9 Amazing Reasons To Teach Your Kids How To Fish.

Give a kid a fish and you’ve fed him or her for one meal…

But teach a kid how to fish, and you’ve helped create a lifetime of learning, amazing experiences out on the water, and memories that will last for as long as they live…

Perhaps I am a bit biased as I have seen how fishing has impacted myself, my brother, and our overall family cohesiveness… but it’s still tough to argue the lasting effects that a good day of fishing can do for a young kid.

You see, I grew up fishing with my father, my grandfather, my brothers, my mom, and much of our extended family… and we fished every chance that we could.

It’s just what we did growing up, from family vacations to weekend excursions, etc. There was always a handful of fishing rods and a tackle box in the car or truck wherever we went.

And I can tell you first hand how much those early fishing excursions as a kid shaped me today in terms of respecting the water, having a burning desire to be outside, unique skill-sets, and even how I raise my own kids today…

So I wanted to share nine hard-hitting reasons that ALL kids should learn how to fish… and why it is our duty as parents to do everything we can to get our kids outside with a fishing pole every once in a while.

You might be surprised how other parts of their lives (like homework, communication, and overall happiness) change positievely at home after a fun day on the lake or ocean…

Here are the nine reasons to teach your kids how to fish:

1. Fishing Gets Kids Off Of Their Xboxes And Cell Phones

Let’s face it, unless your kids are Amish (in that case you probably aren’t reading this), they are going to have a phone, Xbox controller, or tablet in their hands at some point…

And don’t get me wrong, technology is certainly not some evil thing by any means… it’s only when technology is abused and becomes an addiction when there a real problem.

Sadly, too many kids are way too addicted to “being connected” at all times today. And because this young generation is the first one in history to grow up around smartphones and Wifi 24/7, there are no studies to gauge just how big of an impact this is going to have on today’s kids when they get older.

But regardless of how cell phone and Xbox addictions impact them in the future, it is certainly taking a toll in the present day with more obese kids in America than ever before.

So why not get them outside with a fishing rod in hand?

The feel of a fish hitting your line is something that no technology can beat (at least not as of this writing), and it will do them good to “disconnect” from technology and “connect” with a fish instead.

2. Fishing Teaches Kids Where Food Actually Comes From

Most young kids today have no idea where the food on their plate actually comes from.

So what better way than to explain to your children where fish comes from than to show them first hand.

And even if you are catching and releasing, just having the talk with your kids about how fish are cleaned and used for nourishment will put them ahead of the class.

3. Fishing Teaches Survival Skills

Let me ask you a question.

Which kid do you think will be more well rounded and able to thrive and survive in the world?

• The kid that knows how to win more video games than all of his or her friends
• The kid that can tie knots, catch fish, clean fish, and be one with nature

I thought so.

Fishing has numerous survival skills that will serve your kid’s well throughout their life.

Don’t let them grow up to be adults that would have no idea how to feed their families if the Internet shut down for a week…

4. Fishing Teaches Kids About Conservation And A Love For Nature

My brother and I believe that one of the biggest threats to the fishing industry is the lack of teaching the next generation how to fish.

And it all starts with getting them outside, teaching them about nature and conservation, and exposing them to the beauty of the outdoors.

Far too many kids aren’t getting enough nature in their lives, and certainly far too many kids aren’t fishing.

Get your kids outside, get a rod in their hands, and watch them blossom into young adults that respect and admire the outdoors.

5. Fishing Teaches Kids Patience

Thousands of TV channels and the endless amount of entertainment options on the Internet teach kids they can get what they want, when they want.

In other words, our fast paced and ease of access to anything at any time does a disservice when it comes to teaching patience.

On the other hand, exposing kids to fishing teaches them that good things come to those who can wait.

And in today’s world, kids with patience will far outshine all of the youngers that don’t know what being patient even means.

Get them outside with a fishing pole for a couple of hours and just watch how their demeanor changes like magic.

6. Fishing Teaches Kids About The Power Of Actual Conversations

Most of the scientists studying the effects of the Internet and technology on young kids are most worried about the impact on their communication skills.

And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out… just watch how young kids (especially junior high and high schoolers) interact these days.

Most of them aren’t saying a single word to each other because they have their face glued to their cell phone. In fact, many kids admit they will text their friend that is within sight instead of walking over and talking to them.

SAD!

Whereas fishing is a time to interact, to communicate, and to put the cell phones down.

I can’t think of a better time to chat with my own children than while fishing.

Can you?

