ice fishing with your kid
By Jessica Yarwood, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
When Rod Hsu, from "Fishing with Rod," suggested bringing our kids to be part of an instructional ice fishing video, I was initially hesitant. Four full days of fishing with my six-year-old, Jayden, isn’t something we had done before, and I was a little sceptical about bringing him. Nevertheless I agreed, and the planning began.
Ice fishing is a great group activity for family and friends. The entire lake is accessible without a boat – you are able to drill holes in the same location as your friends, set up some seats, and be social! And the actual fishing techniques are quite simple.
Let me share some of the tricks I picked up to make your ice fishing experience with little kids even better.
- Gloves – Cold hands are no fun; bring multiple pairs of gloves. When kids’ hands are cold and wet, it is hard to hold the fishing rod. Hand warmers are a great thing to pack along as well.
- Snacks – Sometimes a little sugar surge is just what kids (of all ages) need to stay out for hours…we ate a ton of mini eggs!
- A chair – Sitting on the snow all day can be hard. Buckets are okay, but can become uncomfortable; a camping chair seemed to the best option for Jayden.
- Sand toys – When the fishing was slow, Jayden was all about making snow castles (and if the snow is too dry to pack, you have access to water right there). It was an afterthought, but I really wish I had pulled the beach toys out of the summer tote, and brought them along!
- Lastly, catch a fish – Try using small hooks baited with mealworms, dew worms, or pieces of shrimp. Unlike fishing in open water, you can’t cast to different places; draw the fish to you using a flashy attractor (like a hookless spoon) about 30 cm ahead of your bait. Let me tell you that fresh trout after a day of ice fishing is delicious!
Be sure to handle fish with special care in cold temperatures.
Originally published here.