Learn how to pick a kid's guide for a fun and educational fishing adventure.
❝Kids on boats need a special captain. There are many effective fishing guides on the Outer Banks but we are not all the same. Most guides will give young people a good, safe opportunity to catch and land fish. However, not all of these anglers know how to keep children engaged while teaching them how to fish and instilling an appreciate for the water.
Expert Fishing Instruction and the Proper Equipment
If a child needs fishing lessons, a good captain will teach them while using the correct gear. Quality equipment that fits the angler will make a noticeable difference in enjoyment levels. Rods and reels built to fit small hands are important for success.
A lesson for beginners might begin with bottom fishing using bait. People can learn how to use the bail, set the hook, play the fish, and net the fish while using this method. It is quick and easy to master. Learning how to cast and retrieve comes next. Teaching basic angling skills is paramount for a positive experience.
Hands-On Experience
To build curiosity, I get kids involved with hands-on learning and this is always a hit. Everyone will learn what the goal is, discover how it is accomplished, and be given a chance to participate. Young anglers on my Kid's Soundside Adventure will learn to fish plus help pull anchors, manage the bilge pump, prepare bait, and monitor the live well.
Boating Activities
Too much time on a boat doing the same thing can turn kids off. Fish do not bite non-stop and during a slow time an observant captain will pick up on boredom and change things up to avoid it.
To engage kids during a charter, we can also search for dolphins, crab with hand lines, wade the shallow waters, or beach the boat on a sandy island and hunt for Hermit crabs.
Lessons in Natural and Local History
Your Outer Banks boating trip should be educational as well as fun. A trip with me can easily be considered a floating natural history lesson. As we cut bait, the kids enjoy a biology lesson; as birds fly overhead, I identify them; and every trip is a lesson in salt marsh ecology. I discuss waterfowl migration, bears, wolves, and alligators. You and your family will also learn about local geology and weather conditions.
Your family will enjoy stories from Outer Banks history, such as the Wright brothers, lighthouses, life saving stations, pirates, and the Banker horses who freely roam the northern Outer Banks.
Calm Waters
Boating with kids is a surefire way to enjoy family time on the Outer Banks. It is relaxing, fun, and quite often gets them excited enough to become a permanent memory. Boating and fishing can start as a hobby but easily become a personal passion for the rest of her or his life.
If a child is new to fishing from a boat, parents and guardians need to keep it simple. Introduce kids to boating with a calm ride on the sounds inside our beautiful barrier islands. There are usually no waves and motion sickness is rarely a problem on these comparatively still waters.
My family-oriented Kid's Soundside Adventure is a perfect introductory trip and combines fishing with other fun things to do. Join me this summer for an unforgettable trip on the Outer Banks.
If you want to learn more about my position as an Outer Banks kid's captain, contact me.❞