7. Fishing Gets Your Kids And Your Entire Family Outside

Don’t just get your kids outside by themselves, get the entire family involved.

Fishing is such a great pastime because practically anyone can do it regardless of age.

And nothing bonds a family together like catching fish and being on or near the water.

Even if one of your kids doesn’t love fishing, there are so many other things they can be doing like scooping up tadpoles or minnows, looking at the wildlife, collecting shells and shark’s teeth on the beach, helping with a net, or just breathing in some fresh air.

8. Fishing Creates Memories That Matter

As your kids get older, they aren’t going to remember the video games they played.

And they probably won’t even remember what you gave them for Christmas (minus a few special gifts over the years).

But what all adults seem to always be able to immediately recall is a fishing trip with their dad, mom, grandpa, friend, etc.

Fishing creates memories that matter, and if you want to create a legacy and some lasting memories with your loved ones, then try taking them on a fishing trip.

It might just be the best gift you ever give them.

9. Fishing Keeps Your Kids Out Of Trouble!

I don’t know about you, but fishing kept my brother and I out of a lot of trouble.

While many of my other friends were getting into mischief (like trying cigarettes and beer for the first time), my brother and I were more focused on landing big fish.

Our love of fishing even got us in bed at an early hour just so we could wake up extra early to be the first ones on the water.

These days with kids trying “adult things” way too early, there is no better solution than to get them addicted to fishing instead of the vices that could end up hurting or even killing them.

So get em’ addicted to fishing!

You’ll be glad you did (especially when high school rolls around).

Tips For Teaching Kids How To Fish

Fishing Tip #1 – Don’t dress your kids like posers when you take them fishing…

In all seriousness, don’t dress them like the kid above… the locals might make his or her first fishing experience a little less fun (it’s sad but true).

So how should your kids dress while fishing?

Our recommendation is putting them in a Performance Fishing Shirt like the one below from Salt Strong that not only makes them look and feel cool, but also protects them from the sun (with a UPF rating of 50 – one of the highest for any fishing shirt).

Click here to see all of the sizes and options for kid’s fishing apparel

Here are some of the other “Must Know” fishing tips when it comes to kids and fishing:

• Bring lots of liquids (water, Gatorade, etc)
• Lather your kids (and yourself) up with sunscreen
• Make sure your kids have UPF rated clothing on (we recommend performance fishing material like our Salt Strong long-sleeve performance fishing shirts for kids – see the youth options here)
• Bring snacks so they can’t complain they want to go in early due to a lack of food
• Let them be kids! Don’t be the parent that is overly focused on landing a lunker. Kids just want to be outside with their family, they want to feed their curious minds, and even catching small fish can mean the world to a child.

Bonus Benefits Of Taking Kids Fishing.

Besides the nine amazing reasons to teach your kids how to fish that I outlined above, there are a couple more bonus benefits that usually come into play as well.

Note that both of these bonus benefits of fishing usually only occur after multiple fishing trips with your kids.

Bonus #1: Fishing brings solid kids together.

For those of you with sons, fishing is a chick magnet for good girls.

For those of you with daughters, wouldn’t you rather your daughter marry a guy that likes fishing over a guy that had never caught a fish before…

I know I sure would (and I sure will let my girls know that when they get older…)

Fishing brings like minded good people together.

Period.

Bonus #2: When you instill the love of fishing in your kids at a young age, they will continue to want to pursue fishing with you for years and years to come.

Can you say that about many other activities you do with your kids at a young age?

I doubt it.

Fishing is one of those bonds that continues to bring families together for years (and even generations to come).

My dad spent countless days taking us fishing as kids, and guess what the #1 thing we like to plan with our dad is today (35 years later)?

Fishing Trips!

Take your kids fishing now and it will pay dividends for years to come.

Conclusion

It’s a fact, kids need to be outside more…

And what better way than to get them outside and create lifetime memories than to take your kids fishing.

As you saw above, teaching kids how to fish can help them:

• Communicate
• Learn engineering (like knot tying and how to make certain lures move in the water to attract a strike)
• Become a more patient person
• Learn survival skills that schools don’t teach
• And perhaps even meet the girl or guy of their dreams

Get your kids out fishing today and watch with joy how they begin to evolve and become more well-rounded in all aspects of their life.

P.S. – If you think your friends or networks would like to see this, please Tag them or Share this with them. It would mean a lot to me.

Fish On!

Note: We also make the very best performance fishing shirts for adults (and have women’s cuts as well). Check out all of the options, colors, and sizes by clicking here or the picture below.