There aren’t many better family activities than fishing. Fishing provides a platform for enjoying the outdoors, fosters quality family time, promotes learning, and offers the chance to catch dinner. However, you’ll want to follow a few simple rules to make sure everybody has a good time!

Mindset and expectations 

It’s important to place the trip’s emphasis on having fun together and getting the rods bent rather than aiming for a whopper, especially if your crew is relatively young and/or inexperienced. Remember that some trips are for catching fish, and some trips are for helping others catch fish – often there’s not much of a middle ground!

The goal of a trip with kids or family members who aren’t experienced anglers is to simply have a good time and help whoever is on board enjoy the entire fishing experience. That means tying knots for everyone; that means heading back in if anyone is feeling unsafe or sick; that means letting everyone else use your gear; that means filleting and cleaning so that others can relax.

Experienced anglers know that there’s plenty of enjoyment in getting to watch someone reel in their first fish. Not only is it an immensely fun challenge to get newbies hooked up to a fish or two, but you may also be creating lifelong anglers who are learning how to respect the resource and enjoy all the well-documented mental health benefits of having an outdoor hobby. 

Preparation (and snacks!)

All family fishing adventures begin with some thorough preparation. Checking the weather and sea conditions is crucial – there’s no point taking youngsters or inexperienced anglers out in average conditions, otherwise crew members may have a bad experience and be scared off for life! 

Once you’ve found a nice weather window, hatch a game plan that covers what type of fishing you’ll be doing and where you’ll be heading. Choose a safe and simple-to-access spot if landbased fishing, or a sheltered spot handy to an easy launching ramp if heading out on a boat. Ensure everything is set up – knots are tied, spare rigs are on hand, food and refreshments are sorted, clothing and lifejackets are sound, and bait and ice are good to go. It’s also important not to plan to head out for too long, and break up the fishing with some sightseeing, exploring, or perhaps some time at a nearby beach. Taking plenty of snacks will help keep the youngsters' energy and interest levels up, too!

The fishing

For new anglers, and especially young ones, a light rod and reel combo that isn’t cumbersome for them to handle is the best option. As you’ll want to focus on quantity rather than quality of fish (regular action is the name of the game), small hooks and baits are preferred. Sabiki rigs are perfect for the job, and even though they work without bait, adding on a little bit will ensure a variety of species are a likely proposition. One tip to make it easier for kids is to add a one- or two-ounce sinker to the bottom of the sabiki rig as that will keep the line straighter and lower the chance of tangles.

If fishing a location with a decent chance of tablefish like snapper, swapping the sabiki out for a ledger rig with the hooks above the sinker is a good idea to limit the catch of undersized fish. It’s recommended that these rigs are still fished on light rod and reel combos to ensure everything is still manageable. Try to bait the crew up with resilient baits like squid or fresh kahawai to give them the best chance of hooking fish.

Lures that require casting will be trickier for novices to get the hang of, but slowjigs and softbaits dragged along the bottom with the rod simply left in the rod holder will often catch plenty of fish – great for kids who lose concentration! They are also most effective over the sand, which is typically what you should be looking for when inexperienced anglers are on board. Expecting novice anglers to avoid snags is a bit optimistic.

Although some experienced anglers turn their noses up at catching kahawai, they are the ultimate fish for learners to catch. They fight hard, with jumps and rapid changes of direction, and come in reasonable sizes for a nice picture. They also make good eating when bled well, particularly as raw or smoked fish – most kids will want to be interested in the process of smoking, extending the fishing experience. Kahawai are regularly found off beaches, rocky headlands and wharves, meaning they are a regular catch for landbased fishers. When out on the boat, keep your eyes peeled for terns (a.k.a. kahawai birds) feeding, as they are a great indicator of a feeding horde of kahawai.  

Keep an open mind about how to add extra excitement to the fishing session. Berley can be a great tool to make things more interesting, particularly if a mix of baitfish, maomao, and small kahawai are visibly cruising around, hoovering up tidbits. Another advantage of berleying up a storm is that when the family has had their fun, a big, unweighted bait out the back might get you the snapper of the day, or livebait out behind the baitfish might attract a kingfish.

For all your fishing tackle and boating equipment, visit jarviswalker.co.nz

- NZ Fishing News