[NymphoStage]

What age can you start them at? Do they make mini fly rods for kids? Advice?

 

[pistoldog]

I'd start them with fly fishing for bluegills so they get the concept.


6 is pretty young unless they are crazy about fishing..

 

[baetisrun1]

my boys have been fishing with a fly rod in hand since roughly 5. Of course I would help them with their casting and setting. Now the boys are 8 and nearly 11 and they fish all on their own. In fact the 8 year old caught a 23" at the San Juan earlier this year. Good stuff. Here is a pic of my oldest with a nice bow.

So to answer your question, I'd say it's never too soon. The biggest question is when will you be ready to help them out? Cause when you do, your fishing time goes way down. And you will need a lot of patience. However the long term rewards are the greatest! As for the length of rod you should use? I mainly had them use my 5wt. I was afraid to get them a short fly rod cause they are way more difficult to cast. So they learned on a T and T Horizon 9.5' 5wt rod and were just fine!

 

[NymphoStage]

I'd start them with fly fishing for bluegills so they get the concept.


6 is pretty young unless they are crazy about fishing..

This is exactly the plan.

I think I am going to bring him to where I slayed about 100 blue gill yesterday and let him use my fly rod. Like dapping. No casting but let him hold the pole out and set the hook when the gill rises to the fly.

 

[NymphoStage]

my boys have been fishing with a fly rod in hand since roughly 5. Of course I would help them with their casting and setting. Now the boys are 8 and nearly 11 and they fish all on their own. In fact the 8 year old caught a 23" at the San Juan earlier this year. Good stuff. Here is a pic of my oldest with a nice bow.

So to answer your question, I'd say it's never too soon. The biggest question is when will you be ready to help them out? Cause when you do, your fishing time goes way down. And you will need a lot of patience. However the long term rewards are the greatest! As for the length of rod you should use? I mainly had them use my 5wt. I was afraid to get them a short fly rod cause they are way more difficult to cast. So they learned on a T and T Horizon 9.5' 5wt rod and were just fine!

Yeah we just got to the point where he is casting with an actual lure on the line a few weeks ago (was using a weight for the last year). I could imagine using a fly rod being one of those things that kids just pick up quickly.

 

[Pete-G]

Kids will pick it up fast with proper lessons. Casting a fly rod is not a natural motion like throwing a ball.

Most adults can't do it right.

 

[slayerfish]

What age can you start them at? Do they make mini fly rods for kids? Advice?

Turn them into flailers and ruin the rest of thier lives? You are a horrible parent -

 

[Pete-G]

Yeah, teach them to drown worms instead.

 

[slayerfish]

Funny, Pete-

 

[NymphoStage]

lol @ the side taking on this stuff. I love fishing. I love other things too. I love fighting. I will watch a big fight on pay-per-view the same as I would watch two old ladies scrap in a parking lot. Same with fishing. I love casting a Texas Rig into a pond and I love fly fishing too. I will also deep sea fish or troll chatfield. I simply enjoy it. The taking of sides here is hilarious.

 

[Falling apart]

I started both mine at 5. Boy is 6 now and girl is 10. She can fish dries and nymphs by herself and streamers she still needs some advice.

Boy just roll casts like its a spay rod with an indicator. has a blast.

However, in 20 to 30 minutest, the youngest gets bored and they go chase ants or skip rocks or try to find snakes. So, dont fight it, just let them have fun and they will keep coming back

 

[NymphoStage]

I started both mine at 5. Boy is 6 now and girl is 10. She can fish dries and nymphs by herself and streamers she still needs some advice.

Boy just roll casts like its a spay rod with an indicator. has a blast.

However, in 20 to 30 minutest, the youngest gets bored and they go chase ants or skip rocks or try to find snakes. So, dont fight it, just let them have fun and they will keep coming back

Sweet. Yeah the attention span is always interesting. He will cast (spin cast) for a good 15 minutes before needing something else to do.

 

[ChrisS]

One thing I do when introducing a young kid to fly fishing is I rig them up with a nymph rig but no fly. I will substitute the fly for a mealworm take them to an area that allows bait and let them drop and cast that rig right behind the rocks and riffles and let them catch their fill of small brown trout and rainbows.
Remember kids have a small attention span and success hooking fish keeps them going. Good places to do this is on the south plate at happy meadows just outside of Lake George or in the bait sections of 11 mile canyon. 99% of the fish caught this way are caught in the lip and easily released. As the get better and older we graduate to the fly.

 

[Oyey]

Kids will pick it up fast with proper lessons. Casting a fly rod is not a natural motion like throwing a ball.

Most adults can't do it right.

*****, please

 

[NymphoStage]

One thing I do when introducing a young kid to fly fishing is I rig them up with a nymph rig but no fly. I will substitute the fly for a mealworm take them to an area that allows bait and let them drop and cast that rig right behind the rocks and riffles and let them catch their fill of small brown trout and rainbows.
Remember kids have a small attention span and success hooking fish keeps them going. Good places to do this is on the south plate at happy meadows just outside of Lake George or in the bait sections of 11 mile canyon. 99% of the fish caught this way are caught in the lip and easily released. As the get better and older we graduate to the fly.

I was thinking of drys and bluegill. They are so easy to catch. That is what made me think it was possible. When I literally catch a fish on every single cast that works for me. I figure I can start him off by dropping a dry on top of some gills and hand him the rod and let him set the hook and bring them in and then graduate to him getting the fly on the water on his own. Casting is probably a ways away but these gills are too easy.

 

[baetisrun1]

you're thinking too much. Just saying. just get the kids out and let them have at it. I'm all about the catch, but really the kids will love just being out with dad. So even if fish aren't cooperating no big deal. I learned early to just let the kids come and go as they wanted.

 

[Oyey]

you're thinking too much. Just saying. just get the kids out and let them have at it. I'm all about the catch, but really the kids will love just being out with dad. So even if fish aren't cooperating no big deal. I learned early to just let the kids come and go as they wanted.

This. I have taught 4 year olds to roughly cast a fly rod in 5 minutes... and they love it. They really don't care if they catch a lot of fish, or any for that matter... just go mess around and make it about having fun. SLOW down...

 

[cochise]

It is never too late and you are right on time!

 

[pistoldog]

Great pics Cochise!

 

[GeorgiaWalleye]

I think it's more important that they catch fish, rather than worry about the method used. Kids want results and action. They could care less about how they'll bicker later with other anglers about whose method is more elite/better.