Captain Jacob Frick of J & J Inshore Charters fishes out of the Ocean Isle Beach in Brunswick County and is one of the many fishing guides who will help their customers introduce children to the sport. I asked him about his experience and advice regarding taking kids fishing.
Weeks: You are known locally as a guide who is very good with kids when families want to take them along on charters. What tricks/tactics do you know to introduce kids to inshore fishing and help keep them interest throughout the day?
Capt. Frick: I make the trip all about the kids. I have two boys of my own, the oldest is 4 now and we have fished several times together. Each child's attention span is different. The trick is to keep them involved and busy by giving them little jobs to do. Catching fish always helps, no matter what size or type, catch something! Having live bait in the live well can entertain some kids for hours. Let them explore, ask questions, and most important, let them play! Don't get upset if they kill all your bait. As long as they are having fun, that is all that matters.
Weeks: Why do you think introducing children to our sport is important?
Capt. Frick: Our children are the future of the sport. There is no experience like the great outdoors. They need to understand video games do no justice for what really awaits them in the outdoors. More importantly keeping our children active will help encourage a healthy lifestyle. Who knows…maybe in an extreme situation it could save their life one day. Chinese proverb…Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.
Weeks: If inshore fishermen are looking to start off their kids in fishing what sort of tackle do you recommend?
Capt. Frick: A small spinning outfit will be sufficient for light saltwater fishing. You can't go wrong with an Ugly Stik rod 5'6" medium action paired with any 2500 size reel. Rig this outfit with 8 to 10 pound test line and use a Carolina rig with a small hook. Depending on each kids skill level they will need your help. That is the point though, spending quality time with your children. Nothing brings Grandpas, Dads, Moms, and kids together like fishing. Everyone seems to have that first memory of fishing with grandpa or daddy. Remember you are the most important person in your child's life. Get out and teach them something they will never forget!
Weeks: What are good fish to target for children?
Capt. Frick: The ones that bite! Pinfish seem to eat all the time and are very easy to target. Again, a small outfit with a Carolina rig baited with fresh cut shrimp will usually get the fish biting. Croaker, spots, black drum, red drum, speckled trout, flounder …they all eat shrimp and may bite at any time. Most important for kids is action, no matter what kind of fish, get excited about it, because they are.
Weeks: Did you start fishing at an early age? Who introduced you to the sport?
Capt. Frick: I started very young. In fact, I barely can remember my first fishing pole. Dad and I hiked in the woods to a stand of bamboo. We cut down a long slender piece for my first cane pole. My grandpa owned multiple ponds that we would fish in for bream, crappie, and bass. I grew from there, 202 Zebco, 404 Zebco, 33 Zebco, Stringray spinning outfits. Now I own some serious equipment!
I have two boys, Jake 4 years old and Jasper 4 months old. I have taken Jake several times and slayed the pinfish. He has also caught flounder and red drum. Again, just having them along and keeping them involved means everything to them. I took Jake and he couldn't have cared less to reel in a fish. He wanted to use the net! Luckily, the speckled trout bite was on fire and he netted several for me that day. He loved it. Again, let them play and be part of the experience in their own way. The rest will come in time.
Weeks: What challenges do you see that lie ahead for our sport that will face young anglers as they get older?
Capt. Frick: Conservation efforts are in place, but it's important that we continue to improve our efforts to insure great fishing for our youngsters in the future. Access to fishing…our beaches continue to develop and become private property. Many of us can remember our first experience was not from a boat, but from the bank. Making sure we leave public access for future anglers will be important. Thanks to the late Mr. Odell Williamson, he set aside public access areas every quarter of a mile here on Ocean Isle Beach. The city of Ocean Isle has continued to follow in his footsteps by building a public fishing pier and park at the East end of the island. These are the very things that will keep our youngsters fishing and future generations to come.
Weeks: Besides simply how to fish what other things is it important to teach youngsters when we take them fishing.
Capt. Frick: Teach them to enjoy God's gifts to us and take care of them. The great outdoors offers a wealth of knowledge to share with our kids. Kids usually ask some of the craziest questions. Don't ever under estimate what kids can learn and remember. My wife, Mandy, teaches 5th grade and you would be surprised how many students, who live at the beach, do not know how the tides work.
I will admit learning about them from a book can be pretty boring. How about spending a day on the water and as it happens explain it to them? Catch a few fish and explain how the tide had something to do with it. They will never forget it! So…where does the Sun sleep? I miss being so naïve and not taking things so seriously sometimes.
Get out on the water and let your kids teach you how to be free again. I think that is the biggest reason I enjoy fishing with kids so much. They know how to have fun regardless and they aren't thinking about anything else but that moment. As adults we lose that ability to be free from the hustle and bustle of the world.
