Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

Fishing at Martha Lake

New to fishing? Tips on how to fish with kids

Interested in fishing but don't know where to start? Catch these tips to get started!

My kids had never gone fishing and wanted to try. My family did some fishing when I was young, but it’s been a long time. To refresh my memory, I got some tips from a friend whose child loves fishing.

To start fishing with your own kids, check out the tips and information below. You can also look through this list of fishing spots with playgrounds for ideas on where to go. Happy fishing!

Getting started

Where to find fishing gear: You can also find gear at Fred Meyer. They have poles and lures if you want to look in person. Amazon is a convenient online option. If you are part of a Buy Nothing group, ask to borrow or keep fishing gear for the season or longer.

Choose a rod and lure: Choose a fishing rod that your child can handle easily. For younger anglers (up to about age 7) there are modified poles to make learning to cast easier. Kid-friendly types of lures include dropshots, plastic worms, and spinnerbait.

We borrowed poles and tackle from our Buy Nothing group, packed some snacks, and headed off to the lake!

Tips for kids: safety, timing and patience

I explained some safety measures before pulling out the fishing polesā€”hooks are very sharp, we can’t swing the poles around (no sword fighting!), and we always look around before casting to watch for others. I had to repeat that last one many, many times. Even then, my younger kid still forgot to look and hooked my shirt.

Keep kids comfortable: Bring weather-appropriate gear and footwear, water, snacks. Consider a hat (sun hat or warm hat, depending on weather) and sunglasses.
Avoid hook injuries:Ā Consider barbless hooks, or slightly bend down the barbs when using bait. Leave plenty of space between people and away from trees/bushes when casting.
Be safe: Wear personal floatation devices if you’re wading in deep water or fishing from a boat. I also put life jackets on my kids when we fished from a dock without rails in case they tripped and fell in.
Time it right: Fish are more likely to bite when it’s early morning, evening, cloudy, or lightly raining. Autumn is a great time to start fishing for the first time, since the weather is cooler and the fish are feeding more.
Have patience: Teach your kids that fishing requires patience, but consider ending the fishing early if they are struggling. It’s better to have a shorter session, building positive memories and stamina for longer sessions in the future.

Information about fishing regulations:

Fishing licenses are required for ages 15+. You can find information about fees and purchase options here.

Fishing for certain species: All ages (including below 15) are required to keep a catch record card if fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, or Dungeness crabs. This helps the state estimate fish populations.

Fish Washington, a free app, has up-to-date regulations and interactive maps to find fishing nearby. Download the app from Google Play or Apple’s App Store.

Read the regulations: The annual fishing pamphlet and emergency rule changes are available here.

 

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About the Author

Anne Renz

Anne and her two kids started visiting Seattle-area parks as a pandemic project and began sharing about them on Instagram @SeaKidsRoam. So far they have visited over 80 parks - with a list of dozens more to go.