"Maybe you feel a duty to continue the fishing heritage. Maybe you want to shepherd your progeny in the direction of worthwhile activities and away from the crass distractions of modern life. Maybe you want to grow your own handy fishing partner. Or perhaps you just think it would be neat. What you want is for your son or daughter to become an angler. I would like my two boys to become regular partners on my fishing trips, getting away from the TV and the video games, learning about the grandeur of nature and the thrill of a tight line. And yes, I think it would be neat. "

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So, Where do I take my Kids fishing ?

Kids NEED to catch fish. As we get older we tend to fish not necessarily for the fish, but for the time. Children from the very young and even into the teens normally need the ongoing excitement of catching fish.

The key point is that kids generally dont care what they catch, as long as they are catching. This is a very good situation as we all know how it takes time to catch the more sought after species (Trout, Flounder, Etc.). The most abundent species we can catch are usually not the fish we tend to actively fish for.

So what are the kid friendly species?

Top of the list for kid friendly species has to be the Smallmouth Bass, This species is a very sought after sportfish in Nova Scotia, However it is rarely kept fopr consumption and as a result the population is continually growing. Bass allow your children the opportunity to catch lots of fish, and an actual sportfish at the same time.

The next species I would suggest for childrens fishing excurions would actually have to be a destination. The most abundent numbers of fish in easily accessable areas can usually be found around Government wharves throughout the Province. Wharves along our coastline become huge man made reefs that attract numerous species and in large numbers. Species include Pollock , Flounder , Perch , Mackerel , and various other species that bite readily and in numbers.

Perch and "Shiners" become another kid friendly fish due to their strong and wide-spread populations throughout the province.

So how do I intoroduce the kids to "real fish" ?

The easiest way to introduce children to "real fish" and to do it with as little pain as possible is to target freshly stocked lakes and ponds (I would include U-Fish operations here as well). Freshly stocked lakes and ponds generally allow the impatient to remain entertained due to the increased possibility of catchiing fish.

For a list of Stockings and fishing Derbies this year click here.

And dont forget the yearly sportfishing weekend, a no liscense necessary weekend of fishing throughout Nova Scotia with numerous fishing derbies and tournaments specially geared towards children.

Sportfishing Weekend Information Page.

Hopefully children will grow to love fishing, with a little help from those of us a little older and wiser.