I'm glad kids are out fishing, but 2024
Glaucus reply :
For probably the 10th~ time in the past few seasons I've been fishing when a kid (under 13) by himself or with another kid (never the same one and hardly the same place) gut hooks a bass and I have to go to the rescue before they just cut the line and toss it back. It happened again last night. I was fishing a popper at a pond as the final 30 minutes of daylight was disappearing and a young boy shows up with a bobber and a plastic worm. I don't know how he rigged it up, but after 15 or so minutes he hooked into a bass and was very excited and I was excited for him from the other side of the pond. He yells across to me, "I don't know where my hook went." I told him to put the fish back in the water until I made my way over there. It was gut hooked. I got it out. Had I not been there it would have been left to die or thrown back with a hook in its throat and line hanging out of its mouth. I've had this happen several times where it's just me and some random kid who gut hooks fish. It's a scary thought thinking about how often I'm NOT there to help. These kids need supervision or an adult in their lives to show them how to fish and feel the bites. I asked the kid where his parents were and he said his dad was at home watching TV. I rigged him up with a Senko and taught him how to fish it and feel a bite. We caught another and it was time for me to leave. He asked if he could have some more but I lied and said I only had the one because I could not trust that on his own he wouldn't gut hook another with the gut-hookiest bait of all time. A 10 minute lesson with me isn't enough time but at least it's something.
I wish adults were more involved with kids, both for the kids and for the fish.
flyfisher reply :
Did you take the time to show him how to unhook a gut hooked fish so next time he may be able to get it out himself?
BassWhole! reply :
Beginner and casual anglers often mishandle and injure or kill fish, but they on average don't catch as many fish, so it's a wash. Maybe Flair or Jon B can shoot a video.... 
Glaucus reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 1:30 AM, flyfisher said:Did you take the time to show him how to unhook a gut hooked fish so next time he may be able to get it out himself?
Yeah we went through the whole process but I don't know how much of it stuck. Who knows. Maybe seeing one fish saved and spending 10 minutes fishing a Senko with a stranger turned his whole fishing career around.
On 6/10/2019 at 1:30 AM, BassWhole! said:Beginner and casual anglers often mishandle and injure or kill fish, but they on average don't catch as many fish, so it's a wash. Maybe Flair or Jon B can shoot a video....
They definitely should. That's their audience. Instead of the obnoxious Walmart challenges maybe they could be educational Googans for once.
BuzzHudson19c reply :
I was blessed to have an involved father growing up. Also, we always used hardbaits with treble hooks so gut hooks were rare. My old man considered live bait cheating.
Just teach them how to handle the fish and explain how to avoid gut hooking. Or my other rule, if you can't get the hook eat the fish.
WRB reply :
Circle hooks eliminate the problem.
Tom
dodgeguy reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 2:25 AM, WRB said:Circle hooks eliminate the problem.
Tom
A kid fishing a bobber wouldn't even know about circle hooks.
WRB reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 2:40 AM, dodgeguy said:A kid fishing a bobber wouldn't even know about circle hooks.
That is why we teach them.
Brew City Bass reply :
I'd lie if I said I was any different 10 years ago when I was 13. I had no clue about fish care, how to set the hook quick, all that hoopla. I definitely killed my fair share of fish.
But, I'm not concerned. There's a very healthy population of bass, even a flock of young fishermen couldn't make a dent in it's population from gut hooks or mishandling. It hurts us to see, and we should help when we can, but this is the learning curve a lot of people go through.
I use to hunt avidly. I stopped when I turned 18. I realized there's beef at Walmart and I don't need to be killing anything that I don't absolutely need to eat. I felt terrible about my past kills and regret hunting for sport. I felt like a murderer. Now I don't expect anyone else to feel this way, but I'm just saying how much I care about our game and fish.
I've personally got a gripe with the older folks up here who seem to keep every fish they catch, legal or not. I've witnessed many times these geezers sitting on the launch (illegal) with a bucket full of undersized pike, bass, muskie, you name it, they've caught it and kept it. They're there every other day taking limits of small or illegal fish. Those people are doing more harm than a few kids gut hooking bass.
