Go Fishing!
Tips & Advice For Kids

Summer is the perfect time to grab a rod, a reel and some bait and toss a fishing line into the water. Here are some tips for the ultimate summer fishing trip.

Fishing Tip #1- Stay Cheap
All you need is a cheap rod and reel, some fishing line, some plastic bobbers, hooks and a tackle box. You (or your parents) can probably get all this at a hardware or discount store for less than $40 US.

Fishing Tip #2- Catch Your Own Bait
You can buy minnows or night crawlers at any bait shop but it's way cooler to catch your own. You may have thought about sticking your younger sister on the end of a fish hook - but you'll get in less trouble, and catch more fish, by digging up worms or crickets yourself.

Fishing Tip #3 - Be Ready
Get your fishing gear and bait together the night before so you're ready to go the next morning. Practice your casts the day before. Use an open area where there are no trees or powerlines and aim for a target about 25 feet in front of you.

Fishing Tip #4 - Location
Ponds are your best bet if you don't live near the ocean. Most ponds are loaded with some kind of fish. Even if they're not worth eating, they're still fun to catch. Lakes and rivers, especially the mouth of a river, are also fishing hot spots. Rivers act as the spawning grounds for many fish, so this can be perfect area to cast your line. Many fishermen don't like to share info on their favorite fishing holes but if you talk to someone at a local outdoors store, they may give you some tips on the best lakes and rivers in your area to check out. If you live near the coast, try fishing from large rocks or off a pier. Fish like covered areas, so try casting around heavy weeds, rocks or logs. Also, if fishing on rocks, be aware of the tide schedule. You don't wanna get stuck out on a rock in the middle of high tide and have to have a lifeguard rescue you - you'll look like a pansy.

Fishing Tip #5 - Be Patient
You may go hours without even getting a bite and you could go home without catching anything. Don't worry. You can always make up a story about how you caught a really big fish and decided to throw it back.

Fishing Tip #6 - Don't Get Eaten
Watch where you step and wear a life jacketif you're going near really deep water. Bring along mosquito repellent, sunscreen and a first aid kit. If a big fish with giant teeth jumps out of the water and tries to attack you - run away and scream.

Fishing Tip #7 - Bring a Friend
Fishing is way more fun when you do it with someone else. Always go with a buddy. They can help you out if you're just learning to fish and can help carry your catch home.

Fishing Tip #8 - Know the Rules
Many parts of the world require you to have a licence to fish in certain areas. If you don't have a licence you could face a fine and lose your fish.

Fishing News

Nineteen year-old signs up as Bassmaster Elite Series pro

Bradley Roy of Lancaster , KY, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Nov. 2, signed up Monday for the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series, becoming the youngest angler at the sport's highest level of pro competition.

"I know I'm young, but this has been my lifelong dream," he said. "This is what I want to do as a career, so this is a great opportunity, a jump start on my career."

Before Roy , the youngest Elite rookie had been Texas ' Corey Waldrop, who turned 20 early in the 2008 Elite season. Others included Luke Gritter of Kalamazoo , MI, who was 22 when he competed in the 2009 season, and Elite pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., who at 23 was the youngest on the 2007 Elite roster.

Roy was still 18 when he qualified Oct. 24 for the Elite Series by finishing fifth in points in the 2009 Bassmaster Southern Open trail. Only the top seven qualified.

Of the hundreds of 2009 Bassmaster Open anglers, only 21 earned invitations for the 2010 Elite season (seven from each of three Open divisions). Some anglers try for years to be among those who move up, but Roy advanced after his first Open season.

But Roy has been something of a wunderkind in BASS competitions. At age 13, he was the 2004 Bassmaster Junior World champion in the 11-14 age group. At age 17, he outperformed many other Kentuckians to earn the right to be the sole representative of his state in the 2008 BASS Federation Nation Championship.

Fishing Records
* The heaviest fish ever caught was an ocean sunfish weighing 4,928 pounds (2,230 kg).

* The biggest fish ever caught using a fishing line was the 2,686 pound (1,221 kg) Great White Shark which was caught off the Australian Coast.

* Located in the Panhandle Plains Region, O.H. Ivie Lake covers some 19,000 acres and is home to some of the bigger bass in our country. It's also the favorite fishing spot of 11-year-old Andy Ortega, holder of the Texas State Catch and Release Record Largemouth Bass (length) — youth and adult.

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