Take a Kid Fishing

By Lance Hebdon, Fisheries Biologist, Southwest Region Taken as a whole, last year wasn't the best fishing year of my fishing career spanning some 30 years. I managed to catch a chinook salmon on the South Fork of the Salmon River and a couple steelhead in the shadow of the Sawtooth Mountains, and my first smallmouth bass from Brownlee Reservoir. All were memorable experiences. However, the best trip of the year, the one that I will remember until I've forgotten my own name, involved a small pond less than a mile from my house and a four-inch pumpkinseed. The spring of 2005 was well underway when I noticed that the panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed etc.) had come out of hiding and were now hanging just off the weeds in Beach's pond at the Wilson Ponds complex in Nampa. It was almost an afterthought that caught up with me when I realized that those little fish presented the perfect opportunity to introduce a new angler (in this case, my very excited two-year-old daughter Katie) to the sport of fishing. So Saturday morning, armed with a four-foot fishing pole, a closed face reel, a bobber, some hooks, and a couple of worms dug up from the flower beds, we were off. The fish were sitting right on the edge of the weeds in a couple feet of water. It took a few casts to get the bait close enough to the fish to interest them. Soon, the bobber went down. After landing the bluegill, carefully removing the hook and letting Katie see "her" fish, we let it swim away and the trip was over. Short and memorable. Taking a kid fishing is a wonderful way to spend time together in the outdoors. And the Treasure Valley provides a host of opportunities that are perfect for introducing a child (no matter the age) to fishing. There are a few things to consider when taking an inexperienced child fishing: - Don't plan to do much fishing yourself especially when accompanied by kids under the age of 10; kids have short attention spans, so plan short outings. Trips close to home are best. - Don't be afraid to stop fishing and pursue other activities such as throwing rocks, digging in the mud or chasing butterflies, particularly if the fish are not cooperating or your fishing partner's attention is drifting. - Size doesn't matter: kids are not usually as concerned about catching big fish as they are about just catching fish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, perch and stocked rainbow trout are perfect fish species for new anglers). - If you are not catching fish, change your technique. Move your bait farther from the bobber, cast to a different area or fish right on the bottom. If lack of fishing experience is keeping you from taking the kids, ask for help. Experienced anglers are a wealth of information and if they are catching fish, most people are willing to share a few secrets, especially if the information might help a kid catch a fish. Talk with local bait and tackle shop staff, read fishing reports in the newspaper or on the internet, or contact your local Fish and Game office for information on where the fish are biting. Get a copy of the "Fish Southwest Idaho" brochure at your local Fish and Game office for information on local ponds and fish species in them. As for equipment, it is best to keep it simple for fishing with kids. A five foot spinning rod and reel package can be purchased for a moderate price. Fishing line (monofilament) is classified by "test," that is, a measure of breaking strength. In general, four- to eight-pound test line will cover most kid-focused fishing opportunities. Fishing gear, called "terminal tackle," can range from simple and inexpensive (but effective) to expensive and complex. For the beginner, some bobbers, hooks, sinkers and bait will cover most situations. Bobbers are made of wood, cork or plastic, and are designed to suspend the baited hook in the water, ideally at fisheye level. They also take much of the guesswork out of fishing; when the fish takes the bait, the bobber moves or goes under. Adjusting the distance between the hook and the bobber changes the depth at which the bait is suspended. If you want to get your bait closer to the bottom, a sinker comes in handy. Sinkers are small pieces of lead that can be attached to the line above the hook. They provide weight to help cast and will pull the bait to the bottom. Hooks should be purchased according to the size of the fish being targeted. For panfish (such as bluegill, pumpkinseed etc.) or stocked trout, sizes 10, 8 and 6 work well (the larger the number, the smaller the hook). Regarding bait, it is pretty hard to beat worms - also known as nightcrawlers - for catching