The Short Fisherman reply :
I'm 14 and I always carry a pair of needle-nose pliers just in case if i accidentally gut hook a fish
NYWayfarer reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 1:34 AM, Glaucus said:maybe they could be educational Googans for once.
The ultimate oxymoron for sure!
Be thankful you were there. Everything happens for a reason.
I help young anglers all the time. In the back of my mind I keep, thinking I was taught not to talk to strangers. A baby boomer, generation X thing. But the kids are friendly and I keep my distance. At the end of the day I pass on some knowledge and terminal tackle. Hopefully we help the next generation.
Glaucus reply :
The kid showed back up this afternoon while I was fishing. He said he was hoping I would be there. Couldn't have missed me being that I spend hours fishing basically every trip.
He had that same bobber and plastic worm rig going on. Bobber, small weight, curled up plastic worm as if it was a real one. No idea how a plastic worm ball ever caught that bass last night. I cut that stuff off and set him up with a 1/0 EWG hook and a 4 inch Senko. With guidance he was able to catch 4 bass and gut hooked only 1. I gave him the needle nose pliers and told him to get to work. Had to help a little bit but he more or less was the one who got it out.
He got the hang of it so I sent him off with a pack of 1/0 EWG hooks and a handful of 4 inch Senkos and Finesse Trick Worms.
Hammered them myself on a black and blue jig with a blue rage craw.
riverbasser reply :
I doubt anyone is eating any bass from this pond so this kid killing a few is probably helping the overall population.
WRB reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 7:25 AM, Glaucus said:The kid showed back up this afternoon while I was fishing. He said he was hoping I would be there. Couldn't have missed me being that I spend hours fishing basically every trip.
He had that same bobber and plastic worm rig going on. Bobber, small weight, curled up plastic worm as if it was a real one. No idea how a plastic worm ball ever caught that bass last night. I cut that stuff off and set him up with a 1/0 EWG hook and a 4 inch Senko. With guidance he was able to catch 4 bass and gut hooked only 1. I gave him the needle nose pliers and told him to get to work. Had to help a little bit but he more or less was the one who got it out.
He got the hang of it so I sent him off with a pack of 1/0 EWG hooks and a handful of 4 inch Senkos and Finesse Trick Worms.
Hammered them myself on a black and blue jig with a blue rage craw.
You are now the young anglers mentor, teach him how to use Gammy octopus 1/0 circle hook with Senko's for zero gut hooked bass.
Tom
dodgeguy reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 3:22 AM, WRB said:That is why we teach them.
Agreed
Glaucus reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 8:03 AM, WRB said:You are now the young anglers mentor, teach him how to use Gammy octopus 1/0 circle hook with Senko's for zero gut hooked bass.
Tom
He asked me when I was coming back. I said Tuesday probably, in the evening.
On 6/10/2019 at 6:29 AM, NYWayfarer said:The ultimate oxymoron for sure!
Be thankful you were there. Everything happens for a reason.
I help young anglers all the time. In the back of my mind I keep, thinking I was taught not to talk to strangers. A baby boomer, generation X thing. But the kids are friendly and I keep my distance. At the end of the day I pass on some knowledge and terminal tackle. Hopefully we help the next generation.
That part about strangers has me a bit weary. If it were my kid, I wouldn't like this at first. Some strange man hanging around my kid, helping him, giving him stuff, telling him when he's coming back? I would be sketched out. You just never know. Me being me I know it's all fine, but the parents don't know that. Then again, the stranger is the one helping and giving things away while the parents let a child go to a pond all alone.
BuzzHudson19c reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 8:26 AM, Glaucus said:He asked me when I was coming back. I said Tuesday probably, in the evening.
