There are hundreds of thousands of avid anglers in North America and many of them spend a lot of time dreaming about their next fishing trip. Most anglers usually go fishing with a couple of friends and often have a few favorite spots. It can often be a challenge for them to find a week or weekend for a fishing trip.
One way to solve this problem is to plan to take your family fishing instead of your friends. It’s so much easier to plan a family’s schedule, and you’ll get lots of added benefits, like being able to teach your kids about your passion and spending more quality family time while doing something you love.
To ensure that your family fishing trip is successful and memorable, it is important to consider the needs of everyone involved. First of all, you will need to choose a good fishing lake with vehicle access. A remote location to reach by boat or plane is unlikely to work, except with older teens. You’ll also want to make sure the fishing center you choose is relatively close to some good fishing grounds. This is especially important if you have small children as they usually won’t want to spend a lot of time on the boat and you can maximize your fishing time if good fishing spots are not far from where you are staying.
It is also very important to select a fishing center that has appropriate facilities for families. Some of the more important features might include a safe, shallow, weed-free swimming area, a good playground, and on-site supplies like bait and ice cream or candy. There are a few other important site-related factors to consider, such as the layout of the cabins on the site and the location of your cabin relative to the beach, docks, and playground. Other cabin-specific things like screened-in porches and sleeping arrangements can also influence your decision-making.
Your next step should be to consider the ages and abilities of your children and make sure you have the right fishing gear. Children are often eager to learn and do things for themselves, so make sure you have appropriate rods and reels that they can handle. Also try to plan your first trips during times when fishing is a little easier. Nothing will ensure that a child learns to love fishing like being able to catch lots of fish.
You should also consider the needs of your spouse. Depending on their interest in this type of trip, you can give them a relaxing weekend at home without the kids, or you need to make sure that everything that might be important to them is taken care of. This could include things like the kitchens, bathrooms, and beds in the cabins, the quality of the beach and swimming area, and the location of the nearest liquor store.
By including your family in your fishing trips and making sure they have fun, you will ensure that they learn to love fishing as much as you do and that will ultimately lead to more fishing trips for you.