Family -

State Parks, County Parks – Family Fishing Fun

July 12, 2017 James Collins

State parks can provide great fishing. We think of county and state parks as great places to hike, camp, picnic and play. When there is a lake, there is so much more to do. Type “state parks” or “county parks” into your browser. You will probably find a list of parks, in your state, that offer fishing and boating. These parks are accessible and inexpensive. They can be a vacation destination out of state or a great day trip. Fishing lodges and guided trips are great, but not a possibility for everyone. Not everybody can get to an isolated lake or stream to fish. Accessible fishing in parks can be fun for the family or someone who wants to get away for a few hours of fishing.

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Cold Winter Fun – Ice Fishing – Growing Popularity

January 14, 2017 James Collins

Ice fishing has been around ever since there has been winter combined with a need to eat. Ice fishing is cold winter fun growing in popularity every year. People pack ice fishing supplies wearing ice fishing clothes and head out to the lake.

Ice Fishing Popularity on the Rise

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Best Beginner Child’s Rod – Styles Available

November 5, 2016 James Collins

Kids can fish as soon as they can hold a rod. Size is most important when choosing the best beginner rod for a child.

Best Beginner Rod Size

Holding the rod is the first step to fishing. Watching me, my kids wanted to hold a rod although they didn’t really know why. They were holding a rod long before they could cast. I would cast and give them the rod.

A rod between 2 and 3 feet long seems the best size. Its the right length to handle easily. Its long enough to play a fish.

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Child’s First Fishing Rod Makes Memories

August 17, 2016 James Collins

A child’s first fishing rod can build memories that will last a life time.

Fishing Gear Rod and Reel Combo

Your child’s first fishing rod could be a

Telescoping Rod Closed Face Spinning Reel with Stringer, Bobbers, Hooks

Price: $24.95

Your Child’s First Fishing Rod and Reel Combo

Since I suggested that a family fishing trip is important, I thought I would offer some information on an important part of making that trip happen. A child’s first fishing rod should fit the child and be easy to use. A rod and reel combination is a great way to teach a child to fish.

Easy to Use, Easy to Carry

This particular combo has a closed faced spinning reel which makes for easy, tangle free casting. More importantly, there is a button to release the cast rather than the complex function of opening a bale, holding the line and then releasing at the right time. The closed bale system can be used by toddlers even while they can’t master the motion of casting.

The telescoping rod is great for transporting particularly as a child swings through the world bumping into everything in sight.

Extra Gear Gives Good Value

The Fishing Gear model comes with monofiliment line and a bit of tackle. The spoon will help with learning to cast, but the jigs are more appropriate for the type of fishing a child will be doing. There is also a small assortment of hooks for bait. This combination is a bit more expensive than some child’s combos because the reel separates from the rod and the telescoping rod can play a real fish. This combo is a good value that can be enjoyed for many years.

South Bend Worm Gear Tackle Box

Plastic, Single Drawer Tackle Box with assorted bobbers, stringer, hook extractor and assorted hooks.

Price: $8.96

A Tackle Box is Important

A tackle box is another piece of equipment to haul around, but this one drawer box is durable and light weight.

It would hold the assorted tackle that comes with the rod and reel combination plus the items sold with the tackle box.

This plastic tackle box will float long enough to be fished out of the drink. The box has a large clasp latch that will be easy for most children to manipulate.

Safety First

These hooks should be used only by an older fishing partner until little hands can safely work with line and hook. The tackle box with assorted tackle is a great value.

The combo and tackle box can be purchased together at a slight discount. The rod and reel would make a great surprise to begin a family fishing trip. Someone will carry the tackle box. It will add to the surprise and make the trip more exciting.

Share you thoughts in the comment section below. What kind of fishing rod did you have as a kid? Do your children have fishing rods?

Family Fishing Trips Include Everyone, Young and Old

August 11, 2016 James Collins

Have you thought about family fishing trips? They can be fun, inexpensive and create a wonderful memory.

