Spin (bait) fishing is simple and inexpensive recreation, making it a high-reward, low-barrier activity for the whole family, including anyone with limited mobility or neuro-diverse or sensory needs. Time spent at a lake as well as repetitive, predictable fishing tasks are calming.

Basic gear and lake access is all that’s needed. Here are three ideas for your family to get started with this lifetime sport.

How to Get Started

1. Learn the Basics

Casting from the bank or a dock is easier than wrangling kids into a boat. Fundamental skills include learning how to cast a spinning-reel rod, set the drag, and set the hook. (Fly fishing requires different gear and skills, so it’s best to take a class and do lots of casting practice before heading to a lake or river.)

Recommended resources: Idaho Fish & Game “Learn To Fish”; Trout Unlimited; and The International Game Fish Association (free online course for youth/beginners).

2. Visit a Family-Friendly, Fish-Stocked Lake

In Spokane County, good choices include Fish Lake, West Medical Lake, and Lake Spokane. In north Idaho, visit Round or Cocolalla Lakes. (Find more recommendations in the OTO story archives.)

Check online for your region’s fish and game schedule for stocking local lakes with hatchery-raised fish. Thousands of rainbow trout are stocked in lakes every spring and summer in Washington and Idaho.

Fishing with Kids: Chatcolet Lake – dock at Hawley’s Landing in Heyburn State Park, near Plummer, Idaho (left). // Photo: Amy McCaffree; Fishing derby at Klink’s Resort on Williams Lake, near Cheney, WA (right). // Photo courtesy Klink’s Resort.

3. Attend a Youth Fishing Event

Idaho Department of Fish and Game has a traveling “Take Me Fishing” Trailer that visits various lakes throughout spring and summer. All equipment, bait, and instruction is provided, and no fishing license is required while the trailer is on-site. Upcoming visits at Panhandle locations during May and June include Post Falls Park Pond, Hauser Lake, Round Lake, Cocolalla Lake, and Rose Lake. More information at Idfg.idaho.gov/fish/trailers.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also hosts fishing events for kids including an annual event in May at Clear Lake, 16 miles west of Spokane. The registration fee includes a rod and reel for kids to take home too and a t-shirt.

Gear & Events

Where to Buy Fishing Supplies

Support locally-owned Inland Northwest businesses that sell fishing supplies, including The General Store in Spokane, General Store Outpost (Spokane Valley), and Silver Bow Fly Shop and Swede’s Fly Shop (all in Spokane); North 40 Outfitters (multiple locations); and Orvis Northwest Outfitters and Fins & Feathers Tackle Shop (both in Coeur d’Alene).

Free Fishing Days

In most states, children under age 14-15 don’t need a fishing license. For Washington State, those age 15 and older must purchase a fishing license, and younger children can fish regardless of if a parent has a state license. Idaho, meanwhile, requires a non-resident parent to buy a state license in order for a non-resident child, age 13 and younger, to fish. (Idaho requires fishing licenses for ages 14 and older.)

Take advantage of free fishing days, when all ages can fish without purchasing a license. Here are the dates for 2022:

• Montana: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day holiday weekends (May 7-8 and June 18-19).
• Oregon: First weekend in June (June 4–5).
• Idaho: Second Saturday in June (June 11).
• Washington: Free fishing weekend, always the second full weekend in June (June 11-12)—also a Discover Pass fee-free day, including DNR boat launches.

Find events for other states at Takemefishing.org.

More Tips for Fishing with Kids

Wear life jackets. It’s best practice for children to wear a correct-fitting life jacket for dock fishing, even if not planning to get on a boat or other watercraft. Northwest waters are chilly even on hot summer days.Life jacket laws vary by state. In Idaho, children age 14 and younger are required to wear one at all times while on a watercraft. In Washington state, the age requirement is 12 and younger. Many recreation areas have a life jacket loaner station, including popular lakes in north Idaho and eastern Washington.

Practice environmental stewardship. Teach kids how (and why) to minimize their impact on aquatic habitat and the plants and animals that live there.

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WDFW biologist Randy Osborn is passionate about the idea of taking kids fishing because it gets them off media devices and exposes families to the fun aspects of fishing and the outdoors. Teaching kids to fish can lead to a lifelong passion and a broader community of people who share their hobby, he says. Furthermore, the sport provides practical experience and inspires early appreciation of the outdoors. One day, these kids will address our environmental issues, with some even becoming professional fisheries biologists who manage our resources.

These five Inland Northwest family-friendly destinations for bank fishing (no boat required), are Osborn’s top picks: 

• Badger Lake: South of Cheney, Wash., this WDFW access site is along the same shore as the public boat ramp.
• Fish Lake: Southwest of Spokane, access is along the east shoreline and the Columbia Plateau Trail that continues just outside the county park.
• Lake Spokane: Several turnouts downstream of Tum Tum on Highway 291.
• West Medical Lake: West of Spokane, the WDFW access site is along the western shoreline.
• Pacific Lake(Lincoln County): A day-long excursion that’s worth the drive.

For more details and driving directions, visit Wdfw.wa.gov. 

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Now 37 years old and father of two sons, ages 7 and 4, he says, “My biggest tool for teaching my kids is exposure to the sport…and keeping it as fun as possible.” Most important, he advises, is allowing a child to learn at his or her own pace. “I’m trying my best to not force my hobbies on my children, but encourage them where I can to foster the ‘fun’ element,” he says. “That means not having to just fly fish, but to fish traditional gear at the lake and focus on a fishery that provides a ton of opportunity—anywhere there’s panfish, like perch and bluegills.” For general trout fishing season, Mills recommends Fishtrap, West Medical, and Williams Lakes. “Local lakes that are heavily stocked are often good bets to get a lot of action,” he says.

