A buddy is trying to introduce his kids (ages 7 and 9) to fishing. They've never been (that's a different issue), but I recommended Cottage Lake as it's nearby and has plenty of bluegills and some stocker trout just to keep them interested. The Sky is still a few trips off. Anyone have ideas to fill the bill? Thanks.

If you can get them out on the sound or to any of the beaches on Whidbey, Silver fishing should be good.

As a father myself, I love to have my kids fish with me. This probably sounds like a recorded message, but get them to the Hoodsport Hatchery in Late October/ early November. The chums aren't good eating, but this provides for fun fishing for both young and old alike. I am sure you already know about this, but just trying to be helpfull for you all.

Sooes, when it opens.

It's about volume at that age not size. To get them hooked you have to get them in a spot where the action is non stop and easy. Kids that have never fished before will not be able to cast. Cottage lake or any lake with easy to find and catch bluegill or crappie is perfect. My son is 5 and I take him places where he can catch non stop 6" bass, crappie and bluegill. The adult has to put his fishing ambitions on the back burner until the kid is ready to go to the next level.

I don't think salmon fishing is a good way to introduce 7-9 year old kids to fishing. I know this from experience. If you get a 7 YO who has never fished before into a coho, odds are he/she will drop the rod in terror when the fish runs. Been there, done that. The other factor is that what we consider "hot" salmon fishing translates to "drop-dead boring" to a 7-9 YO newbee kid. Been there, done that too.

If you want to take them out on the salt and have a crack at salmon while still keeping the kdis entertained, take a dozen 1/0 hooks on heavy leaders, 3-4 dozen worms, a few 1 oz ball weights, a couple dozen herring, and a few mooching rigs out to Possession Bank. Start the kids out on the bottom at the western buoy in 40-60' of water with a worm and 1 oz weight. They will start catching flatfish immediately. These flatfish are usually 1/2 to 1#, but can range upwards of 3#, so they aren't little toy fish. They also happen to be really yummy. You may snort in disgust at this point, but guess what, the kids will be having the time of their lives. They might even get to catch a SHARK!! Once they get comfortable doing that, you can sneak a mooching rig into the water for yourself and maybe scare up a coho. If you catch one, and they want to try, no problem, just clip a mooching rig onto their line and away they go. If they get bored of that (usually takes 2.6 minutes), you can switch them back to worms on the bottom.

The alternative is to take the kids out, tell them to stay out of the way while you set up the kicker, downriggers, and rods, tell them not to touch the rods and just sit and wait, then watch them try to bring in a feisty coho that more than likely will spit the barbless hook because of course the kid has no idea what he/she is doing.