Go Fishing With Your Kids

Fishing is a great thing to do with kids when you have no money. It can be a huge amount of fun and very rewarding.

If you are going to the seaside you can start by fishing for crabs with a crab line which you can easily buy for a couple of quid. Top places for fishing for crabs are Cromer Pier (in Cromer), Norfolk and The Cobb in Lyme Regis, Dorset. Having said that though just about anywhere at the seaside The Dark Knight Curse do if it has a pier or harbour wall.

Don't worry if you do not live near the sea side. Kids Stuff And Stories is based about as far in land as it is possible to get and there are plenty of rivers, lakes, & canals near to us.

The next step up from crabbing is to buy a proper fishing rod. The Tackle Box in Lyme Regis (situated near The Cobb) were most helpful and did not take advantage of our lack of experience. They offered helpful advice and some great tips. I was able to buy an excellent 5 foot rod for my 4 year old for about 12 pounds

Obviously a lot of people use worms and maggots as bait but we have caught bream on the Grand Union Canal using sweetcorn. I am told a small square of spam can be good to. The bait you use will depend on what you are trying to catch.

I would advise you check with your local angling centre (fishing shop) any rules you should follow.

The Environment Agency website states:"Any angler aged 12 years or over, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England (except the River Tweed), Wales or the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland must have an Environment Agency rod licence. We do not issue online licences to eligible disabled or senior citizen (65 years and over) concessions at present. Money from the sale of licences helps to fund our work managing fisheries. If you are caught fishing without one, you are cheating other anglers and could be fined up to 2,500." So be warned!

Dos for fishing:

• Have fun
• Be safe near water. Always watch kids
• Don't force kids into it if they don't want to
• Try and spot wildlife while you wait
• Do talk to other anglers (fishers) and get some tips
• Look over your shoulder before casting your line out. No-one wants a face full of fish hook!
• Tidy up after yourself before you leave
• Be patient and enjoy the things around you while you wait to catch something...could be a long wait.
• Put back all the fish you catch

Don'ts for fishing

• Don't stay a moment longer than your kids want to. If your kids are fed up after 30 mins accept it and say "Ok, let's have another go some other time"
• Don't tell your kids about how many wonderful fish they are about to catch. Just say "Let's get some fresh air and see if we get lucky". You will probably catch NOTHING on your first attempts!!!

I hope you decide to go fishing as it can be great fun. You can find out more info and see some of the photos at my blog at kidsstuffandstories.comkidsstuffandstories.com