fish. They appeal to most species of fish and can be collected in your yard or purchased by the dozen. You might also want to try canned corn or marshmallows. The most important ingredient needed for a fishing trip with your youngster is a large dose of fun. Do everything in your power to make those first few fishing outings fun experiences. In doing so, you'll create a fishing buddy for life. A Guide to some Treasure Valley Fishing Holes Airport Pond (Emmett) From the highway 52/16 junction (Emmett), travel west on highway 52 for 1.6 miles to Airport Road. Turn south on Airport Road and travel 5/10 of a mile to the pond turnoff (just before reaching the golf course). Turn west and travel 1/10 of a mile on a gravel road to Airport Pond. Caldwell Ponds #1 and #2 From Interstate 84, take exit 26 (Notus/Parma). Turn west on highway 20/26 and travel 9/10 of a mile to Pond Lane. Look for the Sportsman Access sign. Turn south on Pond Lane and travel 2/10 of a mile to the parking area. Caldwell Ponds 1 and 2 are adjacent to one another. Duff Lane Pond (Middleton) From the town of Middleton, travel east on State Highway 44 (State Street). Turn south on Duff Lane (located between mile posts five and six), and travel 4/10 of a mile to Duff Lane Pond. Eagle Island Pond (Eagle) Eagle Island Pond is located in Eagle Island State Park. From Boise, travel west on Highway 44 (State Street) to Linder Road (between mile post markers 15 and 16). Turn south on Linder and travel 7/10 of a mile to the junction with Hatchery Road. Turn east on Hatchery Road and travel _ mile to the Park entrance. Follow the entrance road to park facilities and the pond. Ed's Pond (Emmett) From the highway 52/16 junction (Emmett), travel 1.4 miles north on highway 52 (Washington Street) through Emmett. Just before crossing the Payette River, turn west on Carson Street and travel 2/10 of a mile to Boise Avenue. Turn north on Boise Avenue, bear left, and cross the bridge into Gem Island Park. Follow the road to the lower end of the park and Ed's Pond. McDevitt Pond (Meridian) McDevitt Pond is located at the NW corner of Eagle and Ustick Roads in Meridian. Parking areas both off of Eagle Road and Ustick Road provide access to the pond. Merrill Park Pond (Eagle) From the corner of Eagle Road and State Highway 44 (State Street), travel 3/10 of a mile south on Eagle Road to Riverside Drive. Turn left on Riverside Drive to E. Shoreline Drive. Turn right onto E. Shoreline Drive to Merrill Pond. Payette Pond Highway 95 north thru Payette (bear right on 95 as if heading for Weiser). Just before leaving town, turn left on 7th Avenue North and travel 1.1 miles to River Street (7th Avenue dead ends at River Street). Turn right on River Street and go about 100 feet (look for the "Greenbelt Access" sign). Turn left at the access and follow it 2/10 mile to the parking area at the Payette River. The pond can be accessed by following the greenbelt downriver about 200 yards. Quinn's Pond (Boise) In Boise, travel west on Main Street to 29th Street. Turn north on 29th Street and travel .3 miles to Pleasanton Street. Turn west on Pleasanton and travel .1 miles to 31st Street. Look for the parking area past Idaho River Sports. Follow the Greenbelt access from the parking area to Quinn's Pond. Redwood Park Pond (Boise) Redwood Park Pond is located off Ustick Road between Five Mile and Cloverdale Roads in Boise. Turn south on Wildwood and travel .3 miles to Ardyce. Turn right on Ardyce and travel .1 miles to Redwood Park. The pond is located in the southwest corner of the park. Riverside Pond (Boise) From the intersection of State Street and Glenwood. Travel 3/10 of a mile south on Glenwood to Riverside Drive. Turn right and travel 2/10 of a mile on Riverside Drive to the small parking area adjacent to Riverside Pond (left side of road). Rotary Pond (Caldwell) From Interstate 84, take exit 27 (Greenleaf/Wilder). Turn south on Centennial Way and travel .4 miles to Chicago Street. Turn west on Chicago Street and travel .2 miles to Rotary Pond. Settler's Pond (Boise) Settler's Pond is located at the corner of Meridian and Ustick Roads in Meridian. From this corner, turn north onto Meridian and travel a short distance to the Settler's Park entrance. Settler's Pond is located adjacent to Meridian Road. Wilson Ponds (Nampa) From Interstate 84, take exit 38. Travel south on Garrity to the second stoplight. Turn left onto Flamingo and travel .2 miles. The road turns south and becomes Happy Valley Road. Travel nearly 4 miles to Greenhurst Road. Turn west on Greenhurst Road and travel 2 miles to South Powerline Road. Turn south and travel _ of a mile to the Wilson Ponds parking area.