Good fishing techniques for kids and newbies

[zenmic]

I fish and really enjoy it. Traditionally I start kids on a bobber and hook with live bait (usually worms) in a place I know with lots of sunfish, and they catch until we run out of worms. That usually gets them happy, and plenty of pictures from their parents. However, lately the parents and the older kids want to try their hand at bass fishing with artificial. For most people the first lure they learn on is either a spoon, or a rooster-tail, funny enough I have YET to catch anything fish on a rooster-tail. I got my father-in-law onto fish with dead-sticking a weightless Senko, and now he is an "expert." However, it got me thinking what would be a good newbie technique to start folks on? I have sort of narrowed it down to three: Texas rig, weightless Senko, and Ned rig. This year I personally focused on the Ned rig, and it is really all they say it is. It is an amazing technique and catches just about anything. Of the three two of the techniques are finesse techniques and one could be either finesses or power. I am used to fishing Texas rig (bullet weight) as more of a finesses technique so I will more or less show all three as finesses techniques. Two of the methods are for the most part snag-less as there are no exposed hooks, and one uses an exposed light-wire hook so you can technically work your way out of snags.

What does the wisdom of the crowd say on what would be a good method to get newbies started? Are any one of the three I think worth it, is there a better one?

My 8-year son, he could catch with a Ned and with a Senko, but quickly looses interest and I have to tell him to SLOW down. My last outing I rigged up a Ned for him, and have him throw the bait out, on my ultralight spinning rod, and listening to me, he felt the bit, and I told him to watch the line, and then SET. He got a little 1/2 pounder, but it was more or less all by himself.

[Junglepeanut]

For bass I teach my kids with a drop shot. Simple fishing with a high catch rate but makes you actually fish and feel the bite.

[Falcon16]

I've had good luck with mister twister curly tail rigged on a 3/8oz jig head

[zenmic]

This is more or less what I learned on. However back then it was the old split-tail plastic grubs. I think Crappie/Trout Magnet got the patient and rights to that design now.

[Falcon16]

Mister Twister makes split tail grubs now as does trout magnet they are just smaller.

[Loophole]

The way I learned to slow down my fishing with my old man was with top water poppers for bass! Have to do it right around sunset but it really forces the kiddos to wait for the lure to settle and is visually very appealing as well! I am going to doing the same thing with my son when he gets a bit older! Then once the little dudes get that down I translate into wacky style senkos fished in the same rhythm as a popper! Best of luck.

[zenmic]

Poppers are an idea, but we usually can only schedule for the afternoons, so timing is right out. Do you feel that drop-shot has a higher catch rate then say Ned or Senko? I mean, yes you can use either Ned plastic or Senko plastics in a Drop-shot rig, but I would think the snag chance and the ease of loosing your plastic is really high when you put it in a kids hand to throw around; especially when you have to nose hook the plastic when drop-shotting. I did peruse a few other site, and ran across the split-shot rig, which seems like a possibility. It as far as I can tell it seems to be an EXTREMELY simplified Carolina rig. A 1/8 oz split shot about 10" up a line, and a size 1 straight shank hook. Hook the plastic worm, weedless, and they the kids lob it into the water. Have then do a slow retrieve, with the occasional pause for a few seconds.

[maggot]

Beetle Spins. Will get strikes from sunfish, but will snag some small bass as well. Setting them up with the hook facing the blade makes them mostly weedless too.

[Loophole]

I tend to do weightless wacky senko or a Texas setup with bullet weight in front (these are great because you can still get some decent action without fishing as slow as a wacky senko). Plus if they lose your setup you won't be too bothered about it and this works pretty well in the weeds and is easier to cast. Have you tried using frogs? Could get price if you lose a few but I really really think it helps for kiddos to understand what is happening when they pull that bait in! The Texas setup is the only thing I would run with weights personally.

[JeepDVLZ45]

I take my kids out to catch bluegills or pumpkin seeds with “Berkeley Gulp! Maggots” some split shot and a bobber. They have a blast, much cleaner/easier then live bait and a very high catch rate.

I moved my oldest to white 4” power grubs for bass and set them up as weedless as I can. Doesn’t catch as many fish but still does well.

EDIT:
My wife’s uncle got me to slow down by fishing with a white mouse (very specific on color….I’ve never caught on anything but a white one) braided line and cast on to/next to lilly pads and wait….count to 15 slowly, give it a quick pop and repeat. Not the greatest catch rate, but you’ll catch good sized bass with it. It’s a good show watching the water explode from the lillypads.

[maggot]

with “Berkeley Gulp! Maggots” some split shot and a bobber.

Not cool. Not cool at all.

[zenmic]

When I refer to the live bait rig (bobber, splitshot, hook) and live bait, I have used Berkley Gulp maggots in the liquid for the kids. I use live worms because they are a MUCH more effective bait, especially in a section full of sunfish, and keeps the kids' attention span. I usually keep a jar of that stuff, just in case. My son's first fish in my kayak was with a bobber and gulp maggot on the hook.

Keep the ideas coming.