Aug 15, 2015 5 min read

I hadn’t seen my grandson, Doug Byrd, for a couple of years, so I was excited to hear he was visiting his mother and stepfather for a week. His life had changed a bit in that period of time as he had acquired his PHD and a job as a college professor in Portand, Ore.

I keep reminding his sister, Jen, that she needed to call him Dr. Byrd. She says fat chance.

Visiting my daughter, Kathy, at her South Strabane Township home in addition to Doug were his two sons, 6-year-old Aidan and 3-year-old Connor, who both look like future baseball players.

Of course there were things Doug wanted to do with the boys, one of which was take in a Pirates baseball game. With that as a goal the family saw the Pirates play the Los Angeles Dodgers in what might be the best game of the year. The Pirates scored nine runs in the seventh inning to beat Los Angeles.

Kathy, her three children, son-in-law, Nick Bickel, and their combined four children had good seats and the kids had a ball. Aidan even caught a baseball.

With baseball out of the way, there was one other important thing that needed to be done. Connor and his cousin, Teagan, also is 3, had never been fishing. Aidan had gone with us once before but was anxious to go again. Making sure I had permission, we spent an evening at a local farm pond.

We took Doug’s two boys and were soon joined by Jennafer and her husband, Nick, with Teagan and their 8-week-old baby, Max.

I learned long ago that when fishing with youngsters, you should target a fish that has a good population and bites readily. Never take a young child muskie fishing for they will quickly become bored after a short time of not catching anything.

The ideal fish, of course, are bluegill, or maybe in spring, crappie. Usually both tend to be cooperative and the technique for catching them is simple.

This is nothing more than an old time terminal rig. A small hook say a No. 8 or smaller is tied on the end of the line. A split shot above the hook and a bobber or as purists would say a strike indicator. A small garden worm on the hook makes for the perfect bluegill attractor.

Most farm ponds are over-populated with bluegill so it is all but sure a fish will bite and there will not be many dull moments.

Of course there are two things to watch for when fishing with children so young.

First, be careful with the hooks. What goes in the flesh doesn’t come out as easily. Second, it is a good idea not to let the child drown.

That is a good reason to fish places where the shoreline is not along deep water. Remember these youngsters are full of energy and managing them is like trying to control a can of worms.

We all pitched in taking a child and still somehow Connor stepped in the pond. Of course he didn’t mind a bit when his dad pulled him out of the muck up to his hip and was jumping up and down with excitement as aunt Jen tried to wipe him off with a baby wipe.

“I got one, I got one,” is a common cry as a child reels in his or her first fish of the day.

The parent should accept the mud, dirty hands and wet clothes as part of the fun. Don’t worry, they will come clean later.

Be smart and don’t let a 6-year-old fish with your $300 rod and reel only to find sand in the reel, worm dirt on the handle and perhaps tangled line.

Remember it could be worse, like a stepped-on rod and broken tip. They won’t know the difference, so let them use that extra low-priced rod. Also, never lay your rod on the ground when children are present. When not in use I usually place an unused rod on the bed of the truck where it is safe.

We took a small close-faced kid’s Zebco for the two 3-year-olds and they shared well.

A few munchies and something to drink are all that is needed to be bought, aside from worms making for a cheaper day’s entertainment than that Pirates game.

That day Aidan took first prize with a 12-inch bass and you would have thought he caught a whale. I also must admit I don’t know when I have seen a small group of youngsters have so much fun.

If you ever take part in such a trip on private land, make sure that after you load the kids clean up the mess. Clean up leaving no evidence of your presence. More farmers and pond owners would be willing to allow young children to fish on their property if people would clean up.

I like to think taking those youngsters showed them how fun fishing is. Their parents remembered their first fishing trips and didn’t have to spend much money.

Even baby Max was involved and able to attend. Maybe next year he will catch his first fish. And so it goes, teaching respect of the outdoors and love of nature while having fun. Maybe getting older does mean getting wiser.

George H. Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.