Family Fishing Trips – Great for Everyone

Family fishing trips can be a great experience for everyone. Its an inter generational event that is not necessarily competitive. The fishing gear can be inexpensive and should last for a long time. I had the first rod and reel that I bought off a comic book cover for more than 40 years. I hope the person who stole it is still enjoying it.

Close to Home

A lake close to home is best as the family begins to fish together. Long drives, for an experiment like fishing, can often prove difficult. A “put & take” pay-lake is a good idea because there is a high likelihood of everyone catching fish. Adults should understand that they will not be fishing very much while children learn to bait a hook, put on a lure, cast, untangle line, unsnag line, untangle line, take fish off the hook, unsnag line, rebait the hook or change lures, and cast. This is short term pain that will provide wonderful long term gains. The idea is to help kids enjoy the experience. If you are a novice as well, you will have the joy of learning together.

Include Everyone

Some people just don’t like the idea of catching a fish. This goes for kids and adults. So, family fishing trips should include other activities that involve everyone…. a meal, a movie, swimming, a hike, shopping or a boat ride. Everyone should have fun at a family event. I suggest that the everyone draw straws to decide who gets to keep their cell phone “in case of emergency.” Everyone else leaves the phone in the car. Include the non-enthusiastic by having them pick the fishing spot, or drive the boat or choose the lures. There are lots of ways to involve everyone.

Plan a Fishing Trip

Its easy to offer a reason for staying home, but home now tends to be a place where people are isolated by chores, or computers, or cell phones or TV or something else. Family fishing trips can bring the family together focusing on each other. Find a lake near you. Asking at a bait shop or sporting goods store can often provide good information for planning your day together. Do you need fresh water lures? Is there a tackle shop nearby. Do you need a fishing boat? Where can you find state fishing regulations? Who needs a fishing license.

Plan a family fishing trip. If your family is too busy to go fishing, you are too busy.

Leave a comment below. When did you take your last family fishing trip? Was it fun?

Fishing Therapy Improves Every Area of Life

Fishing Therapy is recreation and sport.

In Nature

Fishing therapy is recreation and sport. When we fish, we are in nature. Sometimes, we are in the water. We can be on the water. Sometimes, we are near the water. We are outdoors. A deep breath in the fresh air, a stretch in the sunlight, smelling a wild flower, lying down in the grass are all simple ways to be in nature. Being in nature calms emotions clearing the mind.

Primal Instincts

When we fish, we experience some basic instincts. Our hunting/gathering nature is kicks in as we search for the deep hole in the lake or the eddy behind the rock or the break in the weeds. We battle the fish rather than the store clerk or mechanic or teacher or neighbor. Even if we don’t eat fish, after a successful catch. we find some sense of pride in knowing that we could provide.

A Healthy Pastime

Fishing is healthy. When we hook that fish, our heart races. Our breath quickens, We begin the exercise of playing the fish. A day of walking the bank, wading the stream or moving about the boat can be quite a workout. Some fishing spots challenge us with strenuous climbing across logs and over rock or scrambling up and down steep river banks.

Good Therapy

Fishing Therapy is good therapy. We laugh and yell in delight. We talk to the fish on the line and in the water. Doing all the actions of fishing like casting, baiting the hook or reading the water makes us proud. We enjoy friendly competition with buddies and famiy. Stories of “the one that got away”,from family fishing trips, are told for decades. Everything around us fades, for just awhile and we feel better when we fish.

Good for Everyone

Whether we are world class athletes or hampered by a physical disability, we can go fishing. Children using their first fishing rod need help. One person may not like baiting a hook. Another may be afraid to take a fish off the line. Someone may not want to go ocean fishing because they get sea sick. Another person may not want to be in a boat at all. Everyone can find some way, some where to go fishing.

I am quite convinced that the world would be a different place if our leaders regularly fished together.

Please leave a comment below. Why do you fish? Would you like to start fishing?