Introducing Kids To Ice Fishing

My first suggestion would be to bring the kids to an area that is already active. By this I mean you probably want to tackle some panfish like bluegills or perch before taking them out for some deeper water fishing for walleyes. A quick check in the local newspaper, call to the bait shop, or internet reports, can most likely point you in the right direction. Since panfish tend to group in schools more readily your percentage of actually catching some fish greatly increase. Walleyes on the other hand tend to be much more sporadic. Fish the percentages with panfish and work your way up. Small lures like teardrops or plain hooks will work just fine so you don’t need a huge arsenal of big bulky tackle. You can also skip the need for a minnow bucket and the sloshing water if you fish with wax worms, maggots, wigglers, or any variety of small baits that your local bait shop handles.

Most likely you will also find that in these areas there will already be a group of fishermen. Even though this may reduce your own percentage to catch fish it does add for some visual stimulation to the kids. All of us parents understand that visual stimulation plays a large role in a child’s everyday schedule. That’s exactly why I mention leaving the IPod and electronic toys at home. Again, I can’t stress enough that this first trip or two is more about introduction rather than pushing the importance to catch fish.

Now that you’ve found your fishing spot, planned extra activities, and decided on a meal, it’s time to pack for the day of ice fishing. Your best friend at this point is really nothing more than 5 gallon buckets as they play a dual role for transporting equipment and a place to sit. Of course, in the event you do actually catch some fish, they also serve nicely for storing your catch. Think about your kids sleds for packing everything and dragging it out to your fishing spot. In fact the use of their sled may make them feel like they’ve actually made a larger contribtuion. With fishing poles, lunch, drinks, and bait stashed away securely in 5 gallon buckets on top of the sleds it becomes rather easy to secure them with a simple bungee chord. Of course your options for transporting the gear are your own choice. I won’t cover any indepth fishing techniques for this introduction because I assume you already are equipped for ice fishing and therefore have your own techniques. This article is based on keeping it simple yet enjoyable for the kids and more specifically to those parents who have pondered the idea of getting their children involved in a sport they already enjoy.

So there you go. Some very basic plans for providing a very easy and inexpensive day of family enjoyment on the ice. Remember these first few trips will make a large impact on the kids which can either make or break the desire to continue further into ice fishing throughout the season. Make the best of this opportunity.

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