen to the footy. Maybe catch a small flat head. Maybe throw out the silver wobbler a few time. Go home via pub - this would be a great day if my son was having fun. Unfortunately I think I will have to catch more fish for my son to enjoy it.

Bearing in mind I have a 4 y.o with me, What can I do to improve our luck?

[blaze]

I would also like to add I have lost both my boys to fishing, 21 and 25 years old, one gets cronic motion sickness and no interest from the other but the eldest has of recent has come for the odd run in the boat. regardless of wether they fish or not always take time for the things they enjoy and not only what you enjoy.
cheers
blaze

[blaze]

Hi tassie boy
some nice big alantic salmon swimming around that river, dont no where myself.
cheers
blaze
ps
maybe the trip could be enhanced for the youngin if you went to the beach and caught some fresh bait. sandworms? may also help improve your catch rate