Fishing for a first-timer? Any tips?

My 8 year old son wants to go fishing next week when we're in Sacramento on
vacation. I haven't been fishing since I was a kid, so I was wondering if
anyone has any advice. We'll be near Folsom Lake:

http://www.fishsniffer.com/maps/folsom.gif

I'd really, really like for him to catch something. Obviously, we'll have
to be standing on the shore somewhere.

Does anyone have any advice for what I should do? Any particular kind of
bait?

Thanks in advance.

MC

Looking at the web site you referenced it looks like pan fish may be hard to
catch on Folsom. You might want to hunt around for a smaller body of water
or fish the creeks or rivers that are in the area. Large lakes can be
discouraging to find fish on. If you do decide to fish Folsom from the
shoreline there are several fish you can catch from the shoreline - trout,
bluegill and two types of bass. Pieces of night crawler will work for bass,
crawler or whole wax worms work best for trout and panfish. Use a small
hook (about 6) with a split shot about 6-12 inches above the hook and a
bobber. Fish around some type of structure - a dock, sunken tree, brush in
the water etc. Depth will depend on what your fishing around, the clarity
of the water and the temperature. Move the bobber up and down until you
start getting the most strikes. It's generally a little better to fish
shallower than deeper - fish will tend to rise to a bait easiser than
descend - so start shallow and move deeper if nothing bites. Take plenty
of hooks and a pair of needle nose pliers with you to get out deeply
embedded hooks. One recommendation I have is to use slip bobbers - they
make casting for kids much easier. They are a tad more expensive than
regular bobbers and you need a bobber stop. The bobber stop is nothing
more than a coil of thread that you slip over the line and pull tight - then
you thread a bobber on the line - all before you tie the hook on. To adjust
depth you just slide the stop up and down the line.


"Marty Christion" wrote in message
...
My 8 year old son wants to go fishing next week when we're in Sacramento
on vacation. I haven't been fishing since I was a kid, so I was wondering
if anyone has any advice. We'll be near Folsom Lake:

http://www.fishsniffer.com/maps/folsom.gif

I'd really, really like for him to catch something. Obviously, we'll have
to be standing on the shore somewhere.

Does anyone have any advice for what I should do? Any particular kind of
bait?

Thanks in advance.

MC

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 10:11:13 -0800, "Marty Christion"
wrote:

My 8 year old son wants to go fishing next week when we're in Sacramento on
vacation. I haven't been fishing since I was a kid, so I was wondering if
anyone has any advice. We'll be near Folsom Lake:

http://www.fishsniffer.com/maps/folsom.gif

I'd really, really like for him to catch something. Obviously, we'll have
to be standing on the shore somewhere.

Does anyone have any advice for what I should do? Any particular kind of
bait?

I do advise that whatever you do or use, that you crimp down the barbs
on all the hooks. It saves a lot of pain and tears.


Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

"Cyli" wrote in message
...
It saves a lot of pain and tears.



I agree with that statement for someone like me who C&R (Unless I am
Catfishing). But who are we talking about? The fish?

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 02:52:17 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Cyli" wrote in message
.. .
It saves a lot of pain and tears.



I agree with that statement for someone like me who C&R (Unless I am
Catfishing). But who are we talking about? The fish?

It is nice for the fish for us to do it, which was where I originally
got the advice, but I've found that it's even nicer for the fisherman
to be able to do a quick and easy release when he happens to hook his
own body. Very little pain versus possible trip to the Urgent Care
center or an ugly rip in his own tissue. (His used in the traditional
modern (but not ultramodern) sense of 'the person' whether male or
female.)

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

"Cyli" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 02:52:17 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Cyli" wrote in message
.. .
It saves a lot of pain and tears.



I agree with that statement for someone like me who C&R (Unless I am
Catfishing). But who are we talking about? The fish?

It is nice for the fish for us to do it, which was where I originally
got the advice, but I've found that it's even nicer for the fisherman
to be able to do a quick and easy release when he happens to hook his
own body. Very little pain versus possible trip to the Urgent Care
center or an ugly rip in his own tissue. (His used in the traditional
modern (but not ultramodern) sense of 'the person' whether male or
female.)

