Melanie A. Howard - Freshwater Fishing for Kids

largemouth bass on a jig

Grandpa scoops the net into the water and flips the northern pike into the boat.The pike isnt hooked at all. Its teeth are clamped onto the walleye!

Grandpa grins at you, and you grin back. Look at that green-eyed monster, he says,clapping you on the back. The pike is longer than your arm. Its a keeper.

STARTING WITH SUNFISH

Anglers new to the sport often start by fishing for sunfish. Sunfish come in manyvarieties, such as pumpkinseed and green. Bluegill, crappie, and black bass alsobelong to the sunfish family. Most sunfish reach a size of less than 8 inches (20cm) long, but a black bass can be as long as 32 inches (81 cm) and weigh up to 22pounds (10 kg).

Sunfish can be caught on simple weighted baits called jigs. They can also be caughton spinnerbaits , but often an angler will catch one using a float. This techniqueis also known as bobber fishing. When bobber fishing, the angler keeps an eye onthe float, or bobber. The bobber dangles a baited hook at a set depth in the water.If a fish hits the bait, the bobber will be pulled underwater. The angler sets thehook when the float plunges under the water

Casting a bobber in a shallow area where there are weeds or sunken logs is a goodway to catch sunfish. Sunfish are usually found in water that is no deeper than 30feet (9 meters).

bait something used to attract fish
spinnerbait a fake bait with blades that spinwhen it is pulled through the water

All on the Line

People have been fishing for thousands of years. It was an important source of food.The first fishers used hooks made of bone, wood, or stone. They tied the hooks tovines and pulled them by hand. The Ancient Egyptians fished. So did the Greeks andRomans. The Chinese fished with bamboo rods and silk line as earl as the 400s BC

Fishing for sport started in the 1400s. People who fish for sport are fishing forfun and not just food. Since it began sport fishing has grown more popular. Itsbecome a tradition in many families. It also has inspired many TV shows and led toan explosion of modern fishing equipment. Many competitions and records have sprungup around sport fishing.

Freshwater fishing is fishing for food or sport in bodies of water such as riversand lakes. It is very popular in the United States. In fact, freshwater fishing hasa Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museumdisplays equipment used for freshwater fishing over the years. It also keeps recordsof famous anglers and the largest freshwater fish caught around the world.

FACT

More than 50,000 people visit the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, every year.