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Posts: 182
| I have two grandsons (5&7) and a nephew (8) that have been begging me to take them muskie fishing. They are great when we go after panfish. Bait their own hooks and cast the zebco reels better than I can. Got them trained every fish goes back in the lake. But jumping up to bigger equipment seems oversized for them. Should we troll or sucker fish this fall. Or should I hold them off a little longer. I figure Christmas is coming and I can get some help on lighter equipment from Thorne Bros. for them next season. Casting lessons in the pond early next spring. I could use some of your opinions or suggestions. Thanks. |
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Posts: 358
| IMO I would start out trolling to get them started out due to their age. Casting the bigger lures and using bigger equipment might be a bit much at that age , unless they are bigger than average for their age. The casting lessons and lighter equipment is a real good idea. They grow fast and time seems to fly. My Dad was a Walleye fisherman and Uncle was a Bass tournament fisherman. |
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Posts: 802
| Matt Wirth/little one has a 7yr old son that i've fished with quite a few times- and the lil' guy can hold his own casting, including getting two fish "on-the-8" and almost bagging a bigg'un on a pacemaker. 5 yrs old might be a little young tho; as stated above, trolling might be a good first step...
steve |
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Posts: 167
Location: Ontario | My son is 6 and just started casting a bait casting reel this year. He can now cast smaller Muskie baits. I fish weedy lakes so always make sure he uses a floating bait for when he gets distracted...which is quite often. We did start sucker fishing a couple years back and he loves it!!!
Edited by Matty 9/2/2013 6:50 PM
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Posts: 246
Location: Grand Marais, MN | No sense in holding out, they will be hooked if you can get them on a fish bigger than they are, always good to start young. I was guiding non-musky trips all summer, a lot of little kids from 4 on up with their parents who knew nothing. casting lessons on any type of reel was really frustrating (sounds like your guys are excited and hopefully more focused on learning though, which should help). it was a mixture of lack of focus/interest, too small of hands, and lack of coordination that was hard for some kids to figure out. If they already know the zebcos though, go for the baitcasting gear.
the easiest way i know to teach someone how to use a baitcaster was with my smallest musky rod and reel and a decently heavy lure. I'd start trolling now and maybe do casting lessons in the grass or from shore to see how it goes. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Even, if you upgrade the Zebco's w/super line they will still want to use your stuff. I started Xavier & Jazmyn off with one of my shorter 6.6 or 7' and a Shimano Curado 200. I started Xavier casting his Zebco by letting him stand in the bow of the boat at home and letting him cast a old daredevil without hooks at a 5 gallon bucket sitting in the yard. I'd move the bucket around as I did chores around the house. When he switched from Zebco's to the Shimano I set the reel so the lure would just start to drop and increased the braking a bit to minimize backlashes. Also taught them why they should not cast into the wind. LOL and how to pick out backlashes. Have a spare rod preset for them, if you want to keep fishing too!
Topwater baits, weedless spoon's etc. If they got it in a tree (squirrel cast) or dead fall (muskrat cast). We'd have fun with it! "Nice squirrel cast, Papa!" A long extendable lure retriever will help keep your tackle box from being depleted. Oh yeah - they need their own tackle box even if it'll only hold 2 muskie size baits. Pinch the barbs down to make any unhooking as easy as possible (I'm 100% barbless on all casting baits).
Be prepared for boredom, on one MF Rhinelander trip we were fishing Cresent and they got bored so, I marooned them on the island, they were castaway's w/ their lunches & drinks. I stayed within sight of the island so I could see their rescue signal (Xavier waving his shirt). LOL.
When in Canada, we troll & cast! For some strange reason, I never catch any trolling fish? They are both like frog's in the water. Teach them to swim and most importantly how to float. People drown from panic, they don't think about floating on their back. I told them they could be just like a bobber if they practice floating, I took them to local Holiday Inn one winter & taught them both how to float & swim. Our boat rule's are; if we aren't fishing life jackets are a mandatory and if someone or something fall's out of the boat, get the net! I've even marooned them in Canada - they are/were kid's, now Xavier is 14 and Jazzy's 18. They are my muskie fishing partner's. If they're having fun, you're having a fun time too.
This was a WI River float trip - they're on the Black Pearl! They built it with milk jug's and a sheet of plywood.
Have fun!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 9/3/2013 8:40 AM
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | Heavy bass baitcasters and smaller musky baits. That is how I worked my worked my kids into it. |
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Posts: 833
| This is a great post. My oldest is 4 and is crazy to go fishing with Daddy. We've started trolling this year which he likes, but of course boredom happens. My trick has been to let him play games on the cell phone during the inevitable low activity periods that are a part of musky fish. That worked to get him a 6lb bass this spring and a nice pike yesterday.
I am very excited to take him out in October on a sunny day with a sucker minnow. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | I started both of my girls off trolling last year at 4 and 6. Both got their first fish and still ask me to take them. I've gotten them out once this year (busy schedule between vacations, sports, etc), and they got another one. They have their own tackle boxes now, with a few small musky baits (including a couple of mini hard heads, thanks Roger!). Sucker fishing this fall, and casting next year for sure. Start with smaller bait casters and baits that are easy on them. They be hooked when they get that first follow or eater.
