Fishing with kids

[AG]

Hello

My son is only 6 but really keen on fishing. He already caught fish once  in a lake with a cheap rod when visiting his grandparents and once in a local river in UK with his bare hands (so you can see he is VERY keen).
We are moving to Malta from UK by end of September.
Bearing in mind that I know next to nothing about fishing or fishing in Malta where do we start?
What kind of fishing can we do in Malta from the shore (we wont have a boat)?
What equipment shall I buy, bearing in mind its for a child and I would like to keep the costs down but at the same time I would like him to be able to catch something?
Would ebay be a good place to shop before we leave UK or would local fishing shops offer better value?
Would we need a licence?
Are there any clubs that allow children or run some educational courses for kids?

Thanks in advance
Ally

[ciappinu]

Hi Ally,

Fishing at that age from the shore can be alot of fun for children. I suggest you visit one of the local fishing shops who can help you setup a 3 metre pole rod for your son. The Pole will be equipped with a 25mm line (or 30 mm to avoid entangling), a float, a small hook, and some weights. The float should be around 1 to 1.5 metres above the hook. Then you need to wet some  fresh french toast in water, and work it out like a dough until it doesn't stick with your hand any longer. At the same time, prepare a chum bucket with stale bread, just wet the bread well and work it out so that it sinks when you throw it in the water.

Then go with him on the shore and start trying out different places.  First throw some chum, wait for the fish to come, then fish. Eventually you can also try fishing with some red shrimps you buy from a fish shop.

There are plenty of fishing shops in Malta, but in your case I would suggest that you go to Ta Bormla in Mosta as it is family run, and they will help you setup everything. They are close to HSBC Bank Mosta. Make sure you buy a few extra setup lines as well just in case you entangle it.


Check out this page for more info, although this intended for adults, it can still help: http://www.maltabookers.com/fish/malta_shore_fishing.asp

regards,

Ciappinu

[AG]

Thank you very much for your advice, Ciappinu