Keep it simple and keep them catching. For trout, rig a pink Trix Worm and fish it slow so kids feel every bite. For kokanee, slow-troll a Kokanee Slammer. For spring stripers, drag live minnows behind the boat. Teach one landing move: keep the rod tip low, keep working the reel, then lift to bring the fish up. Let kids reel and net. One young angler put seven kokanee in the boat before noon.
What is the easiest fish to start kids on?
Trout and kokanee. Both take slow, steady presentations that give kids time to feel the bite. Rig a pink Trix Worm for trout and slow-troll a Kokanee Slammer for kokanee. Spring stripers on live minnows add fast, exciting action.
How do you help a kid land a big fish?
Coach one step at a time. Keep the rod tip low and do not point the rod straight at the fish. Have the kid keep working the reel, then lift the rod to bring the fish up. Let them do the reeling and net it yourself. That low-rod, keep-reeling technique lands big fish.
What lure should kids use for trout?
A pink soft plastic. Cal Kellogg points to a young angler who won his division of a trout contest at Collins Lake on a bubblegum-pink Trout Trix Worm. Soft plastics produce, and the bright color is easy for kids to fish with confidence.
How do kids catch kokanee?
Slow-troll for them during spring kokanee season. Gold Country's Monte Smith runs a Kokanee Slammer, and one young angler put seven kokanee in the boat before noon. Kokanee are a slow-troll fish, so keep speeds down and stay on them once you find a school.
How do you get kids on stripers?
Fish live minnows. Brett Brady of Barebones Guide Service runs minnows for spring stripers on the Sacramento River. Kids can drag minnows behind the boat, reel the fish in, and help net them. It is fast, hands-on action that keeps young anglers engaged during the spring run.
Why does adding a trailer help kids get bites?
On an orange trolling fly, adding a trailer earned the strike when a plain fly did not. A trailer adds movement and a second target behind the lure, turning short followers into solid hookups. That extra bite means more fish on the line and more excitement for a kid.
How do you keep kids interested on the water?
Let them do the fun parts and keep trips short. Cal Kellogg says kids feel a real thrill with a fish on the line, and they love watching eagles and ospreys hit the water. Let them reel and net, celebrate every catch, and you create anglers for life.
Watch the technique
Taking kids fishing for trout, kokanee, and stripers FAQ
Trout and kokanee are easiest because they take slow presentations that give kids time to react. Spring stripers on live minnows add fast action for older or more experienced kids.
A bubblegum-pink Trout Trix Worm. The pink soft plastic took first place in the division. Soft plastics clearly work for trout.
On a good day, plenty. One young angler put seven kokanee in the boat before noon on a slow troll with Gold Country's Monte Smith using a Kokanee Slammer.
Slow. Kokanee are a slow-troll fish. Keep your speed down and work a Kokanee Slammer or similar kokanee gear until you find the school, then stay on them.
Live minnows. Brett Brady runs minnows all day for spring stripers. Kids can drag them behind the boat, reel in the fish, and help with the net.
Keep the rod tip low, do not point the rod at the fish, keep working the reel, then lift the rod to bring the fish up. Coach one step at a time and let them reel.
A trailer adds movement and a second target behind the fly. On an orange fly, adding the trailer earned the strike that a plain fly did not.
There is no set age. Guides regularly take very young anglers out and put fish in the boat. Keep trips short, let kids reel and net, and celebrate every catch.
