 Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Lester fishes with his youngest daughter, Shiloh. Photo by Alan McGuckinBassmaster Pro’s Fishing Tips For Kids BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With 26 Top 10 finishes and more than $600,000 in prize winnings, Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Team Toyota angler Brandon Lester, of Fayetteville, Tenn., has proven himself to be one of America’s most accomplished young professional bass anglers. Lester is also a dedicated father and offered advice to parents taking their children fishing for the first time. Don’t Forget Fishing Licenses & Life Vests Many families overlook the fact that adults who are handling a rod and reel are required to have a fishing license — even if fishing is simply a brief part of your family camping trip or picnic. “Don’t be intimidated by buying a license,” said Lester. “Most states offer a one-day or three-day license versus a full year to save new anglers money. And you can nearly always get a license over the phone with a fast Google search for the state fishing license sales center and phone number for wherever you plan to fish.” In addition to making sure you have a valid fishing license for whatever day(s) you’ll be fishing, safety needs to be the absolute top priority. That said, Lester reminds us children are required to wear a properly fitted life jacket on a boat at all times, and common sense dictates it is wise for them to wear one when fishing from a dock or pier, too. Buy The Right Bait & Tackle While everybody dreams of catching a fish the length of your arm, for kids it’s all about getting bites — and no species provides more easy action than bluegill and other shoreline-oriented panfish about the size of your hand. Most know a container of red worms or Canadian nightcrawlers are the fast route to success, but where many beginning anglers go wrong is on the size of hooks and bobbers they buy. “Bluegill are a ton of fun for kids. But keep in mind they’re not big fish, and they don’t have big mouths. So don’t buy a bobber so big they can’t pull it under. And make sure your hook is tiny enough for bluegill and other panfish to get their mouth around, too,” said Lester. As a rule of thumb, a typical round bobber should not be any larger than a golf ball at the very biggest. Hooks should be sized about like a nickel. Ideally, find a pack of hooks such as Mustad’s classic baitholder in a size #6 marked on the package, and you’ll be right on target. Keep It Fun & Don’t Stay Too Long “You shouldn’t expect your kids to fish for eight hours, because the reality is they often lose interest after 20 minutes if the fish aren’t biting. So the key is to keep them entertained, and if that means throwing rocks in the water, a short walk down the shoreline, watching for turtles or whatever, that’s fine. Keep it fun!” emphasized Lester. “Don’t wear them out. Make fishing a short adventure for them. Take some snacks and drinks and a wet rag to wipe your hands on. If you catch a few for a photo and make some great memories, there’s a good chance they’ll want to go again. If that’s the case, you’ve succeeded as a parent, no matter what your level of fishing experience was previously.” About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing. The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic. |
