Fun Ideas for Family Fishing Challenges
By Jeff Bogle
Mar 14, 2025
Fishing challenges like group fishing games and beginner fishing competitions can help make any spring fishing trip a lot more fun for anglers of all ages. Some of the best family fishing challenges are capable of engaging kids and helping to hook them into your favorite outdoor activity, making family fishing trips even easier! Some of the fun fishing activities that are easy to try include, the first person to catch a fish, the biggest fish caught, and even the smallest fish competitions. But that’s just the start of the family fishing games that’ll make your next spring fishing day on or along the water more memorable.
What are some easy fishing challenges for kids?
There are great indoor fishing games for when the weather isn’t cooperating, but when it comes to spring fishing, we know that being outdoors, along a body of water or on a boat, enjoying the silence and the stillness is the real reward. Family fishing challenges and beginner fishing competitions, however, will help to make your favorite pastime more immediate, more entertaining, and ultimately make fishing fun for children and for those who are new to fishing. Some of the easiest group fishing games to play include:
• First fish caught
• Biggest fish caught
• Smallest fish caught
• Most fish caught during a set period
• Most fish of a certain color caught
• Casting accuracy challenge (using target in the water)
• Fish bingo (with pre-made bingo cards)
Have some simple prizes ready for the winners and your camera ready to capture those big smiles!
How do I keep fishing trips fun for my family?
You can keep fishing trips fun for your family by using easy fishing games, packing favorite snacks, choosing a picturesque location, bringing toys and books, using bobbers which are fun for little kids to look at and watch in the water, and being extra patient with beginners. One of the most useful spring fishing tips, however, is to make your family fishing trips about more than fishing. In addition to the family fishing game ideas above, some other activities to plan include:
• Hiking
• Leaf collecting
• Bird watching and listening with free bird ID apps
• Skimming stones (although not while fishing because they would disturb the water and the fish)
• Seeing animals in the clouds
• Making s’mores
• Having a picnic
What gear do I need for fishing competitions?
To enjoy family fishing challenges and other fun fishing activities with a group, you don’t necessarily need anything new or extra than the gear you would already pack to go fishing. But, depending on the group fishing games you have planned, you may need a well-stocked tackle box with a wider variety of lures, bait, line weights, and special hooks. Additionally, if measuring for the biggest and smallest fish, a scale to weigh the fish to pick a winner is a must!
Now that you know some of the best fishing challenges to make your outdoor activities more competitive and memorable, check out these family fishing weekend ideas.