At what age is a toddler ready to go icefishing? PLEASE HELP

[Rainman]

My son goes out with me whenever he wants to go! He is not quite four and has been going fishing with me since he was 2! He has been out with me this year and every time we go out it just gets more enjoyable! Heres a good tip for you, take two gallon buckets with you out on the ice and let your kids scoop minnows from one bucket to the other! Keeps them busy for hours!

[mistermom]

I've had my 20 month old "Drewber the Barbarian" out open water bank fishing on a very warm November day. I spent the whole time keeping him from wading.

I also took him ice-fishing last Monday. I just used slip bobbers and watched him the whole time. No fish but fun to be out. I'm looking more at next year to really get him going.

He has no sense of danger at all yet. Grab lures, touch the heater, stick your head in the hole, the sky is the limit what he might try to do at this age.

mm

[MnRon]

I just wanted to put in my two sense. I think the the child has to be at least big enough to not be able to fit in the whole. I saw a 20/20 report once wher there were a great number of children who had drown them selves in an ordinary 5 gallon bucket that had water in them. Just be careful and use common sense

[mrmillelacs]

believe it or not i had a horrible dream a couple of years ago that i took my granddaughter with me and she fell through the hole. in my dream we could see her under the ice and we could do nothing. she is five now and i doubt if she could fit down the hole. if i could be so bold as to suggest; cut a 10 inch circle out of plastic or cardboard and see if your 2 or 3 year old could fit through it with arms outstretched. i certainly respect a parents decision as to whether or not their child is ready for the outdoors, but i can only imagine the horror one would feel, if they turned away for a second and the unimaginable happened. sorry for my negative spin on this, but the thought of an accident with my granddaughter scares the beejeebers out of me

[Guest]

I don't have kids, so my opinion will be short. If the kid takes a steamy in the diaper will this be good in the portable?
Also the danger is there too often.'
Does the kid even want to go? Some don't.
I don't mean to sound heartless but don't you go fishing to escape the whinning and crying? At 18 Mo. I can't see too much peace or concentration.

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en puhu kala
(I speak fish)

[This message has been edited by frozenminnow (edited 12-18-2003).]

[Guest]

I've got an 18 month-old Son too and he went to the big sleeper house with me and Mom last new years day for his first time out.

I'm sure he doesn't have any memory of it, but I do

I'm going next weekend for an over-nighter and I'm leaving him with Mom and Grandma so I can have some down-time.

I'd love to take him, but at this age, he's ALWAYS doing something!

The thought of having him in my Otter with all the stuff we use to fish--heater, 10" holes, Vex, rods sounds like a recipe for a not-so-good time.

Frozen Minnow--your description of the Diaper "load" still has me laughing to tears!

Thanks!

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Chells

[CrappieJohn]

Ed Carlson made a very valid point when he said that any fishing, not just ice fishing, is "inherently dangerous". Ice fishing more so. I was fishing witrh a friens who was using a ten inch auger...we had four holes punched and did not need any more because the hit was good. There were a ton of people on the ice that day, many with kids- all of whomseemed to have inquiring minds. I do not mind having kids around IF they are well behaved, stay with the old man or whoever that brought them out there, and not out there ripping and tearing around, especially if there are "toys" along. My friend and I decided some lunch was in otder, he lost the flip and pulled his lines to go get the fodder. He prudently covered those two ten inchers with his pails. I continued to fish. Out of the corner of my eye I caught some movement. I turned just in time to see one of these kids thump into my pals pail, knock it off to the side and commence to disappear down the hole! He came out by the hair. This child was only three or so and was not being watched by any adult within eye shot. If you are going to take kids, you need to collar them and keep them in the immediate area that YOU are fishing. They are your charge. Too many times I've seen dolts haul kids out on the ice to go "fishing" and then let them run wild and not set them down and even try to explain what they are there for. I hate to sound like the grinch, but ice fishing only amplifies the things that can go wrong. The only child that should be on the ice if there are others fishing in the same area are those that stay to "home" so to speak and do what they were brought out there to do. Fish. And remember, in order for dad to have the kid(s) lines within his proximity, the kid has to be there as well, not off skating or driving the atv. In the case of any shelter, the kid(s) have to be inside to be legal.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[Swill]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the great replies! If I had to sum up all that I have read it would be...
- Keep an eye on him like a hawk
- My otter would not be the best choice for him to experience icefishing for the first time...maybe I will rent a nice sleeper icehouse that might be safer.
- Plan on a short time out there.
- be safe.

Thanks again everyone...Swill

[canvasback kid]

I have a couple of buddies that are 22 and 24 and i still wouldnt take them out yet!!!!!!! good luck!!

[saddie]

Swill
The first thing I would do if you want to take him is get a smaller auger. Because yes he can fall down a hole that size and you can't watch him every second. My kids Ice fish with my husband and I there ages are 5 and 2. My son started going when he was 4 months old. If you do take him take snacks and a few toys you dont mind going down the hole. For us Ice fishing is a family thing.Good luck let us know if you do take him. Ps We only have a small portable house Never been a probelm for us

[This message has been edited by saddie (edited 12-20-2003).]

[BDR]

In my house I have lots of hunting/fishing pictures displayed. My favorites are of my 2 older kids at About 3 holding crappies in the shack. I think a perm. is the way to go, and ice that you have been driving for a while. Also even on 3' of ice my kids unbuckle at shore and move to fromt within easy arms reach. Lots of snacks, toys and hot chocolate!

Frozen minnow- Sometimes I do fish to get away from the wife and 4 kids, but some of my best memories as a little one are of fishing/hunting with dad and gramps. Maybe if he didn't take me I wouldn't love this sport so much!

p.s. If there out of diapers, bring a 5 gallon bucket for the dumps and the girls or extra clothes. It can be very humerous to watch a girl pee in the open for the first time but a cold lake isn't the place!

Brian

[Powerstroke]

From what I've read here the biggest concern is that your child may go down teh hole, but I did not read a single post that recommended having your child wearing his PFD!!!

To me the most common sense thing here next to warm clothes is to make sure your child who would never be able to helpthemselves in cold water would be to have them wear a life jacket. How bout that kid who went all teh way in.....not just 1 leg. A life jacket woulda kept his head above water.

Common sense. Spend teh $20 and get your kid a PFD. They are adjustable for kids that age and can fit over winter clothing. Hell, I'm 24 and I still use my PFD for the first month of ice travel.

ICE IS NEVER SAFE!! Period.

[Powerstroke]

Sorry for being so excited, but that was the first thing I thought of. My daughter is 3 1/2 now and has been camping with us since 1 yr old. We are on the lake, havea campfire, cookstove, etc. Yes you have to watch them, but isn't that what being a parent is all about?

Take your kid with, but use your shelter for shelter and not for fishing. Also, don't let him be in there alone with the heater. This weekend its gonna be 35-40 degrees with little or no wind. I would be out there and you prolly won't even need the heater in the day.
My daughter is 3 now and paddles the canoe with daddy. I can't wait to take her on the hard water this winter.