Formula For Happy Kids

When I think back to some of my happiest times as a kid, they usually revolve around riding a bicycle with a fishing pole strapped to the handlebars. I once wrote that every kid should own a good rod and reel by the time they're five years old, and that for a happy childhood, they should get a bike when they're a little older. To top it off, they should have a fishing hole within bike-riding distance. I thought I was living in Utopia when our family moved to a small, central-Kansas town when I was 11 years old. Of course I had the rod and reel and bike, and now we lived about a mile from the state fishing lake. Yep, that first summer was heaven. Every morning, my cousin and I would ride to the lake and have a ball catching fish, frogs, tadpoles, and getting muddy. Every kid should find that kind of happiness, but I know not every kid can ride their bike to the lake. However, it is possible, even necessary, to get a youngster their own rod and reel. Buy a quality spincast reel. I've spent too much time working on old hand-me-down or cheap reels kids brought to fishing clinics. A good reel doesn't have to break the bank, but a quality spincast reel will ensure more time fishing and less time working on the reel.  A 5 1/2- or 6-foot medium-light casting rod will work for about any situation. Buy each youngster a small tackle box of their own, and fill it with a selection of spinners, jigs, a few small crankbaits and a couple of bobbers. Then, take them fishing! Take advantage of the great spring weather we're having and go to your local state or community lake. You'll find a listing of all fishing waters in the 2012 Fishing Regulations Summary, and there is even a Family Friendly designation for community lakes suited for family outings. Get out and pass it on. I can assure you, your kids will never forget.