Fishing with a kid, Long Range style.

By Ty Ponder.

A father and son come of age on the Qualifier 105.

“Dad! Dad!” “Not now son, I’m bit.” I begrudgingly responded. “Dad, look… Really!”

I’ll never forget the huge grin on my young son’s face as I turned to see TJ holding a nice 20-pound yellowtail in his arms, his first big game fish landed without my collaboration. It was a timeless scene that’s been played out for many a father and son.

As we grew through our early years together, my son and I were tight, but I was still searching for that bond, that experience that would bring us even closer and burn these years into our memories. Well, as for my father and many fathers before me, fishing did the trick, and it did it very well. At nine years old, TJ now is a veteran of many fishing trips with me.  He loves the sea and loves fishing and we have a great time together. 

Below I'll share with you a few things TJ and I have learned as we effectively worked toward his ultimate goal, the long-range sportfishing trip.

GETTING STARTED:
 Fishing is a wonderful recreation for all kids, boys and girls.  I recommend that you take your kids fishing in freshwater or the on a bay before introducing them to the relatively rugged and dynamic environment of the ocean. Remember that especially for younger kids, it’s more of an outdoor experience and a playtime than a fishing trip. I'm sure that these memories will stick with them and inspire in them the desire to catch more fish. During this introductory time, patience is king. Kids will likely have a very short attention span and if you are hoping to fish hard yourself you'll both be frustrated.

Once your child is comfortable and excited about fishing, you’ll want to consider a half day boat on the open ocean. A half day boat is in many ways the same environment as a long range boat. The fishing is often excellent and your kids will learn many basic skills.

As far as gear is concerned, keep it simple. At this point I would tend towards the lighter and more user-friendly spinning outfits.

SAFETY:
Until you're very confident of his swimming ability, please have your child wear a life jacket! We were fishing at a local lake when we watched a 3-year-old girl fall off the pier and immediately disappear underwater. The panicked father leapt into the water grasping blindly for his sinking daughter as I followed to assist. The desperate father literally felt his daughter underwater and grabbed her and we were lucky enough to pull her to safety. I will never forget that experience.

Safety is always the priority on any boat and I am always on top of my son’s location. I make sure he knows how to find and use the safety items on the vessel and what to do in an emergency, including a man-overboard situation. I personally thank the crew before the trip for having an increased awareness of my kid.

MOTION SICKNESS:
You'll want to evaluate your child's propensity for motion sickness. Many kids have issues with this and it should be at the forefront of any parent’s mind. As always, consult your physician, but if you elect to utilize preventative medication I would start him on Bonine or Dramamine (generic is fine) the night before your trip so it establishes in his bloodstream. One-half to one pill is the recommended dosage for children. Both come in a chewable form that most kids like. Be prepared for your child to be drowsy. You may ask your doctor about the Scopolamine patch, but this is not typically prescribed or recommended for children. There are a variety of homeopathic remedies that can be explored, as well. Check with your pharmacist or even your tackle shop.

Definitely work your child up to the longer trips. Trust me, a long-range trip is no place to find out that a child gets seasick. At best, your child will be miserable. At worst, your child may become seriously ill, and the possibility of a need for medical treatment in Mexico or an airlift back home exists.

MOVING UP:
Once your child has a comfort level on the half-day boats, you’re ready for a trip on a three-quarter day boat, or possibly an overnight sportboat. These vessels will really test his sea legs and improve his angling abilities. I made a calculated decision to skip the three-quarter day boat with my son and went straight to an overnight boat. The logic was that the boat leaves at night and he would acclimate better as he slept during the generally calmer night ride to the fishing grounds. The overnight boats tend to carry fewer and more experienced anglers so I thought it would provide a more efficient learning environment. This tactic seemed to work for us.

The step to multi- (3-5) day trips is perhaps the biggest in your child's progress. By now he should be prepared to take on some stronger fish and be fairly confident in his own abilities. I would recommend he be familiar with a conventional reel at this point (two-speed reels can make a real difference), he should know how to pin and deploy a live bait, know some basic fishing knots and maybe even make his own short casts. I am not saying that he has to be totally self sufficient, but he should have a good concept of the process and etiquette so he will have more fun, be somewhat independent, and work in concert with the other fishermen.

Any time you bring along your kid, your primary focus should still be for him to have fun. If you’re just not to that point yet, then you’ll both be disappointed in the long run. You’ll also find that the excitement and stress of a hot bite compounded at times by a critical father can be a lot to handle for a young child.  I have to admit that I’ve pushed T.J. too much a time or two. It’s a fine line, and you’ll be easily reminded that young feelings are easily hurt under too much pressure.

As you consider these longer trips, an honest evaluation of your child’s behavior and maturity level really becomes important. If your child is patient, respectful, interacts well with others (especially adults) and observes proper fishing etiquette, he will be welcomed and appreciated by the vast majority of fisherman. Let your instincts be your guide. You’ll know when the time is right.

LONG RANGE – THE BIG LEAGUES
 Next up is the true long range trip of five to ten days (more than ten days might be a stretch even for even the hardest core kid). A lot of considerations come in to play here, not least of which is the true patience and desire ofyour child to be out on a boat in possibly adverse conditions for such a long time. Furthermore, are you prepared to watch and nurture your child the entire trip, and often give up your own fishing time?

CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE:
Before I knew TJ was ready for such a long trip, I spent several years fostering his angling abilities and experience. He is so engrossed that he probably knows more about fishing than I do. He’s going to be a real technician, it’s just a matter of continuing to apply his knowledge. We’ve spent tons of time at home and on the water before I was confident that he was ready for such a long trip.

ETIQUETTE:
Ensure that your child knows proper fishing etiquette and basic technique. This is a must and should be somewhat instinctive by now. I have to admit its pretty cool watching my munchkin confidently work the rail, shoulder to shoulder with all the big guys, especially when the fish light up. We've found that experienced fishermen are very happy to accommodate and assist T.J. when they recognize his level of ability and courtesy.

DOWN TIME:
 There’s a lot of travel and down time on the longer trips. Be prepared to entertain your kid a lot. I bring board games, cards etc. T.J. is the best nine year old blackjack player I know (sorry Mom). Many long range boats, including the Qualifier 105 offer DVD players in every stateroom. Movies are a good way to pass the time.

BAIT:
The bait wells can sometimes be a bit high for kids to get their bait. One solution is for your child to wait around until you or a crewmember is able to help out, which is not very efficient. I bring a small bait net so TJ can catch his own baits more easily. Some long-range boats utilize the more accessible bait baskets and have nets handy as well.

LEARN:
Ask questions and learn from the crew and other fisherman. There is so much knowledge available on these trips that it’s like a fishing camp for you and your kid.

GIVE THEM OPTIONS:
I typically offer T.J. different options and approaches to the current fishing situation. I generally let him decide how to rig up and execute for the given conditions. I want him to gain confidence and learn to rely on his own knowledge. We’ll often explore his logic together and I'll let him go with his decision as long as I think he has a reasonable chance of success.

LONG-RANGE GEAR:
As he moves up to longer trips and bigger fish, have your child fish with relatively heavier line strength and a rod and reel to match. They may get fewer bites, but most kids don’t have the skills or strength for finesse fishing. I would also shy away from the short topshot spectra rigs and go with at least 100 feet of the more forgiving monofilament setup on top. The other anglers will appreciate these courtesies, as well.

HOOK AND HANDING:
One of the greatest ways to get your kid hooked up on any trip is to hand them the rod after you've hooked up the fish. I still hand off fish to my son all the time. No one ever taught me this but I can tell you from experience, when handing off the rod make sure your child continues to aggressively TURN THE HANDLE on the reel to keep maximum pressure on the fish. We lost plenty of fish during the handoff until we perfected the technique.

OF HOOKS AND SETS:
I started my son on circle hooks.  I thought this would be easier since you do not set the hook, just turn the handle.  In recent years I learned that a circle hook and J hook should be fished the same way, so the style of hooks is your choice. The savvy fisherman never sets the hook on a pelagic fish with either type of hook, just point the rod at the fish, aggressively reel out the slack, lift the rod and fight the fish. Just as with a circle hook, you'll find your J hook set snugly in the corner of your fish's mouth 90% of the time. The application of this technique makes things so much easier and efficient for kids (and adults).  If you insist on teaching your kids to set the hook, by all means have them reel out the slack first!    

STRENGTH AND SKILLS:
Handling the rod and reel during the fight presents some challenges for the little guys. Help your child practice shifting his two-speed reels from high to low and back again. Also it can be difficult for kids to stabilize the rod laterally while they turn the handle of the reel. This will improve as they get bigger and develop the capability and technique to palm the reel. It can be helpful in the mean time if you simply hold the butt end of the rod for them. Often they won’t even know that you're helping.

THE RAIL:
Here’s a huge technical tip that will help your kid battle heavier fish. You may have heard the saying, “The rail is your friend.” If you believe this then the rail is definitely your child’s best friend. Learning to utilize the rail as a resting point and a fulcrum for their rods is an invaluable skill for kids to learn. On most boats the rail is the perfect height for kids to utilize without having to bend over or kneel down. T.J. has had good success by sitting on the rod butt as he uses the rail to fight the stronger fish.

THE VESSEL, CREW AND THE QUALIFIER 105:
The boat and the crew make a tremendous difference in the long-range trip for everyone. The amenities, comfort and stability of a larger vessel ensure a pleasurable environment for your journey. At 105 feet long and 30 feet wide, the Q105 is one of the finest and most modern fishing platforms in the long-range fleet.

There are several nice and comparable long-range vessels to choose from, but what really distinguishes any long-range experience is the crew. The Q105 Owner/Operator Captain John Klein, a legend in the sportfishing industry, runs a tight, professional ship. We have traveled on the Q105 multiple times and always found the crew to be attentive, experienced, friendly and professional. Whether it’s working a hectic deck during a hot bite or having the time and patience to teach my son a new knot, the Q105 crew is always there for us. Don’t forget to appropriately tip any crew for their hard work.

I am happy to offer my absolute recommendation of the Qualifier 105 as the finest boat among today’s modern long-range fishing fleet.

Does all of this mean that if I take my kid on a trip that I don’t get to fish much myself? On the contrary! In the long run, I’ve spent even more time on the water. My son can come along now, yet he’s mature enough to understand when I go on a trip without him.

There is no doubt in my mind that the memories we are making are well worth any effort or expense on my part. Each time I hear “Dad! Dad! Look! Look!” I realize that my own obsession to catch a huge fish cannot compare to the satisfaction I get from the huge grin on my son’s face.