My name is Randy and I have an autistic son who wants to start fishing with me. 

When we go, if we are not catching anything right away, he gets frustrated. 

I would like to know, where is a  good place to catch bass from shore at?

We live in Virginia Beach. 

Thank you 

I lived in Norfolk and Chesapeake for a number of years.  Bank bass fishing was tough.  Golf course ponds were probably best.  I did ok around ramps of local lakes, but not great.  Best of luck.

Maybe find a pond full of bream and start there. If he’s catching fish he’ll like it better. Then work in some bass fishing around the bream fishing.

I did that with my kids and grandkids. Nearly all of them loved it, my daughter being the exception… One of my sons became so in love with fishing and good at it , that  he did it for work for awhile, and may still in the future.

Yep, fish for bluegills. They're a blast. So are white bass. 

Hey there - neurodivergent angler here.  I'm autism spectrum and ADHD.

 

It must have been hell on my poor father but hey, I turned out alright!  

 

Just be patient - be kind - be whimsical.

 

Remember fishing is about making something our own (I have to remember this with my own son!) and as fathers the best we can do is stay out of the way sometimes.

 

When first getting started - I liked to look for signs of life - help my dad pick lures - count birds - help watch for stumps - anything I could do to be a part of it and stay engaged.

 

Take lots of breaks.  Bring snacks.  Bring soda.  Give big hugs and make sure you remember to laugh and be a proud dad.

 

Worms and minnows and live crawfish are fun for young eager minds to hunt for and catch fish better than 1,000,000$ worth of bass pro shops premium tackle.

 

Let him get a feel for bites and casts and locating and catching fish with live bait and maybe panfish or something to that effect and he will feel the adrenaline rush that can easily lead to a life long passion!

 

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

-Pat

I highly recommend ultralight tackle and live bait/bobber to start out. We are just getting into sunfish season, they'll be on beds possibly as soon as today with the full moon cycle. Definitely the next full moon. But throw minnows/crickets/worms on bobber, everything in the fishery bites those things and the goal with a child is to create excitement and catch something so I'd start there!

I'm going to echo all the panfish, live bait, and bobber advice. That's how my dad taught me to fish. 

 

It looks like @Pat Brown's personal experience has you covered on how to make it the best possible experience for a neurodivergent young person. Great information and insight there. 

 

Finally, thanks for being a great dad! It's a cliche, but the gift of an outdoor hobby is pretty priceless and will pay dividend throughout their life 

@Wedge63 I moved from VB to Chesapeake last year so I have a few spots I don't mind sharing. I'll send you a PM

On 4/11/2025 at 7:16 AM, Pat Brown said:

Hey there - neurodivergent angler here.  I'm autism spectrum and ADHD.

 

It must have been hell on my poor father but hey, I turned out alright!  

 

Just be patient - be kind - be whimsical.

 

Remember fishing is about making something our own (I have to remember this with my own son!) and as fathers the best we can do is stay out of the way sometimes.

 

When first getting started - I liked to look for signs of life - help my dad pick lures - count birds - help watch for stumps - anything I could do to be a part of it and stay engaged.

 

Take lots of breaks.  Bring snacks.  Bring soda.  Give big hugs and make sure you remember to laugh and be a proud dad.

 

Worms and minnows and live crawfish are fun for young eager minds to hunt for and catch fish better than 1,000,000$ worth of bass pro shops premium tackle.

 

Let him get a feel for bites and casts and locating and catching fish with live bait and maybe panfish or something to that effect and he will feel the adrenaline rush that can easily lead to a life long passion!

 

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

-Pat

Funny you mention crawdads 

 When I was young visiting family in Washington state. We would catch crawdads off the dock. It was fun. We used a string and bubble gum. We filled a 5 gallon bucket. 

Have you tried pier or dock fishing with bloodworms for summer spot and croaker? When they are around the action is good and there is little to no casting involved unless you want to. Just a metal double bottom rig with a ounce or two sinker and two #4 snelled hooks. Thread an inch-long piece of bloodworm on each hook and hang on. You never know what you will catch in saltwater.

 

They are better eating, too.