Inexperienced Fishing Father

Unlike most of you here, I can probably count on my hands how many times I have been fishing in my life. I've spent a great deal of time in the outdoors, but fishing was never a thing for me. I am raising a very inquisitive 9 year old boy and he very much wants to go fishing...a lot! I took him once last year, but we have no idea what we are doing and it was kind of frustrating and didn't catch anything. I bought a fishing license and am trying to figure out where to take him and what to do to actually catch fish.

Anyway, other than just jumping in with no clue, I don't know where to start and I really want my son to enjoy the experience. The closest lakes to us are Granger and Sommerville as are the San Gabriel and Little Rivers.

(I couldn't find a better place to post this so please let me know if I missed it)

I would suggest you book a trip with Weldon Kirk of Fish Fish Tales Guide Service. Weldon is great with kids and inexperienced fishermen. He guides on Sommerville. He can teach you a lot about catfishing.

OH, Welcome to the madness called fishing!

I'd start simple:

Rogers City Park Pond
Spinning rod with a little piece of hotdog on a small bait hook under a bobber.
You should catch plenty of bluegill and bass.




There's another park pond in that area--Wilson Ledbetter; but it was stocked with just catfish. There's probably some blue gill in there also, but fishing for catfish requires more gear, more robust equipment, etc (not as simple as fishing for sunfish and small bass)

there is a great little fishing dock at granger wilson fox... you'll catch something.....worms will get you blue gil....minnows and jogs crappie...

or you can hook up with someone who has a boat to take you out......this is much better option....heck you can join me when you can.

I appreciate the quick feedback already. I'm definitely going to try one of these this weekend.

If you want some details about like line, rods, baits to keep things simple and not go too crazy spending, let me know. I also did not like fishing my whole life until I was 34, and now 39 and love it. I also don't buy a bunch of tackle or spend much on it because I can't. If you want my style of simple and effective let me know! Im not saying I'm great, but Ive learned how to keep things simple and have fun too!

First let me say, WAY TO GO DAD!! Too many Dads out there that will not get in tune with their kids likes because they don't like it. So first and foremost, you're awesome!

Next, I would try youtube for learning the basics. Like how to tie different knots or how to set up for bluegill fishing vs bass fishing vs catfishing. Lots of visual aids to get you set up easily.

If a guide is an option for you, take the recommendation of going out with a guide. They will teach you and your son A LOT. That will just depend on your budget.

I had a Dad that hated fishing and the most he would do was drop me off and pick me up where I wanted to fish. I learned how to fish from Bill Dance Outdoors when he had his TV show in the late 70's and 80's. Fishing magazines too.

Yes, I understand that. It is one of the reasons I want to do what I can with my son and his interests. It may not go anywhere or it could lead to a lifetime of father-son
moments.

I’d suggest targeting blue gill and/or crappie to begin with. The reason I say this is because they’re easy to catch, and if you find them, you’ll likely be able to catch quite a few of them. Kids MUST catch fish! Once he’s caught a few fish he’ll be on his way. Gulp Alive Angle Worms are a great bait for blue gill. YouTube is your friend for both technique and necessary equipment - keep it simple.
Catching fish beats the heck out of video games. If you decide to hire a guide in the beginning, try to find someone who can help a kid CATCH some fish. A kid with a pole and line in the water and no fish to show for it will bore quickly.
Best of Luck!!

Just FYI...I was considering going to the lake near Rogers' TX since it's a little out of the way. I looked at it with Google maps and it shows a lake, but when you go to street view the lake is gone..dried up! A youtube search revealed that a flood in 2019 caused the earthen dam to break and it looks like they never fixed it.

That’s terrible. Sorry the pond disappeared.

It is surprisingly difficult to find a good picture of how to thread a worm onto a hook in the internets. That alone shocks me. Here is how I do it. Get a long shank cricket hook. It’s a really small hook with a long shank. The long shank helps get a perch off the hook when they get it in deep which happens a lot when fishing with kids. Even the photo I have below shows a hook that is way to big, but it shows the way a worm needs to be threaded onto a hook. The most important part of perch jerking is to make sure the tip of that hook isn’t showing. The rest of the hook can be exposed, but if the tip of the hook shows, even a little, you will not get bit. When threading on a worm, it doesn’t take much, certainly not the whole worm. Anything more than covering half the shank of the hook with a small tail off the barb is to much worm. Thread the worm on the hook and pinch it off when you have enough on and put the rest of it back in the worm cup.

