I often get asked how early you can start kids fishing. My answer is basically when they start breathing. Of course the level of participation goes up as they get older. My kids and grandkids were interested in turning the reel handle at 4 months and they liked touching the fish. Fishing is a fun way to get kids outdoors.

Classic Barry!

Great post!

My fishing obsession started when I was 4 years old - 58 years ago. I was at a county fall fair and they had a cheesy fishing game with magnets on the end of a short pole and line. You caught a metal disc and got a prize based on what was stamped on the disc. I didn't give a rip about the prize - i was inconsolable when i learned i didn't get to keep the pole and line. One of my earliest memories and have never looked back. First few years i made my own rods as a kid from bamboo and stole thread and safety pins from my mom's sewing kit. Braided my own line and made my own hooks from the safety pins (we were poor) and caught nightcrawlers, crickets and grasshoppers for bait. Would peddle my bike around to all the farm ponds for about a 7 or 8 mile radius from our farm and everybody knew everybody and farmers would let me fish their ponds for bass and pike. Bought my first cheap reel when i was twelve from money saved by picking empties on the beach and finding lost balls on the local golf course which i sold back to the clubhouse for $0.25 a ball - they marked them up to $0.50 and sold them back to the players. Back then they would let me an 8 or 10 year old kid dive their ponds to find lost balls - can't imagine what the lawyers would say now. Fun times!

I started my son at around 4yrs old. He is still going strong. Just don't push them too hard, and try to keep it interesting.

"Priceless"!

My boy is 3 and caught a Rio Grande Cichlid on Lake LBJ that matched the lake record....

Good job grandpa

Absolutely perfect! My Dad started taking me bird/squirrel hunting with him when I was 4 years old…fishing before that. I’m 70 years old now and still love both. I started taking my son at about the same age. I’d take his Bugs Bunny sleeping bad with us deer hunting in East Texas. We’d sit at the base of trees and he’d crawl in his bag and sleep while I watched for deer. He’s 50 know, still loves both sports, and passed it down to his kids that are teens now and both love to fish and hunt. A great legacy to my Dad.

I was probably about 3 years old, my son about the same.

Totally AWESOME!

Wonderful pictures. Great job on getting them interested.

Never too soon to get them fishing! My guys with their first and most recent catches. Both were about 6 months old when they started. With my first guy, the catfish werent the only thing biting that day. Now at 11 and 9, these two are a danger to anything with fins.









My little guy at 3yo with a huge spot from cibolo creek, would have been an age and/or water body record if we had officially recorded it.


We cant go on vacation without some equipment, drives mom crazy. They even managed to catch fish in Italy and from our bungalow in Bora Bora.

Thanks for posting some pictures. I was hoping to see some pictures of other little guys fishing. It definitely looks like you created some lasting memories.

Oh I have pics for days of my kiddos fishing. Never thought I could have so much fun fishing. I rarely pick up a rod now days. Just letting my kiddos grab it and reel it in is all the pleasure I need.