My hook story. 30 years ago, 3 of us fishing from my uncles pier for
catfish. One kid had a treble hook, triple barbed, large one. He slung back
to cast as I was turning around to say something. Hook in mouth, one hook
through my tongue (the easy one to get out), one through the cheek and one
in the roof of my mouth.

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 04:28:38 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:


My hook story. 30 years ago, 3 of us fishing from my uncles pier for
catfish. One kid had a treble hook, triple barbed, large one. He slung back
to cast as I was turning around to say something. Hook in mouth, one hook
through my tongue (the easy one to get out), one through the cheek and one
in the roof of my mouth.

I won't even bother with my story after that. Eeesh. Unpleasant.

But it's a good reason to mash down barbs.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

"Jeff" wrote in message
...

"Cyli" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 02:52:17 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Cyli" wrote in message
.. .
It saves a lot of pain and tears.



I agree with that statement for someone like me who C&R (Unless I am
Catfishing). But who are we talking about? The fish?

It is nice for the fish for us to do it, which was where I originally
got the advice, but I've found that it's even nicer for the fisherman
to be able to do a quick and easy release when he happens to hook his
own body. Very little pain versus possible trip to the Urgent Care
center or an ugly rip in his own tissue. (His used in the traditional
modern (but not ultramodern) sense of 'the person' whether male or
female.)

My hook story. 30 years ago, 3 of us fishing from my uncles pier for
catfish. One kid had a treble hook, triple barbed, large one. He slung
back
to cast as I was turning around to say something. Hook in mouth, one hook
through my tongue (the easy one to get out), one through the cheek and one
in the roof of my mouth.



Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine how bad that must have hurt to get out. I
have not had anything like that happen before, just a prick with the end of
the hook and that is it. My husband growls when I'm not careful with the
hook at all times, I've come too close to him for his comfort before. ;-)

"Stinkweed" wrote in message
...


My hook story. 30 years ago, 3 of us fishing from my uncles pier for
catfish. One kid had a treble hook, triple barbed, large one. He slung
back
to cast as I was turning around to say something. Hook in mouth, one
hook
through my tongue (the easy one to get out), one through the cheek and
one
in the roof of my mouth.



Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine how bad that must have hurt to get out.
I
have not had anything like that happen before, just a prick with the end
of
the hook and that is it. My husband growls when I'm not careful with the
hook at all times, I've come too close to him for his comfort before. ;-)



Actually it didnt really hurt all that bad. I was more scared than anything
and took off running (It felt like it had gone through my eye, but it didnt)
and I dragged the fishing rod behind me for 1/4 mile. Cut the line and my
uncle wanted to get them out with his Tackle Box Hook Removal Kit, I wouldnt
allow it. It took a doctor one needle of pain killer, a pair of snips and
about 2 minutes and they were out with just some small holes. I was back
fishing the next day.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...

"Stinkweed" wrote in message
...


My hook story. 30 years ago, 3 of us fishing from my uncles pier for
catfish. One kid had a treble hook, triple barbed, large one. He slung
back
to cast as I was turning around to say something. Hook in mouth, one
hook
through my tongue (the easy one to get out), one through the cheek and
one
in the roof of my mouth.



Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine how bad that must have hurt to get out.
I
have not had anything like that happen before, just a prick with the end
of
the hook and that is it. My husband growls when I'm not careful with the
hook at all times, I've come too close to him for his comfort before.
;-)



Actually it didnt really hurt all that bad. I was more scared than
anything
and took off running (It felt like it had gone through my eye, but it
didnt)
and I dragged the fishing rod behind me for 1/4 mile. Cut the line and my
uncle wanted to get them out with his Tackle Box Hook Removal Kit, I
wouldnt
allow it. It took a doctor one needle of pain killer, a pair of snips and
about 2 minutes and they were out with just some small holes. I was back
fishing the next day.



I thought about that later and I figured it must have involved a shot to
numb the area to get it out, but still the idea of it makes me cringe. No
way would I have let anyone remove it with a tackle remover either. But I
think I would have cut the line before I would have drug the pole behind me.
How old were you? I'm sure a tetanus shot too. I have been places where
there are dozens of people lined up along a bridge or dock fishing and it
just seems so dangerous with the tackle.