Fishing Oatka creek with the kids

Jonathan works a nice stretch of the Oatka in the park section

A few weeks ago I was able to get out and do a little fly fishing with the kids. This was our second trip together for the spring and this time we decided to hit up Oatka creek instead of another warm water destination.

I was a little apprehensive in choosing Oatka only because it requires more precision and study than some of the other warm water fisheries. Plus the trout in Oatka, and more specifically the park section, can be very picky which does not always make for a good “kid friendly” fishing trip. But their insistence that it would be fine, and the fact that they really wanted to go no matter what the fishing was like made it an easy decision in the end.

On this go around I made sure that I had set up the younger kids first. This would make it easier for them to get out there and fish the best spots before their older brother. And hopefully put a few fish in the net before it was his turn.

Ethan with a good sized wild brown

We always have a spot picked out, and try to get in there whenever we can. It’s set up perfectly for the kids as they can fish, wade easily, find all kinds of bugs and other critters and eat snacks on the bank right where all the action is. On this day however it was taken for the time being, so we moved upstream.

A male Sulphur dun takes a rest

We found a nice alternative and fished it hard for an hour until our plan “A” spot became vacant. Ethan hooked up his very first trout of the day all by himself, but lost it after a big jump and a loud yell of excitement from him…..I think it may have startled him a little.

When our first spot opened back up, we moved down and settled in. The kids each took turns in the honey hole and caught and hooked plenty of nice fish throughout the rest of the afternoon. And when they were bored with fishing they took turns looking under rocks for crayfish and caught several by their own hands.

Katie with one of her fish on the afternoon

Ethan with another small stream brown

Jonathan holds one of his bigger fish of the day

Katie on the release

Taking a snack break is always a good idea

Jonathan works out a few more casts before we have to leave

All in all it was a wonderful day of fly fishing with the kids. It’s a blast watching them grow and learn on the stream. And even though I did have some tangles to tend throughout the afternoon, it is nothing like it used to be. They really are doing a wonderful job!