Wylie, the purists have given me a hard time for tying fies on jig hooks, hanging hardware on flies and other unconventional approaches - but in the end some crazy ideas become industry standards.

Humor me if you please - my sons are likely your age.

"When we fish now he gets woolly buggers tied to his line instead of anything else".

Kinda like teaching someone to build a house with nothing but a claw hammer.

George

well I am not a purist, just a simpleton that knows nothing of conventional fishing. I own rods I was given and some tackle I was given but with no Idea how to use it, the fly tackle on the other hand I have tied myself and used most of it myself (including the woolly buggers i tie to the end of my sons line) so I dont think its under equiping him in the least to teach him what I know when it comes to fishing.

What does my age or your age or your sons age have anything to do with this convorsation?

Wylie, I have high regard and respect for your commitment and quality time spent with your son.
We need more fathers as yourself in this day of age.

Oh yeah, my sons ...I've had a lot of experience teachng kids to fish - my sons and grandkids:

Here's a couple of photos of my favorite and only grand daughter - she's a sucessful grown young career woman now, but when we talk, she always asks - Poppy, when can we go fishing?










Here's my youngest grandson - just graduated from High School
[img]

Never too young to take them fishing.

But as for flyfishing, I'd say 10 yrs. I believe I was that old when I started. Been doing it ever since and I'm an addict now.....LOL

Maybe give him a set up that has nothing but 20 ft of line that he can roll cast then set that up for bream

Might work with a real little kid

I have taken my 4 yr old out and tied a fly below a small bobber. The bobber acts as a casting bubble, and he catches bluegill with a slow retrieve.

My dad was fishing pro bass tourneys when he started me out. And yes it was on a snoopy pole. I had the most fun just being on the back of the boat and catching fish every now and then. When I got a little bit older and really wanted to try and keep up with dad I graduated to a light weight spinning outfit and my own little tackle box. The same went with bird hunting, I was started out on a 4-10 shooting skeet. One I could clear all the pigeons on a regular basis then was I allowed to use the 20ga. It was the best thing he ever did because I dont miss with a 12ga now. You just have to give the kid what he can handle and when he progresses let him/her move up. Just my .02 cents.

I'm going to throw in with Derik on this one. We all have different levels maturity and dexterity that need to be achieved before we start flinging flies. When you think about it, there are probably some adults who should NEVER fly fish.

If he looks like he wants to try it, or asks you specifically, then let him give it a whirl. If not, let him stick with the Snoopy gear until he shows you he's ready to move up. The fly and bobber technique mentioned above seems like a way for you two to fish together with minimal fuss and maximum fish caught. He can fish just about any kind of fly made that way and catch fish.

To quote Txredraider "When you think about it, there are probably some adults who should NEVER fly fish."
You ain't just whistlin' there brotha! When I do a class sometimes I just wanna

funny thing I took him fishing with his little sister and we met some guys fromt the TFF and they were fly fishing and he was using his spider man pole the same way, trying to false cast with it, it was funny for sure but it made me think about giving him a pole and letting him try....we will see i am going to make him pour some milk for himself first.