A fishing license and stamp endorsement are not required if fishing from the bank in a state park or in waters completely enclosed by a state park. All other fishing regulations, such as length and bag limits, remain in effect.


"in waters completely enclosed by a state park"

This is the part of that statement that I'd
check in to.

It is great to see a new guy start fishing with his son. With a small budget I would reccomend two Zebco 33 type polls to start out. You may want to check some pawn shops in your area for cheap rods. Respool any you buy there with new 10 pound test line.

Here are three basic techniques that will yield results at some point fishing on the bank like you want to do.

1. Casting a lure of some type. The beetle spins, and rooster tails are good starts for this. Just walk along the bank and cast and retrieve your lures, looking for places that might hold fish. Vary your retrieve, and if you catch a fish remember what you were doing. You will probably catch more doing the same thing. Plastic worms are also cheap and are good for fishing from the bank. Get some blue fleck power worms if you want to try worm fishing.

2. Fishing a bobber. This teaches great patience, and makes knowing when a fish is biting very easy. Buy some medium plastic bobbers, some snap swivels, some pre-tied medium hooks, and some medium sized weights.

Tie the snap swivel on your line, then attach the weight and the loop end of the pre-tied hook to it. Place the bobber 1-3 feet above the snap swivel, and your rig is ready to go. You can fish with all kinds of baits. Minnow and worms are the most popular.

This is what I grew up fishing, and it taught me a lot. I can spend hours staring at that bobber without getting bored.

3. Bottom fishing is next. This involves fishing a bait off of the bottom or near the bottom of the lakebed. It is good for catfishing and carp. For catfish try rigging your snap swivel with the same weight and get some stinkbait treble hooks. These hooks have sponges or plastic attachments made to hold stinkbait. You just dip them in the bait, and chunk them out.

If there are catfish in the area, you are going to catch some most times. This takes patience, and a bit of attention as well. I usually just hold the line coming out of the reel to see if one is taking the bait. If they pull on it, set the hook! They can be pretty sneaky. Sometimes they will just pick it up, eat all your bait, and spit it out. I usually reapply the bait every 20 minutes or so. My best luck catfishing has always come near dark or after dark. It is fun activity to do while out camping.

The meel worms mention earlier by someone can usely be found at Aces. The zebco 33 would a good starter, but you can find a good inexspenive spinning combo as well at academy!

here is my input at wal-mart youcan buy a zebco 202 2-piece combo for 11.88. as far as hooks a size #2 baitholder hook is a good general hook for bait as for weights you can buy a little plastic tray for 2 or 3 bucks that has several different sizes. for bobbers wal mart has bags of bobbers for like 2 bucks. all this can be had for less than $40. i just hooked up a good friend with this stuff. oh yeah you can get a good little one tray tackle box at wal mart too for around $5(you gotta have a way to store you gear and carry it around-walmart sacks only last so long

You guys make me extremely proud to be associated with this forum
There have been some excellent suggestions, great references and great pictures. I will be going through a lot of my things before my upcoming relocation (headed to Georgia). I am sure I have some "beginner" type rod and reels for the son and some tackle that I can part with. I will send you a PM with my phone number and personal email address. I will be at the Oasis Restuarant on Joe Pool Lake this evening for a Match Play meeting. Please feel free to stop in and say hello.

Keep up the great responses, Guys! That is what this forum is really all about!

I also have another suggestion for ya, I reccommend you and your son try and fish some local ponds near your house, this would require a fishing lic., but pond fishing is one of the best ways to learn the sport. You can check out stocking reports at the link below, just find the name of the pond and look for it on the list.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/fishstock_smallwater.phtml

I tell you what, the response here continues to be beyond impressive. I don't know of any ponds around me that might be available. There are some small tanks (like the size of my house), but they are on private property and I don't want to tresspass. I'll probably need a bit before I can get licenses for anywhere other than the state parks.

-Zebco 33 is truly a classic! Everyone should have one just for memory sake. Also check out this Diawa, a personal favorite of mine, even my wife can't mess this one up.(I hope this image followed.

- [img]http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...0003000_100-3-3[/img]


The advice has been great. A beatle spin is an easy bait to throw and you can catch a variety of things on it and it is hard to get hung up. Road Runners are great as well.

However, worms on a #1 hook will be hard to beat. You can buy them at the Marina in Cedar Hill State Park. There is a fishing pier on that end or you can drive to the second boat dock and fish off the fishing pier their. The campsites close to the damn are also very good. There will be plenty of perch and bream in the coves as well as catfish. Kids just like to catch fish. Sizes don't matter.

You can also use shinners on a #2 hook on and in the crappie house in the marina at Cedar Hill State park.

Enjoy this time. I'm now at an age where I so enjoy taking my 83 year old grandfather and doing all I can to make sure he catches fish, just as he did with me when I was just old enough to hold a pole.

24601,
These are the type of questions I hear every time I teach a group of kids how to cast. It sounds like you might get your best results from reading, a skill I never mastered, and I admire people that can learn from a book. The Zebco 33 will be your best bet to start with and if I may go a little further, you and your son may want to join the Jr. Bassmaster program and learn to fish togehter. It cost $15.00 and most of the basics, starting out with knot tieing and line rigging, you're asking about are covered in the 4 handbooks you recieve when he, your son and ya'll read and learn together because you're too old to join the program,pays his membership dues. The program is called "MAster Angler Program" and starts with the VERY basics. Also, I sugggest you get a fishing license and stamp for two reasons. If you get caught without one the fines really hurt but mainly because the monies collected go to furthering the resource.Feel free to contact me PM if you have any other questions, after all there is no other sport like fishing and no matter how old or how young one is there is always things to be learned and taught!!

Trey Scott

T.B.F.N. State Youth Director

2600 Mchale Ct.

Suite 100

Austin, Texas 78758

Work 512-719-3560

Cell 512-689-8939

Some great responses! I love this place!

I'm new at this too, and here is a great site that helped me a lot:

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/bass_fish.html

The beginner's section has a lot of info.

I got a Zebco sitting in my tackle box never used. If you want it you can have it. Just send me your address in a PM and it will be on its way.