“How old do children need to be to begin fly fishing?”
This is a common question we get in the shop throughout the year but especially during the hot months of summer.
My response is simple and consistent.
If the child can walk on their own, they are ready to go fly fishing with you.
The next question that inevitably comes… Okay, how do I get started? While it can be helpful if you have vast experience fly fishing over decades. This is not critical. A basic understanding of gear, a cast and how to tie knots is really all that is needed for you to show her a great time on the water.
I enjoy sharing my firsthand experience of teaching my two sons how to fly fish in the Truckee River from very young ages.
I suggest to prioritize the following:
- Make sure everyone is having FUN
- Gear is important to you not THEM
- Bring SNACKS
- Keep it SIMPLE
Have some fun
Trying to explain the many nuances of fly fishing to kids will be wildly difficult. Discussing upstream dry fly presentation with light tippet might as well be Martian to young ears. Keep the directions simple and you will keep their attention.
Kids are crazy intuitive and perceptive. They pick up on the littlest details as they look for you to guide them through new experiences. If you have a smile on your face and wonder in your voice you will have those echoed right back at you.
There is something special about water that makes kids get excited. Embrace this excitement and let them dictate the pace and the direction the day takes. It can be as much fun to walk up to the water and have the kids turn over rocks and find bugs as it is to have them wading and casting right away.
Gear to Use
Be prepared to have the child spend an equal amount of time using the fly rod to poking at bugs as cast flies as they will be casting flies. They aren’t being disrespectful or bad listeners, they are just being kids. That being said, I don’t recommend bringing the equipment that you cherish or the heirloom passed down through your family.
Given a short explanation, even a young child can treat equipment with appropriate care. Simply explained they can quickly understand that what they are holding is used for what you are explaining. But be prepared to see just about anything.
Bring Snacks
Snacks are critical. I have had what seemed to be the perfect outing simply destroyed because I didn’t have a quick snack in my pocket. Kids will be excited and distracted by all of the things you are showing them and they won’t remember or even want to slow down to have a quick bite or drink. Shoving a quick snack into them mid stride will keep everything humming along smoothly.
Keep It Simple
One rod, a few flies and snacks are all that you may need. Kids are looking to have fun and spend time with you. They most likely are not worrying about using a #14 or #16 perdigon.
From firsthand experience I know that Less is More when it comes to how much time to spend on the water. While there is no simple formula for how long a child can be expected to stay engaged while fly fishing, try to plan spending perhaps only 20% of the time on the water as you think. Short breaks not only will help prolong your total time on the outing but you will be able to reinforce the skills of getting in and out of the water from a safety perspective.
Please remember, your kiddo will simply be excited.. Excited about being outside with bugs, water, sun, and the chance of catching a slippery/wiggly fish. But most importantly, they will enjoy the time spent with you. They will remember the smallest of details forever and you might have shown them an activity that you can share together just as long.
Enjoy.