If you are fishing from a pier, just use a very small split shot about four inches above the hook.. if you can avoid it, don’t use a bobber. Let the worm pendulum back and forth slowly to make the perch have to chase it a bit. That will keep them from pecking off the worm and make them actually take it.

If you are having to cast out, either from a boat or walking down a shoreline, a bobber may be very helpful. A thin quill bobber would be best. The red and white bobbers are horrible. Cast out, and slowly reel back in. Keep it slowly moving. They will chase it and take down the bobber.

Use the lightest spilt shot you can find. If it’s too heavy, you will never know how many fish you are missing.

Small, long shanked hook
Very light split shot
No bobber if you can help it
Keep it moving, slowly

Its skill that he can be taught and do it for a lifetime. I take a lot of my daughters friends whose parents dont know how ( or have the interest) and I find the fish then sit back and let them enjoy the experience, good and bad. I also suggest a time limit, even adults dont like to sit all day, especially when its slow. Take some snacks everytime and make special thing like with us its slurpees when we go to gas station, the kids all know Mr Hawkins does this and they look forward to it. My daughter like to give them a good look over like shes a little doctor. Worms and a bobber at any city pond or park and youll catch them. I am not familiar with your area or I would make local suggestions.

Where you live see if you can find someone with a tank that will let you fish from the bank. Then use the worm and bobber method to learn the basics. Most tanks in your area will have bream, catfish and bass in them so you can learn to catch all of them there and then progress to lakes. Just don't trash the place or take anyone else with you when you find a spot.

Check the bank fishing, fly fishing, and bream and perch sections. There's a wealth of information on where and how to fish. People in those sections are helpful and willing to share information. Good luck.

Most IMPORTANT thing is for kid(s) to catch fish - size & species do not matter - JUST catch fish. Do not spend all day chasing BIG fish. I suggest bream, crappie or white bass since "school" & easy to catch. Highly suggest using guide if budget allows!!
1)Lake Somerville - guides during week & Saturday (not Sunday) - Pastor Harvey Abke, Burleson County Cowboy Church, Caldwell, TX - cell 281-935-3969 call cell no email (Crappie and White bass).
2) Richland Chambers Reservoir (near Corsicana) - white bass - Highly recommend Royce Simmons as a guide. GREAT with kids!! Royce is a Christian and does not guide on Sundays as Sundays are time for church and family. Royce Simmons www.gonefishin.biz royce@gonefishin.biz (469) 371-5197 cell
3) Crappie - Sam Rayburn or Toledo Bend - Dave Truax 409-791-2453 fishing guide Sam Rayburn & Toledo Bend, I use 1-2 times/yr for last 8+ years: very good, highly recommend; ONLY - cell phone & text messages; NO internet; I stay at Toledo Bend - Fin & Feather Resort, 245 Fin & Feather Drive, Hemphill, TX 75948; 409-579-2056 http://www.finnfeatherresort.com finandfeatherlodge@gmail.com

Very good idea. fisk for cat, Crappie, yummy, or sand bass, the catching can be fast. So yes find a good guide& tell em you arent too experienced& you want to get your son hooked.

If your interested in a road trip, I'd be willing to take you and your son.
Multiple lakes in east Texas and I have access to a private 30 acre lake that is perfect for a young angler to catch bass out of.

Sorry, never saw this. Yes, I had a friend that took us fishing at his parents tanks a few years ago. We caught some great Bass and I think it is where my son became interested in fishing. They moved away last year though so I am still trying to figure out how to do this with him well.

Somehow I missed this one too. We may take you up on this this Fall.

I grew up without a dad and my mom didn't do any outdoors stuff. I started fishing when I turned 25 and watched hundreds of hours of YouTube videos and did alot of online reading.

I'd recommend starting real basic; get a small pole, some light monofilament line, and small bait hooks then go to town on some nightcrawlers at the local ponds. The boy will absolutely love catching bluegill and even some bass on that rig. I'd highly recommend you pick a day where it's not too hot or too cold and try to find a place that has alot of clear bank access. Kids (and even adults) get bored, especially if nothing is biting, so try to go for an hour and see what happens. Don't be afraid to pond hop if you aren't getting bites.