4th graders without fish knowledge

[Weed Shark]

I live in Plymouth, Minnesota. My fourth grade son mentioned bullheads during his classrooms "morning meeting." The teacher asked him to bring one in because no one knew what they were. He caught a small bullhead in the stream out back and brought it to school this morning in a jar. I was there and saw a hand count of, "How many kids never heard of bullheads?" I was amazed that 75-90 percent raised there hand. If they fished once, seems they'd know what one was. I feel sorry for kids these days.

We are on a slippery slope and its not from fish slime...but the ooze of the city.

[nofishfisherman]

Parents need to get their kids out fishing more often, and if not the parents maybe a grandparent or an uncle.

My kids fisrt word is going to be "walleye", or maybe "I got one"

[SWMuskeye]

I'm with you folks, its just another reason to support the MN DNR FIN (Fishing in the Neighborhood) and MinnAqua programs.

Look them up and volunteer for a day, its a blast!!

[BoxMN]

I do my part. Bringing my Grandsons (4 and 9) and nephew (8) on opener. They all have their tackle boxes and polarized sunglasses, and the oldest can tell the difference between a smallie and LMB by how it fights I am proud

Granddaughters love fishing too, but still a bit too young (or wild, actually) for me to handle them alone, ha!

Lots of kids and friends learn about bullheads and sunnies and pike, etc. from our dock in the summer.

It is too bad that not more know that that stuff, but I can say this, on our little lake there are tons of kids around fishing from docks. But I guess not every kid has access to a cabin. I did as a kid, both sets of grandparents had cabins, and that was the best thing that ever happened for me. Now I am trying to do the same.

[Muskycrazy]

My now 4th grade daughter caught her first Musky last year . She also caught a 20-21" Smallie . She can tell you what a Walleye is as well as a Bucktail , Topraider , etc , etc. , but she can't tell you what a bullhead is because she has never seen one .

[mnfishman]

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My now 4th grade daughter caught her first Musky last year . She also caught a 20-21" Smallie . She can tell you what a Walleye is as well as a Bucktail , Topraider , etc , etc. , but she can't tell you what a bullhead is because she has never seen one .

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Exactly what I was thinking. My 8 and 11 yr old boys know what the different Pan Fish are, what a Walleye looks like, can tell the difference between a Musky and Northern but if I show them a Bull Head they would probably call it a CatFish only because of the whiskers. They have never caught a bull head so they don't know what one is.

[LBSPORTSMEN]

They are never too young to fish! My daughter caught her first fish 1 month before she turned 2. It was a small crappie. When my son was born (march 2006) his fist gift was not a teddy bear, but a Lighting MacQueen (movie cars)fishing pole. Mom was mad that I went to the bait shop one hour after he was born, but that is another story. He is now just over one and can cast better than his mother. (hope she doesn't see this) I'm sure he will be landing his first here shortly.

[sparcebag]

I dont mean to sound demanding or derogatory or anything but heres a idea.Why not reserve 1 day of each month and ask your child or children if they would like to take a friend for panfish I'm sure everyone knows of a spot to catch lots of small sunnies keepers or not spread the tradition,Besides I'd bet it would make you feel good also!

[Bassboy1645]

Ive been fishing as long as I can remeber...Mom has pics of me fishing in diapers. Dad would put my life jacket on and mom would tie my wrist to a rope on the boat. My first fish was a sunnie and I could hardly talk! By the time I was 7 I had caught more and bigger fish than anyone in my class. But your right, not many kids seemed to have my interest. I hope my kids oneday will be just as hardcore as I am.

[CrappieAttitude]

I was a fourth grade teacher here in the Brainerd lakes area and asked a question to my class..."How many of you know what a culdesac is?" To my astonishment not that many of kids even knew what I was talking about.

It's all about what you are brought up around. A lot of these kids up here were brought up in the lakes area, therefore not surprisingly they know guite a bit about fishing. They sure don't know that much about city life though however.

Gotta Love DA NORT!

CA

[DinkADunk]

This past winter on one of the few days when we had very thick ice and fairly warm temperatures my daughter (8yr) took 3 of her friends ice fishing at a small local lake. My son (9) and I drilled holes, baited hooks, and took photo's. It was a fun afternoon and when we got home we printed the pictures out and took the girls back to their houses.

[Weed Shark]

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I was a fourth grade teacher here in the Brainerd lakes area and asked a question to my class..."How many of you know what a culdesac is?" To my astonishment not that many of kids even knew what I was talking about.

It's all about what you are brought up around. A lot of these kids up here were brought up in the lakes area, therefore not surprisingly they know guite a bit about fishing. They sure don't know that much about city life though however.

Gotta Love DA NORT!

