Take an ADULT Fishing

[Our third guest post of the week (will we get to five?) is by Eric Prey, a stick out Missoura way and better known as one of the co-hosts of the best radio show in bassin’, Tournament Fishing Radio. He’s passionate, no doubt, and challenges all us “no time” folks to take someone out…an adult…fishing.]

Everybody always says we need to get more youth involved in fishing. It’s almost become a cliche, like when an angler is asked what needs to be done to help the sport of fishing: The pat answer is, “We need to get more youth involved.”

Bass clubs sponsor youth events, states have “kids fishing days,” and now there are even high school fishing teams springing up across the country.

All great stuff, but what about adults who’ve never fished? Sure we want to get ’em started early and hopefully keep it going for the rest of their lives, but what about the guy (or gal) that has either never fished or fished when they were a kid and just kind of stopped?

Got to thinking about that today on the water. Had a corporate guide trip with a couple of guys from Minnesota. I’m thinking these guys probably fish every weekend when the water is soft, would have stories of giant walleye hanging on their wall at home and so on.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. Both had lived in MN their entire lives, and while they had fished as kids, they gave it up as teenagers and hadn’t fished since. These guys were 30-ish, successful, lived in a state where fishing is a way of life and hadn’t fished since they were 10 or 11 years old. I think we’ve let a few fall through the cracks.

A few years back, Anglers’ Legacy was founded to try to address this problem. Anglers were asked to sign a pledge to introduce someone to the sport of fishing throughout the year. Cool, great concept, sure they got a ton of signatures and hopefully everyone followed through with their pledge. It just doesn’t seem like enough.

There’s literally a lost generation out there, people in their mid 20s to 30s that were either never introduced to fishing or stopped at a young age. Pretty safe bet you know someone you could take fishing – someone at work with a passing interest, a neighbor that looks fondly at your boat when you pull it out of the garage, or maybe that guy at the Elk’s lodge that you’re always talking football with. (Just throwing that’s Elk’s reference out there. Never been to an Elk’s lodge figured, that’s what they talk about in there.)

Most people love to fish if they have the opportunity. I know a group of guys in the St. Louis that started fishing together because another friend took them one time. Now they go every weekend, bought a boat and will likely fish the rest of their lives.

So what can you do? You obviously fish or you wouldn’t be reading this. So if you really want to help the sport and introduce someone to/back to fishing, here are five things you can do before you ask that guy at the Elk’s to go to make sure he’ll want to come back:

1. Keep it simple. Remember they’re new or haven’t fished in forever. Don’t hand them a baitcaster with the brakes shut off and expect them to go flip boat docks. Spinning tackle works great, and with a little coaching anyone can use it and you can throw almost any bait on it. Break out the limp-wristed fairy wand and go to town.

2. Go when they are biting. The worst thing you can do is go when the fishing is tough. Spring is a great time – you’re almost assured they’ll catch something.

3. Go where they’ll catch fish. I took a guy this past summer wading for smallmouth – he used to fish as a kid but quit. We waded about a half a mile of stream with ultralight spinning gear, caught around 40 fish and now he takes his kids every weekend. The point is I knew he’d catch something on that stream. Plus I kept it cheap: We fished for six hours and might’ve spent $20 on tackle, no boat or anything elaborate. I knew this guy had limited funds and the only way he would keep going was if it was affordable.

4. Coach, don’t criticize. You’re the expert, they’re looking to you for guidance. Make sure you help them with whatever they need to be successful. If you need to show them how to tie a palomar knot 10 times, do it.

5. Teach, explain things to them as you go – why you’re fishing where you are, they may not have any idea about fish behavior, techniques or what you’re doing. Explain what, where and why. But don’t act like you’re the next Bill Dance. This isn’t about you. It’s about them and making sure they have a good time.

Taking the time to introduce someone to fishing is its own reward. If you’re not careful, you may wind up building a friendship around fishing that can last a lifetime. Or at least give you something else to talk about at the Elk’s lodge….. (Seriously, any Elks out there?)

By the way: That kid in the pic at the top? KVD.