THE GREAT OUTDOORS — Falling in love with fly fishing is easy. One great day on the water is usually all it takes to entice most anglers to fully embrace the sport. No matter how long you've been fly

One great day on the water is usually all it takes to entice most anglers to fully embrace the sport. No matter how long you've been fly fishing, if you have kids you've likely thought about teaching them the sport you love so much.

But how can you teach your kids to fly fish in a way that gives them the chance to fall in love with the sport, too?

These five tips will help you get your younger kids — about 10 or under — interested in fly fishing.

Start small

Unless you learned to fly fish at a young age, chances are you learned to fly fish on a river like the Provo or the Green. While those waters are incredible, they're a bit too intimidating for younger kids.

Instead, start with small water and smaller fish. Community ponds are a perfect place for your kids to have their first experience with a fly rod. You can see all the community ponds, managed by the Division of Wildlife Resources here.

Bluegill, rainbow trout, and perch are great species to target with your kids. They're relatively easy to catch, put up a decent fight, and look exotic enough to make your kids wants to keep catching them.

Use the right gear

Fly rods are built with adult anglers in mind. A nine-foot five-weight rod is perfect for a day on the Weber River, but that's a bit much for a five-year-old on a community pond.

Use a smaller rod — like a 7- or 8-foot-3-weight — with a single fly to start. Unless absolutely necessary, don't get into waders and boots quite yet. Stick to the shore for the first few teaching sessions.

Related:

5 great spots to go fly fishing during winter in Utah

When winter rolls around, the ice fishermen head to the hard deck, while most fly fishermen retreat indoors, tying flies and dreaming of spring mayfly hatches that are months away.

Teach by showing

Kids learn a ton just from observation. Instead of explaining the mechanics of a fly cast, show your kids how it's supposed to look.

This video, from fly fishing legend Tom Rosenbauer (currently the marketing director at Orvis) illustrates a great method for showing and then teaching.

Let them reel one in

If your kids are having a hard time with the mechanics of the fly cast, throw the line out, hook a fish, and let them reel it in. As they reel the fish in and feel how the rod, line, and reel work together, they'll gain a better understanding of how the process of fly casting works.

Bring a bobber

Although fly fishermen changed the name of a bobber to a "strike indicator," a plastic bubble on your line is still a bobber. Your kids will recognize it as such, and if you can help them roll cast a fly-and-bobber rig in a community pond, you'll be able to teach them the proper way to set the hook, fight and land fish.

Getting your kids to fall in love with fly fishing isn't as hard as it seems on the surface. It does require some patience and a few hours every week, but the end result is the opportunity to share something special with those who mean most to you.

Have you taught your kids to fly fish? If so, share the experiences in the comments below.

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