CA

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I wish my kids didn't know what a culdesac is.

Of my son's 7 closest friends, only one fishes with any regularity, and his dad was a guide near Brainerd.

At least 30 kids learned something today, thanks to a $3 minnow trap and a pretty cool teacher (what's next in her class, frogs and garter snakes?).

[SledNeck]

My 9 year old kid doesnt know what a bullhead is either....

But he's pretty well rounded in other areas of fishing...

[Meat-Run]

Sledneck,

those are some AWESOME pictures of your boy's fish. I'm sure your just full of pride toward your son and his desire to fish with his father. Thanks for sharing.

mr

[Scoot]

I do my part to try combat this too. I take tons of nephews, cousins, and too many friend's kids to count fishing each year. I also have put on a "Fishing 101" course for local kids numerous times. Unfortunately, my buddy who organized this has moved and nobody on the "inside" of the organization will do the work to organize it. They also won't let an outsider (i.e., me) do the work. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to continue doing it in some way. It's a ton of fun!

[BoxMN]

Sledneck, Very nice pics. My guess is that he WOULD actually know what a bullhead is, even if he doesn't catch them. Maybe not. If not, take him out fishing for them some time, they are a blast for kids of all ages

[Weed Shark]

SledNeck,

Great pictures, your doing it right.

Anybody else want to prove they teach angling to kids?

My boys caught a monster 'head last summer. But I should post some pics of all the other species they catch (most of it is on film though): trout, bronzebacks, bucketmouth, sunnies, paper-mouth, marble-eye, green-toothed weed sharks, cats, ice or no ice, rain or shine.

I'm not afraid to target Ole' Buglemouth either!

[CrappieAttitude]

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SledNeck,

My boys caught a monster 'head last summer. But I should post some pics of all the other species they catch (most of it is on film though): trout, bronzebacks, bucketmouth, sunnies, paper-mouth, marble-eye, green-toothed weed sharks, cats, ice or no ice, rain or shine.

I'm not afraid to target Ole' Buglemouth either!

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After reading those names, I feel like a 30 year old who doesn't know anything about fishing. Are those code names for common fish that I am missing?

CA

[Weed Shark]

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SledNeck,

My boys caught a monster 'head last summer. But I should post some pics of all the other species they catch (most of it is on film though): trout, bronzebacks, bucketmouth, sunnies, paper-mouth, marble-eye, green-toothed weed sharks, cats, ice or no ice, rain or shine.

I'm not afraid to target Ole' Buglemouth either!

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After reading those names, I feel like a 30 year old who doesn't know anything about fishing. Are those code names for common fish that I am missing?

CA

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Marble eye=walleye, paper-mouth=crappie bronze=back=smallmouth bass, bucket-mouth= largemouth bass, green toothed weed shark=northern, ole' bugle mouth= carp.

[BoxMN]

How about snot-rockets, ol' mossyback, lead pencil, barkers, specs. Fun names

[ocf1]

take your kids fishing!!!!! even if you dont have a boat take em shorefising, this topic really hits home for me cuz i have to beg and beg to get out.

[smg04]

yup' ya gotta get them kids out there, my 2yr old daughter has a handfull of perch/sunnys, and a monster 11inch walleye under her belt already all caught on her barbie pole i gave her on her 2nd b-day

[Weed Shark]

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How about snot-rockets, ol' mossyback, lead pencil, barkers, specs. Fun names

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Okay, now I know how CrappieAttitude felt. I know I'm straying a bit, but I'm having fun with the nicknames.

Snot-rockets=Northerns? Ol' Mossyback=Largemouth (would work for a snapping turtle, too). Lead Pencil=a real small pike? Barker=Dogfish (or Bullhead, croaking)? Spec=Crappie.

[SledNeck]

Not many Lakes up north here that do have bullheads, that could be a reason why my kid doesnt know of them...I dont think Ive ever caught one in his presence or that he has even seen one caught in his life. He'd probably just say that its a little Catfish.

[BoxMN]

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How about snot-rockets, ol' mossyback, lead pencil, barkers, specs. Fun names

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Okay, now I know how CrappieAttitude felt. I know I'm straying a bit, but I'm having fun with the nicknames.

Snot-rockets=Northerns? Ol' Mossyback=Largemouth (would work for a snapping turtle, too). Lead Pencil=a real small pike? Barker=Dogfish (or Bullhead, croaking)? Spec=Crappie.

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Lead pencil is a heavy walleye - they just hang down there, not huge fight but heavy as heck Yep, we call the dogfish barkers.

Sledneck, boy those are some nice smallies he has!

[Ebiz]

This would be a good thread on its own - how about gravel lizards, daubers, mudcats, slimers, and bulls.