That part about strangers has me a bit weary. If it were my kid, I wouldn't like this at first. Some strange man hanging around my kid, helping him, giving him stuff, telling him when he's coming back? I would be sketched out. You just never know. Me being me I know it's all fine, but the parents don't know that. Then again, the stranger is the one helping and giving things away while the parents let a child go to a pond all alone.
Kids (respectful ones) are the only humans I will talk to when fishing. Everyone else gets some northeast hospitality and one word answers.
WRB reply :
Ask the youngster to bring a parent along, you can instruct both!
Be prepared parents may not show up and it's not the kids fault.
My experiences with Indian Guides was shocking how little interaction some parents are willing to give their own kids and willing to let strangers teach the kids.
You are good man, my hat is off to you!
Tom
NYWayfarer reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 8:26 AM, Glaucus said:He asked me when I was coming back. I said Tuesday probably, in the evening.
That part about strangers has me a bit weary. If it were my kid, I wouldn't like this at first. Some strange man hanging around my kid, helping him, giving him stuff, telling him when he's coming back? I would be sketched out. You just never know. Me being me I know it's all fine, but the parents don't know that. Then again, the stranger is the one helping and giving things away while the parents let a child go to a pond all alone.
Exactly my friend. That’s the thought in the back of my mind whenever a kid needs help. You have to worry about how other interpret your helping kids. It’s unfortunate but it is a sign of the times.
Back in in the day it was don’t take candy from strangers. Candy, fishing tackle, same difference different Pennywise.
BassWhole! reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 8:26 AM, Glaucus said:He asked me when I was coming back. I said Tuesday probably, in the evening.
That part about strangers has me a bit weary. If it were my kid, I wouldn't like this at first. Some strange man hanging around my kid, helping him, giving him stuff, telling him when he's coming back? I would be sketched out. You just never know. Me being me I know it's all fine, but the parents don't know that. Then again, the stranger is the one helping and giving things away while the parents let a child go to a pond all alone.
Yeah, but he'll probably give him some candy....
Glaucus reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 9:10 AM, BassWhole! said:Yeah, but he'll probably give him some candy....
One could argue Senkos are candy. ????
Manly Studson reply :
I don’t see many kids fishing—not even from the bank. If ever I see a kid, it is a small boy with his father and a spider man rod. But that scenario is rare too, and it seems to happen on Memorial Day or another holiday. Although I find satisfaction in teaching my kids to fish, I think it would be great to teach a young stranger how to fish. But I don’t see too many around. Last weekend I fished a small stream, catching many smallmouth bass. Kids were there swimming, but a fishing pole wasn’t in sight. They weren’t too interested in what I was doing.
Derek1 reply :
The other thing to think about is you know that kid told his dad about you. Because he was glad to see you and he’s excited to go and meet you there again, helping him catch more fish is a big deal to him I would think. If he didn’t tell him the first time I’m sure he did the second time. Now it’s up to his dad to do the right thing and go with the kid to meet you or go with the kid so he can’t meet you. If dad doesn’t have a good reason for not being there I wouldn’t think much of him. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the kid is not allowed to meet you there. It’s kind of a tough situation that really shouldn’t be. Who knows you could end up becoming a great freind/role model for this young man that really shouldn’t be there alone anyway.
Carol Knowles reply :
Man thats the worst... but good on you for taking the time to help them out!!
Glaucus reply :
The kid was a no show yesterday. I'm going to take that as his parents weren't too happy about a stranger hanging around him. Maybe they will all show up together some day.
OCdockskipper reply :
The stranger thing is a catch-22. The parents who would be concerned about a stranger helping their kid are also the same ones who probably wouldnt let him go fishing alone at that age.
My rule with kids is I will teach them what they are willing to hear & I'll give them lures, but always from a distance. No way am I going to be the stranger luring kids into my boat. Bank fishing is different, but the same concept applies.
@WRB Tom, did you join the Indian Guides as a instructor when that whole thing with the priesthood fell apart? ????
