Fishing with kids, pt 1

I'm chomping at the bit to get out to Douthat, but I think I'll have to wait until B&C get back--got some work that needs my attention, and I can't justify taking two and a half hours out to drive out there and probably end up fishing for about an hour. So, to pacify my urge, I'm going to write up the first of many thoughts on this topic.

I've had kind of a learning curve on this myself, so I wanted to pull together and distill my experience over the past few years with getting my kids started on fishing.

First principle of fishing, and of teaching kids to fish: you must be fishing where there are fish. No amount of the right bait, tackle, technique, or lucky turban will make up for an absence of live scaled swimmers in the water.

Kid specific subpoint a. For first trips, there should be a lot of easy to catch fish. I had four blanked trips w/ B before we got it together. He lasted around 7-12 minutes each time, had no fun, was very frustrated, and didn't want to try again for a while between. I think I might have had 1-2 more shots at it when we went out to the pier on Emerald Isle and laid waste to the pinfish. He was really excited to catch dozens of those little guys, and to do it again the next day, and then he was, um, hooked, especially when we laid into something a little bigger.
Looking back now I realize that C & I also went exclusively on high-productivity trips when she was starting.

subpoint a. little 1. got to be ready to spend some money on this to make it happen.
subpoint a. little 2. sunscreen.
subpoint a. little 3. water and snacks. Early on the kid will ask for this him/herself. If you're doing well, you'll have to start remembering for 'em. Also, I'll fish 5 hours without eating, drinking, or peeing, and your kid will too--but s/he will be all tore up at the end, and need you to fix it. Prepare and prevent.
subpoint a. little 4. be ready for a trip of any duration--don't insist on staying longer than your kid wants, and don't lock into a 12 hour trip on day one, but also be ready to put in 3-4 hours if it's going well. From my own experience as a 7yo, nothing sucks worse than having to go home when they're finally biting--and that taints fishing as a crummy time.

Lots more to say here, but another time--gotta keep y'all coming back somehow.