Ok, time to admit it even if it takes a notch out of my mancard. I don't know how to fish. :-
I know the basics. I have fished before. I own fishing gear, heck I even own a boat. But I only know to put a worm on the end of the hook and wait for the bobber to go down. I don't know what kind of fish I catch (I think I have caught small sunnies before). I just catch and release. Cooking and cleaning I'm sure is a whole different ball game.
I am taking my son fishing for his first time this Saturday for opening day of trout season. I can't even tell you what a trout fish looks like. I'm sure I can fake it....I've done well enough for 36 years, but since I am starting to teach my son how to fish, it is time I learn more about fishing. My Dad wasn't a fisherman so he never taught me how to fish.
I have a license. i have a pole and my son has a pole I bought some mealworms. I was at the lake where I am going and was talking with another guy who was there with his son. He mentioned using some special trout bait. I bought some of that. It is pink and it says to ball it up on the hook...enough to make the hook float. Isn't the hook supposed to be just under the water? Do I not use a bobber then? If I don't use a bobber, how do I know when I have a fish on the line? I have never ever used lures before in my life. Although I have a ton of them I picked up from a storage unit. I don't know the first thing about them.
Tying knots.....I usually just tie a bunch of overhand knots until it doesn't slip and wrap it around the swivel or hook a bunch of times. I did find hooks that have a small length of line already tied on it with a loop that you hook on the swivel.....best invention ever 🙂
The guy I was chatting with said there were big fish in the pond that kids pull out. What size is a "big" trout? I heard some trout are tagged. What does that mean and what do you do with that?
My son is 3yo so I am expecting him to get bored within an hour and we'll go play on the playground. We are also camping there so we'll build a campfire or chop wood so I can hold onto my mancard.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
How to fish....... something not easily explained in words in a short period of time. Lol
If I were you I would keep it as simple as possible.
Keep fishing with a bobber, short piece of line (18" or so), and a hook. No swivels, snaps, or extra pieces of equipment, except for maybe a very small weight. Just enough to keep the bait below the surface.
Learning to fish with artificials is not something you learn in a week or two, especially if you are taking a 3 year old out.
Keep it simple and what you are familiar with.
Pick up a book of local fish for where you will be fishing. Your local WallMart probably has a chart of some sort by the fishing section. Then when you do catch something just look at the chart and figure out what it is. You could be wrong too, your son won't know. 😉
There are plenty of fishing knots that will work and I bet any of them are better than a bunch of overhand knots that you tie until it doesn't move. Thanks for the laugh on that one.
When your son gets bored and wants to go to the playground, pack up and go. You will both be happy for it.
You and him can learn to fish together.
Good luck.
I know I'm not looking to be on the fishing channel this weekend. 😀
So I should put a weight near the hook, I was confused when the trout bait said put enough on to float the hook. Other than fly fishing I thought you wanted everything to be under water. I guess the floating part is just so you can guage how much to put on.
I will try tying a few knots tonight.....but in my defense, I bet I am not the first one who just tied a bunch of overhand knots 😛
Good idea on picking up a fish chart. I can pretend I am showing my son and nobody will know I don't know either.
Yeah, I don't plan on using the lures. One of these days I'll bring them to a rally and let someone tell me about them.
I can't make it to the Pocono fishing rally. I already have another trip planned with my wife and her work friends in April.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
I don't know what type of bait the pink stuff is that was mentioned. Our trout fishing in Florida is a lot different as we don't have fresh water trout here.
If it floats and the trout are eating bugs from the surface, you will want to "match the hatch" as best as possible and have it on the surface.
From what I understand of trout fishing though, there are times when they will be lower in the water column and you can't see them. They may be eating bugs (or whatever else they eat there) that are just drifting through at any depth.
If you use that bait that floats, you wouldn't use a bobber. Just watch your line and when it starts moving, set the hook.
The clinch knot is an easy knot to learn. Put tag end of line through hook eye, wrap around main line a few times, then bring the tag end through the loop near the hook eye. I always found it easiest to hold that loop with a finger until I put the line back through, then just pulled my finger out with the line. There are plenty of pictures showing that knot. Just practice with a piece of rope or twine since it is easier than fishing line until you get the hang of it.
Here is my two cents. Take your son fishing!!! It doesn't matter if you know exactly what you are doing or not. Your son is going to have a good time fishing with his dad. Fake it the best you can, the memories are more important than the fish. I commend you for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something with your son that he wants to do.
Amen on the good time! You are getting a lot of advice. Let me add a little. Trout fishing is a science and you won't be a expert from reading a post.
The pink stuff is probably salmon eggs. These are like 'Little Debbies" to trout. Find a place where the water is moving but not real deep. Load some of the pink eggs on a hook. No swivel, sinker or anything. The hook will float which is what you want. Push the button or release the line so it free flows ad let it drift downstream 10 yards or so. If you see a splash near the hook, lock the line and raise the pole. if you have a fish, reel it in. If you don't, reel it in and try some more and move to a different spot.
At this point, if there aren't any other fisherman nearby, you and your son throw some rocks in the water. That was my favirote thing to do when the fish were not biting. Your son will love it. Teach him how to skip stones. He will remember the fun you had even if you don't catch any fish.
If I read it right, you are going to a lake to fish for trout! I have caught some big trout on the bottom of a lake using a hook and a bunch of worms on the hook. I have used the other bait you are talking about. the pink foamy stuff does okay. I have had better luck using a gold or silver spoon by casting out and slowly reeling it in. I have had great luck with small rooster tails with a rainbow color!
Good luck and have some Kodak moments with your son. They don't stay small for to long! :thumbsup:
Cindy, I love those bobbers :lmao:
I totally expect this to be a laid back trip and I'm going to let him do what he wants. I am bringing my pole but I don't expect I will be using it.
We played "fishing" in the backyard the other day so he knows what the pole does. He kept walking into the "water" :hah:
Yes, it will be lake trout. I figure we will try the worms and we'll try the pink stuff. I am thinking we have a good chance to catch something tomorrow if he doesn't call it quits beforehand.
I was going thru my tackle box. There is a pamphlet of how to tie a knot. The pamphlet they gave me when I got my fishing license described the different trout so for now I won't pick up a pamphlet with pictures showing the fish.
Thanks for your comments and for reminding me to find the camera
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
For trout fishing I use a number 10 hook and power bait. You can also try rooster tails. Which are little spinning lures if you want to do more then just cast and wait. Corn kernals work also. Depending how big the fish are where you are fishing you may have to go up or down a hook sizes. I would start out with 6 lbs test line size maybe 8 if they are bigger trout.
As far as cleaning goes trout is one of the easiest fish to clean.
Find the poo hole run your knife about a 1/4 inch in then run it up the gut to the throat. Grab lower jaw and pull down. Lower jaw and all guts should come out then with run under water and run your thumb along the spine to get the blood off the spine. Rinse throughly and you dip in corn meal flower mix and fry in oil. You could also put a peice of garlic in them a little oil on the outside so they dont stick to foil and grill them. One guy I know waps them tight in foil and sticks them in his dishwasher and steams them that why. Just be careful when you eat them for the little bones, oh skin should just fall off or flake away with a fork.
Yes this way leaves the tail and head on if you dont like it cut them off.
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