Is my 7yo ready for a real fishing trip?

Dec 41 min read

Thinking about taking my son on his first real fishing trip (not just the little pond by the house). We're planning a weekend in the Adirondacks with my buddy and his two kids (ages 8 and 9). My son is super excited about the idea but I'm not sure what to expect. Will he actually be able to sit still for more than 5 minutes? What if he doesn't catch anything and gets discouraged? Should we just keep expectations low or is there a way to make it actually fun for him?

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Comments(9)

TTim B.RegularDec 4

Having the other two kids there is honestly the move. My son was way more into it when his cousin was there doing the same thing. They egg each other on. Just watch him around the water obvs.

PPat H.New DadDec 5

Do you fish? Because if you're not totally comfortable with it yourself he'll pick up on that anxiety. But if you just model being relaxed about it and chill with the 'catching fish' pressure, he'll probably have a blast just being outside with you.

MMatt J.RegularDec 4

lol the real question is are YOU ready to untangle his line from the trees every 5 minutes? Kidding but seriously bring way more snacks than you think you need and maybe a backup activity for downtime. The waiting between bites gets old fast for kids.

KKenny W.RegularDec 5

7yo should be fine for the Adirondacks trip if he's got decent attention span. The real question is how he does with early mornings and sitting still - fishing requires patience. Maybe do a practice run at that pond first with a specific goal like "catch 2 fish" so he knows what to expect?

DDale A.RegularDec 5

Honestly the rod/reel setup matters more than age. If you get him one that's sized right and not too heavy, he'll actually be able to cast without frustration. My 7yo used my buddy's oversized one and gave up after 20 mins. Once we got him a kid-sized one he was hooked (pun intended)

TTony L.RegularDec 5

The fact that you're going with your buddy and his kids is clutch because if your son gets bored or frustrated, he's got playmates. That's way better than a one-on-one where he feels pressure to enjoy it

SSteve L.RegularDec 6

lol i took my 6yo to a lake and he was more interested in throwing rocks than actually fishing. But having other kids there (those 8 and 9yos) will keep him entertained between bites. Just pack a ton of snacks and you'll be golden

PPete S.RegularDec 7

7 is definitely old enough if he's got decent focus. My son was 6 when we did a real trip and he lasted about 4 hours before getting bored, but he still talks about catching that one little bass. The Adirondacks is perfect - less intense than ocean fishing. Make sure he's cool with being wet and uncomfortable for stretches though.

CCarl W.RegularDec 7

Do it. The Adirondacks are amazing and honestly the memories from your first real trip together will stick with him forever. Just go in with zero expectations about him actually catching fish - if he does great, if not he's still out in nature with his dad