Take a Kid Fishing in Tampa Bay
Date: August 10, 2020
Take a kid fishing!
With summer time in full swing the kids are having a blast fishing! When I first started guiding I really didn’t know how to handle having young children on the boat. For one their attention span is short so I felt a need to keep them on the fish as much as possible. After running a few I realized that they really don’t care too much about that at all. The little ones normally entertain themselves playing with the bait in the livewell, while the older kids and adults catch fish. Sometimes they want you to just run the boat FAST.
So, here are a few tips and tricks to keeping the kids entertained. Now if you know where the Redfish and Snook will be I would try to hit them early while it is still cool and the water temps have not crept up (if the tide allows you to). Targeting Mangrove Snapper and Mackerel is another great way to keep the rods bent. Fish the channel edges & structure for Snapper and you are sure to find some Mackerel following the schools of Threadfins throughout the bay. Let’s not forget about those Speckled Trout and Ladyfish on the grass flats too!
If you are fishing from any of our fishing piers or bridges and the fishing is not going as planned, you can always tie on a few gold hooks (or a sabiki rig) and tip them with some squid or shrimp and have the kids catch you some pinfish for bait. This will keep them occupied while doing a solid for you by catching some bait!
All in all, it is a great way to get the kids outside and away from their everyday mundane routine. If we can make it enjoyable for them, hopefully they get hooked on fishing and spending some time with Mother Nature more often.
Capt.Charlie Howell
(813) 598-1191