Make sure to keep it fun though, and don't expect to fish much yourself at first. |
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | My son is 8. I got him started casting last yr with a 6' 6" spinning rod and a smaller spinning reel spooled up with 50lb braid. That set up worked great because he can cast it very well and he gets a few loops in his line, but no back lashes. Last yr he threw spinner baits, spoons and rapalas on lakes where I knew he woudl be able to catch bass and pike. He did great and was super excited about each fish that he caught. He is able to cast that setup for several hrs without getting frustrated by backlashes so I really like it. This yr I let him pick out some smaller muskie bucktails and topwater. He has not caught a muskie yet, but I know he will. I'm going to wait a couple more yrs before I let him start using a bait caster and when we do switch to a bait caster, I'll have him practice in the back yard before we do it on the water.
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Posts: 182
| Thanks for the great replies. I have a few new ideas and figure we're on the right track for getting three new fishing buddies for the future. This is going to be fun even if I don't get to fish myself. |
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| Listen up I've seen this happen way to many times
You better be a hell of an angler and put them on fish or they will hate fishing more then anything, I've seen three of my buddies do this and there putting fish in the boat at least 1 an outing and there kids wont even go after perch now as they where BORED, say what you want even casting all day they get board with Zero action at that age. |
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Posts: 182
| BORED - 9/3/2013 5:53 PM
Listen up I've seen this happen way to many times
You better be a hell of an angler and put them on fish or they will hate fishing more then anything, I've seen three of my buddies do this and there putting fish in the boat at least 1 an outing and there kids wont even go after perch now as they where BORED, say what you want even casting all day they get board with Zero action at that age.
Ok sunshine. Always have a plan. The four of us fished for carp from shore Memorial day, just a couple of hours, we didn't catch a thing and we had a great time. The thing they found most impressive was an old pop top from a can from the 70's. "Really every can had one of these? Cool!" Fished from shore to eliminate doing battle at the landing when they get tired.( My daughter says her best memory of her first deer hunt wasn't shooting a buck, it was sitting on the tailgate eating pistasios in the snow with me.) Keep it short, you won't have their attention for 8-12 hours. I do know what age group I am dealing with. Thanks though. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Mike, I forgot one piece of advice. No Cheeto's in the boat! LOL Sounds like you have a plan.
You know what Xavier remember's about Jazzy's first muskie? A swallow pooped on her head. LOL. Have your camera ready!
Have fun!
Al
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Posts: 393
Location: Hopefully on the water | Both of my boys have been using bait casters for 3 years now. They are currently 8 & 10. They started with a bass reel to fit the size of the hands better and we chose smaller bait and top waters. When they first started the casts did not go very far and every bait change (which at that age is a lot) I would check the tension so the nests wouldn't get out of control. Show them to look for the loops before they start reeling incase they do get a nest and work together to get it out. Starting out they worked 6'6" rods with ease. My 10 year old now uses a 7'6" and occasionally will grab my 8'6" or 7'10". Tackle industries has some youth series rods out there that I have heard good things about and at a affordable price.
Make it fun and have other rods with you to break up the action. If it is slow take a break and fish for bass or panfish. I agree that they do want to catch fish any size. If the lake has northerns in it the kids can have a blast catching them also. If time is limited and the focus is all on Muskie hit it at the peaks of the day during the lunar charts to give possibly a better opportunity for action. I personally have a hrad time watching bobbers but with the kids out fishing and taking those breaks to switch gears have been some fun and memorable times with them.
To me it is more so about just getting kids outdoors and enjoying it instead of video games and tv's. Good luck and enjoy the times with your grandchildren and happy they want to be out there. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Like Maniac said, make sure they can swim before they do anything. My dad made his boys earn the right to muskie fish. Meaning we had to pass our swimming lessons, and then we had to be able to cast a lead weight on a blanket in the yard at 40 feet or so. If we couldn't cast we worked the oars. Expensive little trolling motors, we were.
Sounds tough nowadays but it seems to me kids don't earn anything anymore. |
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Posts: 25
| I had a old 7.6ft muskie rod cut down to 5.6ft and put on a curado bass reel with 65lb test for my 5 year old and he practiced in the yard for 2 weeks. I had him using a toper stopper and he fished as hard as any new muskie fisherman. On the last day he caught a 30 incher. He still tells everyone he meets I caught a muskie. I think it all depends on the kid some mature at different stages. I will take him out sucker fishing in the fall if the fish aren't biting he can play with the suckers.
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Posts: 182
| Safety first. They can swim. I am a firm believer in life jackets for these guys.
If they are in the boat they have life jackets on. A little horse play and someone stumbles. I know what it was like, I have 6 brothers. Doesn't take long to have mayhem. |
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Posts: 182
| muskie921 - 9/4/2013 2:48 PM
I had a old 7.6ft muskie rod cut down to 5.6ft and put on a curado bass reel with 65lb test for my 5 year old and he practiced in the yard for 2 weeks. I had him using a toper stopper and he fished as hard as any new muskie fisherman. On the last day he caught a 30 incher. He still tells everyone he meets I caught a muskie. I think it all depends on the kid some mature at different stages. I will take him out sucker fishing in the fall if the fish aren't biting he can play with the suckers.
Has he quit smiling? That is a great photo. |
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| Start them on bass-lots of casting similar baits, but scaled to younger anglers |
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Posts: 117
Location: Northern Illinois | Get them used to using heavy bass baitcasters. Use mepps #5 bucktails, all you need to catch muskies;) Crank
Edited by Cranker 9/8/2013 7:43 PM
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