There’s something special about introducing your children to the same experiences that helped shape your own childhood. Fishing has always held a special place in my heart, not necessarily because of the size of the fish caught, but because of the memories made along the way.
Now, with a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, I’m learning quickly that teaching young kids to fish looks a lot different than I once imagined. At this stage, “fishing” is often less about actually fishing and more about trying to keep them interested for longer than five minutes before snacks, rocks, seagulls, or literally anything else steals their attention.
At first this was challenging to come to grips with, especially when I see birds crashing and fish breaking the surface. However, after a few years of resetting my expectations, I’m perfectly okay with it, at least for now.
The goal right now isn’t to create expert anglers. It’s to create excitement. To make fishing feel fun. To build positive memories around being outside together and spending uninterrupted time as a family during some of the most special years of their childhood.
A recent trip to Myrtle Beach was a perfect reminder of that. We spent time fishing off a pier, and while there was plenty of excitement surrounding the tiny fish we managed to reel in, none of it compared to the enthusiasm that came from winning a rubber duck out of one of those arcade-style hook machines nearby. In their minds, the duck was most definitely the highlight of the day.
The same thing happened this spring at a local fishing derby. The event itself was great, but if you asked my kids what stood out most, there’s a good chance they’d tell you about the candy fish pops they handed out afterward. Sometimes the fishing becomes secondary to the experience surrounding it, and realistically that is how it should be at this age.
Because years from now, I doubt they’ll remember how many fish we caught. But I do hope they remember mornings spent together near the water, the excitement of getting a bite, the laughter, the snacks, the traditions, and the feeling of simply being together without distractions.
And if somewhere along the way they develop the same love for fishing that was passed down to me, even better. Maybe one day they’ll pass those same traditions and memories along to their own children too.
