A Canadian family discovers that fishing with kids in New Zealand is less zen, more chaos. Plus the prank video that got 12 million views on Instagram.
We came to New Zealand for a family road trip from Canada’s West Coast. We were chasing adventure, connection and the thrill of new experiences.
We have been privileged to experience wonderful New Zealand hospitality and incredible culture both on and off the tourist train.
Meat Pies. Glow worm caves. Sand dunes. Hot springs. Penguins. Hikes. Waterfalls. Vistas galore. Museums. Hobbiton. Art Galleries. Cafes. Meat Pies. Beaches. Surf. Fishing and more fishing…
We have met some incredible people along the way which have enhanced these experiences to a new degree.
Might be worth noting that my wife had taken it upon herself to do the bulk of the trip planning. However, every time I manage to take control of the helm, things begin to shift towards all things fishing, which I know deep down she actually loves but just hasn’t realized it yet.
Lucky for me, you don’t have to go far in this country to be right in the middle of or very near some incredible fishing opportunities. But it is not JUST ME anymore. I can’t just grab a rod and go relish in the peace and thrill of fishing a new place for new species of fish because I have kids now and they ALWAYS want to come which is WONDERFUL AND AMAZING but…
…it is also an entirely different experience…
The Reality of Fishing with Kids
For those who imagine peaceful mornings casting a line while your child quietly learns the art of fishing beside you, I hate to break it to you, but that’s not how it goes.
Fishing with kids is more of a survival mission than a tranquil spiritual pursuit.
You will:
- Untangle more knots than you tie
- Lose more gear/$$$ than you keep
- Spend more time baiting hooks and setting up rods than fishing
- Hear “I’m bored” approximately three minutes after arriving; and
- “I need to go poo” three minutes after that.
And somehow, despite all of that, you’ll still call it a successful trip. Because with kids, fishing isn’t really about the fish. It’s about the chaos in between.
The Sherpa Life
Heading out solo? Grab a rod and go.
Heading out with kids? You’re packing like you’re crossing the Southern Alps.
You’re no longer the fisherman. You are the pack mule and you are carrying:
- Rods (and backup rods)
- Rod holders
- The bucket (with 4 gallons of water and 5 half dead jack mackerel, whose water you need to stop and refresh every 15 mins)
- Tackle (trace, swivels, floats, hooks and a ton of lures that won’t work)
- Snacks (critical but you’ll probably forget them)
- Water
- Spare clothes
- Towels
- Random toys that somehow become essential
- The backpack
- A child who suddenly “can’t walk anymore”
- And somehow…you’ll still get asked to carry something else
New Zealand has world-class scenery—but when you’re fishing with kids, you’ll mostly be staring at tangled line, broken rods and or reels and wondering where your $55 brand new stick bait just disappeared to.
This is your life now. Embrace it.
The Viral Moment
On one of these family fishing trips somewhere in the Cormandel, I was walking down the beach towards the rods carrying a drink and a kid, when suddenly one of the rods explodes into a violent furry of rod bending action. I dropped my drink and my child and tripped over myself trying to get to the rod in time but by the time I got there the action had halted and the rod I had just come from started bending violently. But guess what? When I got there it stopped and the other one started firing again…It was then that I spotted my oldest kid out in the surf with a line in each hand and a huge smile on his face - every fishermen’s favourite prank!
They got me good. No big production. Just real life, a bit of chaos, and me who didn’t see it coming.
That video ended up blowing up:
- 12 million views on Instagram
- 4.7 million on YouTube
- Emails from Digital Viral Media Companies
Turns out it doesn’t matter if you’re in Canada or New Zealand -
Fishing with kids looks the same everywhere-wonderful chaos!
That’s the stuff people actually connect with.
Check out the video for yourself above ☝️
Why Fishing with Kids is Actually Worth It
Here’s the thing. You might not catch much. You might spend the whole time fixing problems instead of fishing.
But your kids? They’re learning everything -
- How to be outside
- How to be patient (sort of)
- How to laugh when things go wrong
- How to love the experience, not just the result
- How to appreciate the value of intact healthy ecosystems
- How to prank their dad
And every now and then—between the tangles and the chaos—they catch a fish of a lifetime.
And one day, without you noticing, they’ll tie their own knots, bait their own hooks, carry their own gear and cast their own lines but they’ll probably still leave the untangling to you.
The Secret to Making It Work
If you want to actually enjoy fishing with kids, here’s the trick:
Lower your expectations - and raise your sense of humour.
Because the moment you stop trying feverishly to control everything…
…is the moment it becomes fun and you start making memories.
Final Thought
Fishing with kids isn’t about catching fish.
It’s about the stories you get along the way.
And sometimes, if you’re lucky…
Those stories result in a trophy snapper off the rocks or a fishing prank video that goes viral and reminds us that there is magic in all the chaos.
