I have to say it amazes me how many people send their kids out with gear that is no use to anyone though.

On Saturday we took the kids to play on the playground at Jacobson Park for an hour so. I took our fishing gear just in case. While I was sat catching a few small bluegill and a couple of channels a large family moved into the area and set up on the picnic tables. The kids with them must have ranged from about 3 years old to around 14. About half a dozen of the kids broke out their rods and started lobbing a flotilla of floats into the water.

I pulled in three bluegill on three consecutive casts at one point. The eldest boy was fishing close to me (too close if I'm honest) and asked what I was using. He walked over and I saw his rig. The poor kid had a closed reel inside which the line was obviously not running properly, a plastic spring float with no shot and a hook big enough to catch a whale.

I gave him two smaller hooks and a few shot, told him to ask his Dad to take a look at his line and left him to it. He never did get a bite while I was still there but at least I feel I gave him a better chance.

That was the third time this year that I have come across young kids with incorrect gear/rigs.

DAVE