Glaucus reply :
On 6/13/2019 at 1:19 AM, OCdockskipper said:The stranger thing is a catch-22. The parents who would be concerned about a stranger helping their kid are also the same ones who probably wouldnt let him go fishing alone at that age.
My rule with kids is I will teach them what they are willing to hear & I'll give them lures, but always from a distance. No way am I going to be the stranger luring kids into my boat. Bank fishing is different, but the same concept applies.
@WRB Tom, did you join the Indian Guides as a instructor when that whole thing with the priesthood fell apart? ????
Man I sure hope everyone is smart enough not to put a random kid in a boat with you without parental consent. A million different ways that can go all wrong.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 8:37 AM, WRB said:Ask the youngster to bring a parent along, you can instruct both!
Be prepared parents may not show up and it's not the kids fault.
My experiences with Indian Guides was shocking how little interaction some parents are willing to give their own kids and willing to let strangers teach the kids.
You are good man, my hat is off to you!
Tom
Couldn't agree more. I witnessed it for the 8 years I coached my son's baseball team. Not many parents wanted to help. In fact, it seemed like they just wanted to drop their kids off so we can watch them for a couple of hours.
WRB reply :
On 6/13/2019 at 1:25 AM, Glaucus said:Man I sure hope everyone is smart enough not to put a random kid in a boat with you without parental consent. A million different ways that can go all wrong.
Kidner Garden to 3rd grade or 6 to 8 year olds are like herding cats. Anyone putting more then 2 kids in a bass boat is looking for trouble. All my Indian Guide fishing instruction was from shore using spinning* with a split shot rig anywhere from 2 kids to 12 kids if a few dads would help.
Tom
* most dads had trout spinning outfits suitable for split shot rigs. I bought smoke 3" reapers w/salt& pepper (silver & black flakes) in 100 count with size 1 octopus hooks work good.
RB 77 reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 7:25 AM, Glaucus said:The kid showed back up this afternoon while I was fishing. He said he was hoping I would be there. Couldn't have missed me being that I spend hours fishing basically every trip.
He had that same bobber and plastic worm rig going on. Bobber, small weight, curled up plastic worm as if it was a real one. No idea how a plastic worm ball ever caught that bass last night. I cut that stuff off and set him up with a 1/0 EWG hook and a 4 inch Senko. With guidance he was able to catch 4 bass and gut hooked only 1. I gave him the needle nose pliers and told him to get to work. Had to help a little bit but he more or less was the one who got it out.
He got the hang of it so I sent him off with a pack of 1/0 EWG hooks and a handful of 4 inch Senkos and Finesse Trick Worms.
Hammered them myself on a black and blue jig with a blue rage craw.
This is awesome!
superkamikazee reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 7:25 AM, Glaucus said:The kid showed back up this afternoon while I was fishing. He said he was hoping I would be there. Couldn't have missed me being that I spend hours fishing basically every trip.
He had that same bobber and plastic worm rig going on. Bobber, small weight, curled up plastic worm as if it was a real one. No idea how a plastic worm ball ever caught that bass last night. I cut that stuff off and set him up with a 1/0 EWG hook and a 4 inch Senko. With guidance he was able to catch 4 bass and gut hooked only 1. I gave him the needle nose pliers and told him to get to work. Had to help a little bit but he more or less was the one who got it out.
He got the hang of it so I sent him off with a pack of 1/0 EWG hooks and a handful of 4 inch Senkos and Finesse Trick Worms.
Hammered them myself on a black and blue jig with a blue rage craw.
You're the real MVP dude.
BassThumb reply :
I'm sure we've all butchered a few fish as youngsters learning to get hooks out. It's part of the learning process.
BadContrakt reply :
Fish are hardy. I think if you cut the line and left the hook in their gut.. More times than not, they'd survive it without too much issue. Maybe even at a higher rate than if the fisherman tugged on it and finaggled the hook out of their gut. Might be more harming than just letting the hook alone in their gut.
If they were so sensitive that they died from gut hooking you'd be seeing a lot more fish belly up on the surface.
