Taking your kids kayak fishing is an exceptionally rewarding experience. It is one in which you must put aside some of your own big fish motivation and strive to inspire the same passion in your children that you've found in fishing. For me that has just as much to do with spending time as wetting a line.

Here are a few tips I've come up with during my adventures with my 4 and 2 year old daughters.

1. Pick a Honey Hole - You have to stack the deck in your favor. If you're taking your kids fishing, take them to a spot you know will produce. They'll have plenty of time to appreciate the contemplative side of fishing later. Right now it's about action.
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2. Make it a Quick Hit - Cut the normal fishing time down to a quick mission, like 30 minutes to 1.5hours. Kids don't have the same motivation to sit around forever just to get that one bite. As our GM Tom said, "Always leave them wanting more."
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3. Comfort is King - Make sure they have a comfortable place to sit. My 2 year old will just sit between my legs on the deck of my kayak no problem. Her sister did as well when she was younger. But now my 4 yr. old wants a perch. Most fishing kayaks have a big front hatch. Pad it out some and let them sit there, facing you. It's easy to start the tradition of hanging and talking when you're facing each other. Plus it gives you a good access to their lure set-up.
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4. Put Away the Swimbaits - It's time to downsize the presentation. Kids don't need to catch a monster their first few times out. They just want to catch fish. I take my used up soft plastics and rip them into tiny pieces to use on my girls little jig heads. It works great.
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5. Double S - Bring snacks and sunscreen. Absolutely necessary. Every parent knows the importance of snacks. Also mentioned in ourCanoeing With Kids post.
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6. PFD, PFD, PFD - For reals folks. Strap a PFD on your child. Part of the reason I started wearing mine all the time was so I wouldn't be a hypocrite when I enforced the PFD rule on my kids. Now we're all ready to float and I can stuff the pockets of my vest with snacks.
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7. No Pressure - I usually start each fishing trip with my girls by introducing some casual conversation about their day. My 2 year old is too small to fully get it, but my 4 year old has begun to understand and appreciate this aspect of our time together. "I like going fishing with you daddy. I like when it's just us out here talking about stuff." Makes my heart smile. I want my kids to know that the fishing trip is only partly about the fish. The biggest gift is our time together.
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8. Give them a Job - My 4 year old loves to help. She loves to have a job to do. So even on days where I cast lines while she's in the kayak, I employ her to help net the fish, and then she gets to hold my tournament identifier for me in the CPR photo. She loves it. She's involved and playing a part. Your kids just want your time. Engage them.
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9. Be Patient - Whether it's teaching them how to cast, or getting them to touch a fish, don't force things. Keep everything fun and light-hearted.  As my buddy Dan Smullen said, "Don't expect your 8 year old to be a finesse fisher kid. Try to balance patience and fun."
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10. Kayak Kevin recently took a friend's child out fishing. Kevin has spent more time in a kayak seat fishing than most anyone I know. His tip,"No sudden movements."

We started taking our girls on the water at a pretty early age. Their first time on a canoe or kayak came around 10 months old for both of them. They've been around it virtually their whole lives and that has made them comfortable on the water. When I started taking them out fishing from the kayak, they already had the kayaking part down, or at least weren't focused on that, and could in turn direct their attention to learning to fish.

That is one of the beautiful things about fishing. It can result in time well spent with the ones we love. And that is the number one tip on taking your kids kayak fishing. It's worth it.

Kayak Kevin and Friend - Photo Jacqueline Walker

Photo by Dan Smullen