Fishing for kids? Bay Area?

Fellow NCKA'ers I took my kids 6 & 8 yrs old. camping at Lake Oroville (they brought their kayaks) and we fished a little for nada! My daughter castes really well! I was impressed!! I Would like to get my kids out and more time OTW... Do it right start them young...they've been here and there but I saw that light in there eyes at Oriville and am hoping that this is something we can share together!! So.....I am looking for a place to take them were they can be resonbily catch a few fish. They don't care bout the size. Maybe a good bluegill/crappie spot. Eventually I would like to graduate to bringing my kids out to San Pablo or tomales for stripes or halibut.  I want to share the experience of "gathering food" from the wild and eating it. This is something I believe in, we need to instill in our children. We raise all of our meat, kids help butcher ect..and I am proud to raise my children with this. We teach them to be kind to the animals, they out are food... When I hear about kids who think milk, fish or meat come from Safeway, that is sad!! Maybe I should change the name of this post, lol.

Any pointers? Places? Species? I am located in Petaluma, this will be a Sunday family trip kinda thing... Trying to keep it under an hour drive?
My daughter has asked several times to go fishing with me.


THANK YOU!

Fellow NCKA'ers I took my kids 6 & 8 yrs old. camping at Lake Oroville (they brought their kayaks) and we fished a little for nada! My daughter castes really well! I was impressed!! I Would like to get my kids out and more time OTW... Do it right start them young...they've been here and there but I saw that light in there eyes at Oriville and am hoping that this is something we can share together!! So.....I am looking for a place to take them were they can be resonbily catch a few fish. They don't care bout the size. Maybe a good bluegill/crappie spot. Eventually I would like to graduate to bringing my kids out to San Pablo or tomales for stripes or halibut.  I want to share the experience of "gathering food" from the wild and eating it. This is something I believe in, we need to instill in our children. We raise all of our meat, kids help butcher ect..and I am proud to raise my children with this. We teach them to be kind to the animals, they out are food... When I hear about kids who think milk, fish or meat come from Safeway, that is sad!! Maybe I should change the name of this post, lol.

Any pointers? Places? Species? I am located in Petaluma, this will be a Sunday family trip kinda thing... Trying to keep it under an hour drive?
My daughter has asked several times to go fishing with me.


THANK YOU!

Oops lol!

Maybe Spring Lake in Santa Rosa.

I have taken them there when they stock it. Seems hit or miss... And spring lake. I am just getting back into fishing. Kids are old enough know were I can have hobbies again... I used to fish Kent lake? I think? There are some resivors in Marin that I haven't been to in 8-9yrs...

I have taken them there when they stock it. Seems hit or miss... And spring lake. I am just getting back into fishing. Kids are old enough know were I can have hobbies again... I used to fish Kent lake? I think? There are some resivors in Marin that I haven't been to in 8-9yrs...

When Bon Tempe is stocked it is good for trout on power bait.  Some holdovers, I've used inflated worms for bigger stuff.  Check dfg for stocking, love Bon Tempe.  Kent is a shlep and there are bass all over.  Why not Mcnears with some pile worms for something with a little size if its going off......

I have taken them there when they stock it. Seems hit or miss... And spring lake. I am just getting back into fishing. Kids are old enough know were I can have hobbies again... I used to fish Kent lake? I think? There are some resivors in Marin that I haven't been to in 8-9yrs...

When Bon Tempe is stocked it is good for trout on power bait.  Some holdovers, I've used inflated worms for bigger stuff.  Check dfg for stocking, love Bon Tempe.  Kent is a shlep and there are bass all over.  Why not Mcnears with some pile worms for something with a little size if its going off......

Mcnears?

I have taken them there when they stock it. Seems hit or miss... And spring lake. I am just getting back into fishing. Kids are old enough know were I can have hobbies again... I used to fish Kent lake? I think? There are some resivors in Marin that I haven't been to in 8-9yrs...

When Bon Tempe is stocked it is good for trout on power bait.  Some holdovers, I've used inflated worms for bigger stuff.  Check dfg for stocking, love Bon Tempe.  Kent is a shlep and there are bass all over.  Why not Mcnears with some pile worms for something with a little size if its going off......

OOOOOOO, get some red worms on a bobber with a split shot and a small hook and toss it into the pond at McGinnis golf course at Las Gallinas sanitation station.  Not the reclamation ponds but walk the paved road on the side of buildings then veer right up toward pond.  Shhhhhhhhhhhh.......it's infested with bluegill and a few montrous somethngs if you can figure it out.  I don't know about keepin' em but it sure is a riot when it's going off.  My son and 2 kids caught 48 in 90 min. 

I have taken them there when they stock it. Seems hit or miss... And spring lake. I am just getting back into fishing. Kids are old enough know were I can have hobbies again... I used to fish Kent lake? I think? There are some resivors in Marin that I haven't been to in 8-9yrs...

When Bon Tempe is stocked it is good for trout on power bait.  Some holdovers, I've used inflated worms for bigger stuff.  Check dfg for stocking, love Bon Tempe.  Kent is a shlep and there are bass all over.  Why not Mcnears with some pile worms for something with a little size if its going off......

Mcnears?

McNears is a public fishing pier that the legend Keith Fraser supported to build for shore sturgeon fisherman.  It is at the end of San Pedro road in San Rafael before China Camp.  I launched there on Mon. to test the drift and found it to be a location I need to master one day. It is part of Marin Parks and has shark, ray, striper, sturgeon, and smelt potential.  The tide moves through there so sometimes an 8oz weight is necessary.

Thanks for the info Eddie.

When the tide moves , it really moves i@ mcnears. Could always launch the Petaluma marina, schoolie striper are abundant... And the big ones are rolling in.fish from shore behind the Sheraton or the pier at sholenberger park.

The quarry was loading barges with rip rap, one got away in the current and wiped out the pier!

Hey TJ,
I've been doing well over by San Quentin for school stripers.  Both shore and kayak.  Nothing keeper size but should be enough action to keep your kids busy. 

For kayak, there's a beach near the east entrance of the jail for easy launching.  Or you can launch at the Marin Rod/Gun club and paddle around the bridge.  For shore, I've been doing well over my the west entrance when the ferries roll through.  The wake they produce makes those schoolies feed.  But I wouldn't want to be in that area with a kayak.

I might go back there tomorrow if Bolinas weather doesn't look good.  I've been eyeing a specific spot that may hold jumbo perch.