Fishing With the Grandkids: A Grandparent's Guide
Some of my favourite memories are of my own grandfather baiting a hook for me on a cold jetty in Victoria, sixty years ago. Now it's our turn. Here's how to make a grandkid's first fishing trip safe, fun, and the first of many.
1. Keep it short — seriously
Two hours is the absolute maximum for a first trip, and honestly, 90 minutes is better. Leave while they're still having fun, not when the boredom sets in. A good first trip ends with "can we come back tomorrow?", not tears on the jetty.
2. Fish somewhere with action
Seven-year-olds do not appreciate the subtle art of waiting three hours for a mulloway. Pick a spot where something bites within the first twenty minutes — a jetty with small baitfish, an estuary with hungry bream, or a stocked family fishing lake. Size doesn't matter; bites matter.
3. Let them hold the rod (but tie the rig)
Pre-tie everything at home. Knot-tying is a year-two skill, not a day-one skill. Their job is to hold the rod, feel the bite, and wind. Your job is bait, tangles, hooks, and untold patience. Buy barbless hooks or flatten the barb with pliers — you'll thank me at de-hooking time.
4. Pack a "grandkid kit"
- Snacks and water (twice what you think you need)
- A change of clothes — they will fall in, sit in a puddle, or spike bait on their shirt
- Sunscreen, hats for everyone
- A small bucket — half the fun is catching crabs and "sea treasures"
- A camera or phone for the first-fish photo
5. Make the rules fun, not scary
"Hold the rod with two hands so it doesn't go swimming" lands better than a lecture. One simple safety rule above all: no one touches a hook except Pop. The rest you can teach trip by trip.
6. The fish is the bonus, not the point
If they catch nothing but a crab and a great morning with you, the trip was a roaring success. Celebrate the small stuff loudly. My husband once made a fuss over a 10-centimetre tommy ruff that our granddaughter caught as if it were a marlin — she's been fishing every school holidays since.