It was a quiet place that was occasionally interrupted by the shouts and flurry of reeling in the “big one.” Of course, the big one was never that big but in my mind, as I held up a fish bigger than my two hands were wide, I had a sense of pride that I had set records in the size of fish that I caught.

Now a days, I’m not as big about fishing as when I was younger. I seemed to have grown squeamish over the years and shudder at the practice of inserting a hook through a worm. My kids, on the other hand, rejoice when we plan a fishing trip and it is a great way to spend the day without having to worry about too much money.

Okay, before I go into anything, yes fishing can cost a lot of money but if you do it properly than it should cost too much. You will of course need a rod, reel and the other equipment for fishing but you don’t need to go top of the line for these things. A cheap kids fishing rod is perfect for a whole season or two of fishing. My kids have a fishing rod that cost 14.99 and it has lasted several years already. Adult rods can also be inexpensive so if you are looking for a rod simply for the enjoyment of taking your kids out, then by all means, go with a cheap rod.

After that, all you really need are hooks, weights, bobbers and some bait. You can get the first three things in kits for under 20 dollars and the last one can cost as little as 2.50. When I fish with my kids, we get very small fish, that do not require a net.

Lastly, a fishing liscence for the adult taking the kids on the fishing trip and for any children over 12 and you are all set.

When you first start up with this cheap summer activity, you often wonder if it is cheap after all. There are a number of items that you need but they can be reused several times. For instance, now when I take my kids out fishing, it costs us about $20 to $30 per trip. This includes gas, a picnic lunch, some worms and a quick stop at a local ice cream shop at the end of the day.

With the rising cost of everything, this is a very cheap day for four and we have a lot of fun. Since I despise fish, we toss everything we catch back and the only thing that we capture are photographs. I am sure the fish are relieved as I gently release them back into the water and I know I am overjoyed that I don’t have to scale and gut a bunch of fish.

So if you are looking for a cheap activity that is a lot of fun, try a day going fishing and don’t forget to pack some sunscreen, bug repellent and a nice picnic.

If you want some great tips on fishing and fly fishing in particular, visit Fly Fishing Dish.

Sirena Van Schaik

*The photos are of me on some river in British Columbia when I was about 5.*

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