Mini-me lands first fish on a Fly Rod

[BigggJack]

The other day I took my son out to a pond that was stocked for a Trout Rodeo this past weekend and he was doing some casting with a fly-rod set-up he bought himself from wal-mart ( I am less then impressed with it even for 40$). He was getting hits on the popper,but, was unable to get the hook set on any.

Today we hit a "lake" closer to home, he managed a few more hits, then switched to a spinner when I got frustrated since he was having problems and I was trying to fish as well. As he was spin fishing I was playing around on the edge of a lily pad bed with my fly rod and was getting hits on the popper. I finally managed to get the hook set on a few and handed the rod to him, so he could play the fish and land it. We have decided he his going to be working with my bass flyrod for now til I figure out what the deal is with his wally world Martin reel.

We snapped a quick pic of him and his bluegill before releasing it

 

[Jessed]

Take him back to the trout pond with some different flies! Poppers aren't the best option.

 

[ryansheehan]

Small black woolly buggers.

 

[PatrickC]

Well done!

 

[3wt7X]

Great job putting the little man on his first fish. Those sunfish put a nice bend in the rod to add to the excitement for a young angler!!!!

 

[djs12354]

The start of a long journey! Enjoy your time together........

 

[fishbaithohaha]

The two of you, fly rods. Priceless.

 

[AnW]

Love it!

Started my son on a fly rod (sometimes landing fish I hooked just like you described) when he was 9 or so. He's 18 now, and I still love the time I get to spend with him on the stream.

 

[Wildbrowntrout]

Congratulations! If that pond is the one I'm thinking of, (chambers outlet), the trout that are left over love bright yellow egg flies with a San Juan worm trailing behind it. (What stocker doesn't?) Also, there are bass in there but you have to try for them pretty hard. Hope you keep him hooked on this wonderful sport.

 

[Jessed]

Small bugger or bigger nymph in a pond like that in early June will get him hooked for life

 

[BigggJack]

Wildbrowntrout wrote:
Congratulations! If that pond is the one I'm thinking of, (chambers outlet), the trout that are left over love bright yellow egg flies with a San Juan worm trailing behind it. (What stocker doesn't?) Also, there are bass in there but you have to try for them pretty hard. Hope you keep him hooked on this wonderful sport.

Chambers Outlet doesn't sound familiar, this pond is on Rte 100 and was stocked by the Pine Forge Sportsmans Club. Hopefully we can get out there again soon, with this weather and a pretty booked weekend upcoming we haven't scheduled a return trip out there.


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I had tied the popper on hoping to get him some smallie action on the fly rod while he had a worm in on his other rod for trout, in retrospect I should have switched out to one of the Adams Dry flies we have and tried that. We don't really have any streamers in the box right now, we do have some SJW and salmon eggs in there from 15 years ago. I found most of my tools and hooks and threads for tying, I haven't found my vise yet though to start re-stocking the boxes. I may have to break down and hit the store for a few wet flies til I get back in full grove.

It feels good getting him onto the flyrod and leaning away from drowning worms, it is much more in my wheel house & will be something we can enjoy together. That is after his attention span gets a little longer and I feel back in the grove myself.