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Home > Take Me Fishing Blog > January 2020 > How to Teach a Child to Cast a Fishing Rod
The excitement that young girls and boys exhibit when they catch a fish for the first time is fun to see. Then they want to catch another. And another. And pretty soon they’re asking, “can I hold the rod/cast the bait out/put the worm on the hook/reel the line in?”
So the first fishing 101 question is when to start taking kids fishing. The answer is as soon as you want, but probably between the ages of 2 to 4, when they have good control of their bodies and movements, and can communicate fairly well. That’s probably closer to 4 than to 2, and it’s when they have a little more attention, stamina, interest, and patience. Ask yourself if the child is capable of holding the rod if he/she catches a moderate-size fish.
And that leads to the question about when you can start teaching a child to cast. It depends. Maybe age 4, probably 5, certainly 6. Most 5-year-olds can throw a ball, swing a baseball bat, and do other things requiring motor skills. But abilities and attitudes differ among youths of the same age. Some are bigger, stronger, more coordinated, or simply more determined. Whatever their age, if they want to do it, get into your extreme patience mode and show them.
Here’s advice for anyone who wants to learn how to teach a child to cast a fishing rod:
Finally, most young anglers don’t need a fishing license, but check to see what your state’s regulations are. If you’re an adult accompanying them and assisting them, you may need a license even if you’re not actually fishing. So check.
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Ken Schultz was a longtime staff writer for Field & Stream magazine and is the former Fishing Editor of ESPNoutdoors.com. He’s written and photographed nineteen books on sportfishing topics, plus an annual fishing tips calendar, and his writing has appeared on various websites for more than two decades. His author website is kenschultz.com
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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