Fishing for beginners - Boat trips

Actually Catching Something.
Advice for Parents of Young Anglers

Fish Suppers for Sailors
A guide to fishing for yachtsmen.

I'm looking for a good boat. I've not done much boat fishing so I'm looking for a friendly skipper who will have the time to help and who can provide the tackle. I would also be interested to know if my 8 year old son could fish as well.

8 is very young to be stuck on a boat all day if anything is less than ideal. Has he been to sea before? The skipper won't return for one seasick person unless he's really bad as the other paying customers may complain and want a refund.

The best way to to seek out a skipper in a strange port is to contact the harbour office. They will have a contact list.

I suggest you try and put together a group of shool chums AND THEIR DADS — make sure you have one adult per child at that age — and book the whole boat between you. Make sure the skipper knows what you're up to well in advance and ask him to plan a half-day trip where catching something, anything, is as near certain as it ever is and accept that in consequence you probably won't get many bigger fish. Ask the skipper to include some sight-seeing in the run out or back. Ask him to arrange the hire of suitable tackle.

Then make a whole day centred around the trip but with something to do before and after so that any queasiness from travel or boat has time to settle before the next part of the day.

You might like to hire a minibus and travel together.

Something like: