Parent & Child Fishing Class in Tioga, TX

Help your child become a more confident angler! Learn fishing fundamentals together in this hands-on parent & child class. Spend Less Time Fighting Your Gear and More Time Catching Fish Fishing with your child should be fun, but when you’re dealing with tangled line, the wrong rod-and-reel setup, knots that won’t hold or a bait you’re not sure how to rig, a day at the lake can get frustrating fast. Private Water Fishing’s Parent & Child Fishing Class is a hands-on morning designed to give both parents and kids the practical skills and confidence to make the most of their time on the water. Hosted on a private lake in Tioga, Texas, we'll start with the fundamentals and work through the real-world skills every young angler should know, including: • Choosing and properly matching rods, reels and tackle • Tying essential fishing knots • Rigging common bass fishing baits • Casting techniques and improving accuracy • Properly setting the hook and fighting a fish • Safely unhooking and handling fish • What to do when a hook ends up somewhere it shouldn’t, including in you! • Troubleshooting common gear and tackle problems • Tips for spending more time actually fishing and less time dealing with frustration Bring the gear you currently use, even if you aren’t sure whether it’s the right setup. That’s part of the class. We’ll help you understand what you have, what works together and what you may want to change. We’ll also have additional gear and tackle on hand for demonstrations. Have something specific you’ve been wanting to learn how to use? Bring it with you. There will be plenty of time for questions and hands-on instruction. Meet Your Instructor: Ken Addington Ken Addington grew up fishing ponds and creeks throughout North Texas for anything that would bite his hook. In 1974, he formed the first high school bass fishing team at Garland High School and continued pursuing his love of bass fishing into adulthood. Shortly after Lake Fork produced the Texas State Record Bass in November 1986, Ken began guiding full time. After more than a decade of fishing nearly every day, his passion for the pursuit of largemouth bass was as strong as ever. Over the years, Ken has had the opportunity to fish some exceptional private waters. In January 2012, he landed his personal-best largemouth bass at an incredible 15 pounds, setting the lake record in the process. The record lasted a whole two months before one of his fishing partners eclipsed it. Ken is happy to report they remain friends despite the offense. These days, Ken spends time with his two grandsons teaching them the art of fishing. He and his wife, Renada, live in Trenton, Texas, about 20 minutes from Bois d’Arc Lake. Ken loves teaching and talking about fishing of all kinds, but bass fishing will always be his first love. Just as importantly, he gets as much enjoyment from helping someone else catch a fish as he does from catching one himself. What to Bring • Your rods and reels • Your fishing tackle • Any specific gear, bait or equipment you’d like help learning to use • Drinks or snacks if you’d like something during the class • Bug spray for chiggers. Hopefully we won’t need it, but this is Texas! Don’t worry if you’re unsure whether you have the right equipment. Bring what you have. Helping you understand your gear and how to use it effectively is part of the class. A Little Something for Your Tackle Box Thanks to our friends at Geecrack, every parent & child pair will receive a Geecrack lure to take home as part of the class. You’ll leave with new fishing skills, more confidence on the water and a new bait to put to work on your next fishing trip. Thank you, Geecrack! Class Details Date: Saturday, October 24 Time: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM Location: Lake TCU at Nix Ranch | Tioga, Texas Cost: $150 per parent/child pair Minimum Child Age: 7 years old Lunch is included! We’ll wrap up the morning with a catered sandwich lunch, including chips and a drink for each attendee. Plan for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours of instruction, depending on the number of questions and how much hands-on help the group needs. The goal is simple: give you and your child the skills to maximize your time at the lake catching fish while minimizing the frustrations that can get in the way. Whether you’re both relatively new to fishing or you’ve been fishing for a while but want to sharpen your fundamentals, you’ll leave better prepared and more confident for your next day on the water.