Have you ever ever seen these brilliant and glossy kids’ kayaks stacked up outdoors of Walmart throughout hotter months? I purchased one for my son, Jamie, when he turned 5 final yr. They’re so cheap that I didn’t thoughts if it obtained a bit of beat up on the garden whereas he was utilizing it to fake fish, however I additionally knew he’d wish to get it on the water. For the reason that age of three he’d been marveling at and crawling throughout daddy’s Old Town Bigwater within the storage. If you’re 5 and weigh much less that fifty kilos, these easy, sit-on-top children’ kayaks are an excellent choice, and regardless of the low value, they’re secure sufficient in your teen to study on.
Nonetheless, earlier than I ever tried taking him fishing by way of kayak, we began out with just a few easy paddling classes on a neighborhood lake, which I extremely suggest earlier than involving hooks and contours. Since then, we’ve been on many kayak fishing adventures collectively and now at age six, Jamie is thrilled to be on the market on “his personal boat.”
As our journey progressed, I began getting a variety of questions from mothers and dads with children the identical age. They have been in search of recommendation on introducing their very own kids to kayak fishing. Whereas I’ve solely been at this with Jamie for 2 years now, I can share just a few pointers that I assure will make the expertise safer and much more enjoyable.
Take It Gradual and Regular
Picture by Joe Cerme
It doesn’t matter what, don’t put a child on a kayak in a precarious state of affairs. Years from now, you could be surf launching collectively or tooling round on a quick river, however when beginning out you need zero present. Moreover, I’ll solely take my son on days when the forecast is displaying little to no wind. For an grownup, even a 10- to 12-mph sustained breeze isn’t any downside to paddle in opposition to, but when your child is getting blown throughout the pond and struggling to maneuver, this may trigger frustration at greatest or panic at worst. And panic and frustration result in sudden actions and over-paddling which may result in a child within the water in a blink.
At my son’s present age, I’ve but to take him kayak fishing throughout a season when he we wouldn’t have the ability to snigger off an unintentional dunking—learn that “solely in summer time when the air and water are each heat.” He’s a proficient swimmer, which I’d suggest your youngster be earlier than they begin paddling. Nonetheless, the objective with kayak fishing (and all fishing with children, for that matter) is making a constructive expertise in order that they wish to go once more. It takes far much less to rattle a baby than it does an grownup, so every part we do when kayak fishing is finished slowly. I don’t even convey the peddle drive on my kayak, opting to solely paddle so Jamie and I are preserving an identical tempo. We don’t race one another. We don’t decide a spot on the farthest nook of the lake. I’m going out of my approach to ensure we’re at a location with a simple launch the place we’ll discover loads of bluegills very near the truck. Nonetheless, I all the time stash a 10-foot rope on my rig. I haven’t wanted to make use of to but, however simply in case he must be towed again, I’m prepared.
You Be the Mule
When Jamie and I shove off, I would like nothing on his kayak however him and his paddle. Consider me, he needs to have his little deal with field, rod, and worms on his boat, however that may be a recipe for catastrophe. If he occurred to roll his kayak, it’s all gone, as a result of kayaks designed for little children hardly ever have the safe storage and tethers that come commonplace on grownup fashions. So I decide to be the devoted gear (and snack and drink) hauler as a result of children get misplaced in their very own world. They merely don’t listen like grownups, and it’s inevitable that he’ll accidently knock one thing into the water. If he tries to seize it shortly, he might go in. Even when he doesn’t, there’ll seemingly be crying, and the day may very well be over.
Tie Your Kayaks Collectively
Jamie is a really proficient caster for his age. He’s completely able to baiting his personal hooks and even unhooking his personal fish. However that’s on dry land. Anybody who’s ever kayak fished is aware of that by nature, the method requires extra thought and coordination if you’re doing it with little greater than a sliver of plastic between you and the drink. That sliver, by the way in which, will not be all the time secure. So, once I fish with Jamie, we have now a system.
To assist him get higher and extra assured together with his paddling, I let him transfer from location to location on his personal whereas I comply with carefully behind. As soon as he picks a spot he likes, nevertheless, I roll up alongside him and tether our kayakers collectively. You are able to do this with no matter you need, however I like a brief bungee cord with carabiners on both ends as a result of I can shortly clip him to my boat and unclip him once we’re prepared to maneuver.
As soon as we’re tethered collectively, I’ll stow his paddle on my ’yak and now I’m accountable for each of us, gently utilizing my paddle to maintain us in place. He now not must be involved about something however casting and catching. I do all of the baiting and hand over the rod.
As he will get older and into a much bigger, extra secure kayak, my plan is to slowly enhance his independence, however for now the system works, and he walks away from each kayak journey feeling proud and completed. And that, in any case, is the purpose.
