Pond Play & Child-Friendly Rigs

Three of my children (Asher, 9; Autumn, 7 and Eli, 5) often go with my wife for an hour or two of afternoon pond play, usually with swimming as the primary focus. On Monday, I decided to tag along, and of course I toted a few fishing rods. I rigged simple hook/bobber rigs for Autumn and Eli, and we dug up some worms before we left home. I gave Asher a 4-inch YUM Dinger, rigged weightless and nose hooked with a 1/0 Daiichi Circle Wide Bleeding Bait Hook.

Next time, I might rig all three with the latter, especially if the bass are still up shallow. The worms produced some gills, but bobber rigs get twisted around the ends of rods pretty easily and hooks require nearly constant rebaiting. As long as weeds or brush aren't too thick for an open hook point, it's tough to go wrong with A Dinger on A small circle hook. a child can cast out a Dinger, and whether he simply lets it sink, reels it back or hops it, a bass it apt to bite, and with a circle hook, by a child realize a fish has hit, it usually is hooked.