Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm lucky enough to be taking my girlfriend's two grandsons fishing this year. "Taking them fishing" sounds better than "Emergency/Fall Through/Backup/Disaster Daycare/Warden service" don't you think?

I want to haul them out to some of the fishing piers to have a go at the sculpin and flatfish population. My plan is to set them up with a small baitcasting reel like a Penn 9 and a shortish rod. They can lower the bait on a regular hi/lo rig with an ounce or so of weight so no need to worry about casting (THAT'S not going to happen around potential victims for a while) and reeling in is pretty much just a "turn the handle" deal. I can't think of anything simpler this side of a cane pole!

I'm having trouble finding a decent short baitcasting rod that will handle an ounce or two of lead plus maybe a sole or pair of sculpin. I don't need to set them up to be able to CAST 2 ounces but I don't want the rod collapsing either. Nothing like crappy equipment to ruin the trip.

I was looking for a less than 7' long two piece rod with a non-split grip and probably a trigger that is rated for up to 5/8 or 3/4 of an ounce. I had hoped to find an ugly stik with those specs but no luck so far. Someone suggested a Cabela's Whupping stick but I'm getting varied reports of their quality and I'm not crazy about Cabelas anyway.

So I'm looking for suggestions. And by all means if you've got some experience taking 3-6 year old boys fishing then pass it along. I haven't taken a kid fishing since I took ME at that age so if you can help me avoid a mistake or not pass up on an opportunity I'd apprecaite the help.

Thanks,

John

My daughter is 5. This is what I did with her

I picked up a Princess kiddie pole at K-Mart or Fred Meyers (boys=Batman, Spiderman, Cars, etc.) and a spool of 10# braid. Took the line off that came with the pole and spooled the braid on.
Since it was the season I tied a 1/2oz pink jig to hers, for you I would tie a swivel to the braid, 1/2oz weight, 1 foot of leader to a baitholder hook.
The line and the pole will handle the 1/2oz weight and whatever you catch (we pulled in 6-8# pinks with hers).
The kids will want to cast, no getting around that, so just resign to it, move away from people and let em
The hardest part with my daughter is slowing down - she just wants to cast & reel, cast & reel
Also (from experience), get some string or twine and tie it to the pole and the kids beltloop or something in case they drop the pole over or let it go while casting. Every time we cross the Snohomish she says "Daddy, that is where the fish are watching my 1st fishing pole - right?"

This is going to be cheaper that baitcasters and they can take em home and "practice" with the little rubber casting fish that comes with the pole.

The other thing I would recommend is life jackets for them - even on the pier.

One problem that I haven't been able to solve: the railing on the pier is often taller than the child. So, it is difficult for them to see their line in the water or to feel/see a bite. Basically, imagine a child fishing "over a wall" and not seeing what is happening on the other side.

Perhaps I can bring a foot stool for them to stand on, or try fishing off a calm beach.

I feel based on fishing with my currently 5 year old since he was 2 and a half, that the best time will be letting them be on the beach with polls and casting. Give them enough space that there not hitting each other and let them go. I doubt there will be any catching going on, so the rubber fish that come with the pole might be the best bet. A young child is not going to want to be at it for very long so i would not plan a trip for over an hour. If you can make it a dual sport event with a cap fire and the polls with bells ala catfish style, you may have more fun. Learning how to fish will be the biggest challenge for you, as having them hook each other or you is not going to be any fun for anyone.

Snoopy pole is the way to go. Put a life jacket on them and take them to the marina with a floating dock. Not sure where there is one in Tacoma, but the one in Everett is full of flounders. The dock in Olympia is good for it too. Tons of perch and flounders, squid in the right time. That way they don't have to try to get up and over a ledge, and if (heaven forbid) they fall over, you just grab them by the life jacket and hoist them in. Get a leash for the poles, I lost one that way when I was younger too. I still remember it. A good way to start is to drop shot with a herring jig, tons of 'em. Then when they get the hang of the ltitle guys, put 'em on the hook and have them catch a dog shark, they'll love it!

Another fun thing I did with my daughter was to find the biggest bass plug I had and just take the hooks off. It is heavy enough to cast a ways and when they reel it back it dives and wiggles like a fish. She "caught" that fish for hours

natetreat wrote:.... The dock in Olympia is good for it too. ..

Not too familiar with the Olympia area. What dock are you referring to?

It's the public mooring dock in the marina by the waterfront. If you go out there at night, there are tons of squid in the summer. - http://goo.gl/maps/0atXy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;