There's a moment every angler remembers.
The weight of a rod in your hand for the first time. The way it felt a little too big, a little awkward — but exciting in a way you couldn't quite explain. You didn't know what you were doing yet, but something about it just felt right.
That's exactly the look on her face.
It Starts Before You Even Get to the Water
Half the magic happens right here in the store.
Watch a kid walk through our doors for the first time. They head straight for the lure wall — all those colors, all those shapes, every one of them looking like it was designed specifically to catch a fish and a kid's attention at the same time. They want to touch everything. They want to know what every single one of them does.
Then they find the bait tank.
There is nothing — nothing — like watching a four year old see live minnows for the first time. Eyes wide. Tippy toes up to peak over the tank. Asking a hundred questions a minute, or quite as a mouse taking it all in. And when we scoop them up and pour them into that bag full of air, sealed up and ready to go? Complete amazement. Like we just did a magic trick.
The worm fridge is its own experience entirely. We keep our nightcrawlers cold and ready, and every kid who opens that door has the same reaction — part excitement, part "eww," part absolute determination to pick out the biggest one in the container. They carry that little cup of worms to the register like they caught them themselves.
And don't even get us started on the hats. We've got kids trying on Brannan's hats three sizes too big, looking up at their parents with that look that says "I need this." More often than not — they leave wearing it.
That's how fishing starts. Not at the lake. Right here.
Fishing Is One of the Last Things We Do Slowly
In a world where everything moves fast and every kid has a screen in their hand, fishing is one of the few things that still pulls a family outside and slows everything down. Nobody's on their phone when the line goes tight. Nobody's distracted when a kid reels in their first fish.
There's something about the patience it teaches. The stillness. The way a morning on the water stretches out and gives you room to actually talk to each other. A kid who learns to fish learns more than fishing — they learn to wait, to pay attention, to appreciate the quiet.
And they learn it from you. That's the part that matters most.
Northeast Texas Is Built for Family Fishing
We're lucky around here. Pat Mayse Lake is practically in our backyard — one of the most family-friendly lakes in northeast Texas with good bank fishing spots that are perfect for kids just starting out.
Lake Fork is worth the drive too. Known across Texas as one of the premier bass lakes in the state, it's also got a great playground and splash pad nearby — which means you can promise the kids a fishing trip and a little fun in the water afterward. Best of both worlds.
Lake Texoma sits on the Texas-Oklahoma border and offers some of the best striper and bass fishing in the region — big water, big fish, and plenty of room for the whole family to spread out and find their spot.
The fish are there. The water is there. All you need is the right gear and someone to take along.
Starting Young Is the Whole Point
You don't have to wait until a kid is old enough to cast perfectly or sit still for hours. Some of our favorite customers are five years old and more interested in the minnow tank than anything else in the store — and that's exactly right.
Start simple. A light spincast combo, some live bait, a cooperative bank spot. Let them feel a bite. Let them reel something in. Let them pick out their own worms. Let them wear the hat.
Once they catch that first fish — you won't be able to keep them off the water.
Come See Us Before Your Next Trip
Whether it's your kid's first rod or your own upgrade, we'll help you find exactly what you need. We're open seven days a week from 6AM to 6PM, right off Highway 271 North in Powderly — just down the road from Pat Mayse Lake.
Stop in. We'll get the kids set up at the bait tank while we help you find the right gear.
And maybe — just maybe — you'll be back in here next weekend with a photo of that first catch. We love seeing those.
That's the best part of this job.
— The Team at Brannan's Bass Shop