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Show Take kids fishing IX ' " """ twwM i:: 4lCfc 4, i inriiilir" i fan. i " mMiuiu Opening day of the general fishing season is a perfect time for sharing an experience with kids. With fishing, as with anything else, youngsters learn from adults. "The success of a youngster's first fishing trip may well determine whether or not he ever wants to go fishing again," says a Washington state fish expert. "There is a right way and a wrong way to introduce kids to fishing. If it isn't fun, you may blow your only chance to convert your favorite kids into your favorite fishing partners." He has a few tips for adults who take youngsters fishing: 1. Let the kids nelp plan and prepare for the trip. They're more likely to feel involved if they can help out. 2. Make sure they have dependable tackle and know how to use it. Opening morning on a lake full of hungry fish isn't the time or place for a child to find out that his reel won't work or her line is rotten. 3. Dress them warmly. Take rain gear and life jackets, and perhaps an extra set of dry clothes for the trip home. 4. Try to make sure they catch fish-any kind of fish--on their first outing. If the trout aren't biting, go after any other legal species that might be in the mood to take the bait. 5. Don't demand perfection. It's fine to teach kids how to do things right, but give them a chance to learn from their mistakes now and then. If you demand that everything be done exactly right, the trip won't be any fun. 6. Set a good example. Demonstrate good fishing manners, abide by the catch limits, don't litter or trespass, and follow the basics of water safety. 7. Take the kids fishing as often as possible. They'll grow up faster than you expect, so take advantage of every opportunity while you can. The crowd at Duck Creek Reservoir on the opening day of fishing season last year is evidence of the popularity of area fishing spots with fishermen in the tri-state area. Opening day this year will probably see somewhere near the same type of crowds. ; - Young angler Michael Beardall poses for a preseason pre-season picture with his father, Kelly. A fishing excursion can provide an ideal opportunity for parents to spend some enjoyable time with their children. |