Fishing is a common, wholesome, and fun activity to go take your 7 year-old to go do. However, the need for fishing licenses can make things complicated sometimes so that you are not fishing illegally. You will need to make sure you know the state requirements for child fishing licenses.
What are the fishing license requirements for 7 year-olds? In Idaho, 7 year-olds don’t have to have a fishing license to go fishing as long as the parent or adult they are fishing with has a license.
It is a great idea to take your 7 year-old fishing to teach them a lot and also to get them away from electronics and strong media presence for a short time. I explain more as to why and how below.
State Requirements for Fishing Permits for 7 year-olds:
Here are just a few of the age limits for various states
| States: | 7 Year-Olds’ Fishing License Requirements: |
| Arizona | Youth age 9 and under don’t need one |
| California | Children 15 and under don’t but adults do |
| Colorado | Youth under 16 years of age don’t need one |
| Florida | Children under the age of 16 don’t need one |
| Maine | Children 15 years and younger don’t need one |
| Montana | All persons 11 years and younger don’t need one |
| Nevada | Anyone 11 years and younger |
| New Mexico | Person 11 years or younger doesn’t need one |
| Oregon | All persons 11 years and younger don’t need one |
| Pennsylvania | Persons 15 years old and younger don’t need one |
| Utah | Anyone 11 or younger does not need one |
| Virginia | Residents under 16 years of age don’t need one |
| Washington | Children 14 years old and younger don’t need one |
| Wisconson | Children under 16 years of age don’t need one |
| Wyoming | Children under 14 years of age don’t need one |
Why Take My 7 Year-Old Fishing?
Bringing your 7 year-old fishing is a great idea for many reasons!
One of these reasons is that it helps to teach them a life kill that can come in handy. Fishing is a good skill to know so that you can catch your own food if you desire. It is kind of like the proverb:
“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”
This skill of knowing how to fish will help your kid know how to feed himself or herself in the future if the need arises or if they so desire to.
Another reason teaching your kid to fish is because it teaches them responsibility. When fishing, you are dealing with sharp hooks and gross bait and also having to keep close attention to what you are doing so that you don’t lose a pole or lose a possible catch.
Bringing and teaching your 7 year-old to fish will help teach them the importance of paying close and careful attention in these situations.
Teaching them to fish also means teaching them to pay close attention to their surroundings. Teaching them to be aware of what is around them is important because, when fishing, you have the possibility of catching the hook on another person when trying to cast. (I did this once when I was little! Luckily it was just stuck to my friend’s jacket and not his skin!)
Being taught to be aware of their surroundings can help when they are going through life and need to be aware of what’s around them in case of danger. Being aware can give you more time to react if something bad happens or can help you prevent something bad from happening altogether.
Teaching your 7-year-old how to fish is also great because they can develop their fine motor skills even more. These necessary skills are helped to develop by doing the little, intricate work of tying the hook on the line, hooking the bait properly, and even reeling in a fish.
Another couple of skills fishing can teach your kid is patience and quiet. We all know how unnerving and boring it can get to just sit there silently and watch your fishing line float in the water your bobber just sitting there, waiting for it to plop under the surface so you can reel it in as quick as possible!
Having your kids fish can help teach them how to sit in silence for a while and focus on something.
All of these skills can help your child not only know, simply, how to fish, but also help to develop other necessary life skills to help their futures be more successful and prepared.
Where Should I Take My 7 Year-Old Fishing?
One of the struggles of not being able to take your kids fishing is not knowing exactly where to take your kids fishing. There are plenty of options wherever you are to take your kids fishing.
Here is a list of places to look into in your local area:
- Local Park Pond
- A Nearby Lake
- Fishing Hole/Filer Pond
- Nearby River
- Local Reservoir
- Local Creeks
There are plenty of places and opportunities to take your kids fishing without having to travel far! All you have to do is look up “Family Friendly Fishing Spots Near Me” and you should have plenty of options pop up that are super close to you.
You don’t even have to take your kid(s) out fishing for very long per trip. It is okay to go out, spend about 45 minutes there, and leave again. It is all in the experience and learning process!
Good luck with your future fishing endeavors and make sure you are aware of your local regulations!
Related Questions:
Will I get fined if I don’t have a fishing license when taking my kid fishing? It all depends on the local fish and game regulations and laws. I would recommend Getting yourself a license and double checking your local regulations for this to make sure you won’t get in trouble.
Will I get fined for fishing on a private property without a license? It depends on state fish and game laws and regulations. I would make sure that you do some research or ask a local fish and game authority so that you don’t get in trouble.
