Spring is spawning time for many species of fish, and one of the most fun to catch, especially for kids, are panfish.
Defined as perch, bluegill, crappie, etc., panfish offer youngsters lots of action with the simplest of gear.
A lightweight rod with a spincasting reel, light line, or even just a simple cane pole and line work for the hardware. Bait is pretty simple too. Worms, crickets, or jigs teamed with a bobber can make for some hot fishing action.