As for technical fly fishing instruction, Mills advises starting with “the basics of the cast.” For young children, Mills recommends using the Echo “Gecko” rod, made by a Portland-based company. He’s been using it with his sons. “It casts a normal fly line, but all the add-ons are made for smaller hands and physique,” he says. Echo’s Micro Practice Rod is another teaching tool he recommends. Kids can “easily practice in the house, park, or backyard and get exactly the same feeling as casting a real rod,” Mills says. “From a teaching perspective, it’s always going to be easier to try and cast a dry fly as opposed to a weighted nymph or streamer.” He suggests putting targets on the grass to increase the fun. For online help, Orvis provides instructional videos that focus on teaching children at howtoflyfish.orvis.com.

On the water, he teaches his kids “how to read the water, where fish live, and what to do when a fish hits,” Mills says. When fly fishing with his sons, for now, he typically does the casting but lets them “fight the fish when the take happens.” Perch, bluegill, bass, and similar species, according to Mills, provide good experiential-learning opportunities. “They are super aggressive and are more willing to hit a lot,” he says.

After a successful catch, “it’s about teaching respect for the fish,” says Mills. For catch-and-release, children need to be shown “how to safely handle the fish, revive it, and let it go.” For keeper fish, Mills teaches his sons how to quickly and humanely “put it down.”

Mills doesn’t want to overwhelm his young sons. “There’s more to it than just the fishing part. It’s a lot of fun to just turn over rocks and look at the bugs, and connect the relation between those bugs and the flies we’re using. Also, my sons can row our raft when it’s safe on the river. Keeping the trip well stocked in cookies and candy always helps!” As for his kids gaining proficiency in the sport, Mills is not concerned. “Casting a fly rod will come with age,” he says.  //

Spokane Kids Fishing Day (May 4): The 4th annual Spokane Kid’s Fishing Day at Clear Lake (west of Spokane near Cheney) is sponsored by the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Neis Family Memorial, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Each participant gets to fish with help from seasoned anglers and take home a t-shirt and a rod and reel, included in the $10 per child cost (free for all current and former Ronald McDonald House kids and their families). Wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/youth.html

Klink’s Annual Fishing Derby (May 20): Klink’s Resort on Williams Lake south of Cheney, Wash. hosts this annual fishing contest with prizes going to the three biggest fish caught in adult and children’s divisions. Entry into the derby is $10 per person, and Klinks is a family-friendly resort with a restaurant, RV hookups, boat rentals, and fishing equipment and supplies for sale. All proceeds benefit Shriner’s Hospital for Children. Klinksresort.com

National Fishing and Boating Week (June 2-10): State fish and wildlife departments offer no-license Free Fishing Days for one or more days each year. In Idaho, it’s June 9 (always the second Saturday in June); in Washington, it’s that entire weekend, June 9-10; and in Montana, free fishing is during Father’s Day weekend, June 16-17. Check each state’s website for complete details. National Marina Day is also June 9 and a good time to explore a new lake or river. //

Amy S. McCaffree is special section editor and compiled the Family Outdoors & Summer Activity Guide for the April issue. She enjoys camping and hanging out along the river while her husband teaches their two children about fly fishing and catch-and-release.

Feature photo: Fly fishing lessons on the river with dad and grandpa. // Courtesy of Josh Mills

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I made sure I was partnered with Tim, one of the most difficult children from his home who is often outdone by his peers in gaining the affection of others. From my years working with troubled teens, I knew that the prickliest children are often the ones who need the most attention. I lead Tim to the edge of the river and asked, “Are you ready?” Tim replied, “We’re actually going to cross the river?” I signaled for him to grab my arm and after a long pause, his hand clenched my arm, and we maneuvered our way through the water. I noticed a mayfly hatch emerging, so I had Tim match the hatch with flies in his box, and I helped him tie one on.

Tim cast four times and let his fly float naturally through a promising pool. A fish immediately hit the fly. He set the hook, and I netted it for him. Then, instead of exuberantly jumping around like most kids, Tim took the net, kneeled in the water with the fish, and watched it swim around for a moment, appearing as though he was having a deep conversation and no one else in the world existed. Then he gently picked the fish up and released it quietly, without instruction, and continued to sit there reflectively.

Maybe it wasn’t as profound of a moment for Tim as it was for me, but his reaction to catching this fish caused tears to gather in my eyes. The symbolism of letting a wild fish go back into the world, to escape the harrows of the net encasing it, reminded me of the net of the foster care system, and how important it is for kids like Tim to see the world beyond the net. Even if he wasn’t thinking about his own situation, Tim was able to engage with a wild animal and had an interaction with nature that ultimately made him feel good about himself. This is what The Mayfly Project is all about.

Tim had an amazing day on the water, and actually out-fished all of the other boys, which was secretly my number one goal. I’m thankful for everyone involved in making The Mayfly Project take flight across the U.S., and I’m humbled to be able to spend time with such cool kids.

About The Mayfly Project

The Mayfly Project is a non-profit organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor children in foster care. TMP’s mission is to build relationships with children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity to have fun, feel supported, and develop a connection with the outdoors. TMP currently has eight mentors and is planning two projects this summer here in the Inland Northwest. To find out how you can donate gear or get involved, visit Themayflyproject.com or email kaitlin@themayflyproject.com. // (Kaitlin Barnhart)

This is Kaitlin Barnhart’s first contribution to Out There Monthly

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