Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine

Five-year-old Brett Holden ll with a Costa Rica ‘toadfish’ on board his father’s 52′ Viking, the Booby Trap.

By Capt. Brett Holden | Booby Trap Fishing Team

It’s not all fun and games. Brett Holden II earns his way as part of the crew by learning good boat maintenance and cleaning.

Start them young, teach them right. Never force your youngsters to fish and keep it entertaining. Give them fast action and fun but don’t push them to the extreme if they are bored. Forcing the kids to fish at young ages can push them away from the sport. Let it come naturally; make it so they ask to go fishing. I would actually leave my boy at the dock or home until he begged me to go. It really ate at me too, but I did that on purpose. At first, he was okay staying home but now he eats it up every chance he gets. It is still very hard to say no to the long trips, because he can’t be missing school.

I teased him into loving fishing and hunting, rather than forcing him into it. Less video games and more fishing, spooling reels, driving the boat and cleaning with the crew. He is earning his way as part of the team.