I've pulled a few hooks out of fish's anuses before. Just 2 weeks ago I did that, actually. He was a healthy young bass too.
Not sure where I stand on this one.
schplurg reply :
Poachers remove far more fish from some of my local waters than all gut hooks combined - my guess.
Maybe you could ask to meet his parents. That is if you want to continue teaching him.
N Florida Mike reply :
I like teaching kids for the most part. I had some kids from the neighborhood come by and ask if they could fish out back and I let them. They came back several times and caught some fish, I even let them use some of my stuff. Things generally went well with me supervising.
Then one day they came by when I wasn’t home and my daughter let them in AND gave them access to my fishing room!!!???? Thought I raised her better than that! When I got home, they were already gone...
but EVERY bass combo I had, and several of my other outfits were strewn all over the back of my property. All of them in various states of disrepair, backlashes, hooks gone, lines reeled all around the rods. Did I say EVERY ONE OF THEM??!!.My fishing room looked like a tornado had gone through it. Tackle boxes left out and open. Baits all rifled through and mixed up. It took me a long time to get it all straightened out. I’m still not so sure that I found all my combos but think I did! Strangely enough, they never came back. I did get one “ I’m sorry dad “ from my daughter.
My hats???? are off to you sir!!!
KraskiBass reply :
On 7/1/2019 at 6:37 PM, N Florida Mike said:I like teaching kids for the most part. I had some kids from the neighborhood come by and ask if they could fish out back and I let them. They came back several times and caught some fish, I even let them use some of my stuff. Things generally went well with me supervising.
Then one day they came by when I wasn’t home and my daughter let them in AND gave them access to my fishing room!!!???? Thought I raised her better than that! When I got home, they were already gone...
but EVERY bass combo I had, and several of my other outfits were strewn all over the back of my property. All of them in various states of disrepair, backlashes, hooks gone, lines reeled all around the rods. Did I say EVERY ONE OF THEM??!!.My fishing room looked like a tornado had gone through it. Tackle boxes left out and open. Baits all rifled through and mixed up. It took me a long time to get it all straightened out. I’m still not so sure that I found all my combos but think I did! Strangely enough, they never came back. I did get one “ I’m sorry dad “ from my daughter.
My hats???? are off to you sir!!!
WOW! That was something, I bet there was a point when frustration kicked in.
N Florida Mike reply :
On 7/12/2019 at 2:02 AM, KraskiBass said:WOW! That was something, I bet there was a point when frustration kicked in.
Yeah, right when I got home !
I was a lot more upset when we had a bad fish kill though in 2011. I wanted to lay hands on the guy that sprayed to kill the weeds and ended up killing a lot of the fish too !
Fishing Cowgirl reply :
You can check if there are teen angler or high school fishing organizations in the area. I’m involved with one in my area and it does take a ton of patience. But the reward is in teaching them sportsmanship, boating and fishing etiquette, fish care, and participation in fish studies, building fish attractors for the fish and game agency’s. Teaching different techniques then watching them start figuring it out themselves. Or seeing them try new things that you wouldn’t have thought would work but end up winning the tournament. Our club was invited to ICAST tomorrow for Youth Angler Development day. Looking forward to it.
Krux5506 reply :
I always feel bad for kids who are obviously stoked on fishing but they are stuck fishing with parents who are absolutely clueless on how to catch a fish. Sounds like even if this kid's Dad actually cared enough to go with him to the pond, he wouldn't know anything about fishing anyway. Either way it sounds like the bit of mentoring you've done for him so far is commendable, but I agree with you 100% it's best to be cautious of the situation without knowing how his parents feel about it. It's almost like a reversed "stranger danger" situation
Scarborough817 reply :
On 6/10/2019 at 1:30 AM, BassWhole! said:Beginner and casual anglers often mishandle and injure or kill fish, but they on average don't catch as many fish, so it's a wash. Maybe Flair or Jon B can shoot a video....
gut hook challenge i can see it now
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