Any Fish You Wish
Fly-fishing has been a bonding activity for parents and children for ages. And when your child is on the river, she won’t just be getting closer to you, she’ll be building a relationship with nature that could improve her mental and physical health. According to a study by the Human-Environment Research Lab at the University of Illinois, “Children function better than usual after activities in green settings. The ‘greener’ a child’s play area, the less severe his or her attention deficit symptoms.” Plus, fishing teaches the value of patience and persistence along with great eye/hand coordination. Once your child experiences the joys of fly-fishing and being outside and so fully submerged in nature, you won’t be able to keep her indoors. -Molly Morgan
Quick Tips for Getting Started:
• Kids can start as soon as they are able to hold a fly rod, but you’ll need to do the casting and help land the fish for the younger ones at first.
• Study up on ethical catch-and-release principles and teach them to your child.
• De-barb the hooks to avoid injuries to your child (and the fish).
• Ponds and small lakes are great for learning to fly-fish. They have lots of cooperative fish without dangerous currents.
• There’s no need to buy rods made specifically for kids; you can buy short, lightweight ones that work just fine and are generally more durable than the kids’ models.
• Keep the trips short—under an hour is a good rule of thumb. • Let the kids bring friends when they are learning. That way they will always have fishing buddies.
Resources to get your kids started:
• Check out Trout Unlimited (www.tu.org) or the Federation of Fly Fishers (www. fedflyfishers.org). Both have chapters in all 50 states and many offer free classes for young people. • Contact your local department of fish and wildlife.
• Pick up one of these fly-fishing books created specifically for children (and a few written by children): A Kid’s Guide to Flyfishing: It’s More than Catching Fish (Johnson Books, 2006; $16) and A Kid’s Guide to Fly Tying (Johnson Books, 2008; $16) both by Tyler Befus— junior fly-fishing/tying champion
• River Girls: Fly Fishing for Young Women by Cecilia “Pudge” Kleinkauf (Spring Creek Press, 2006; $10)—a book written by a real woman of the river
• The Olive series of picture books by Keith Werner written from the point of view of a fly (Johnson Books, 2009; $12.95)
