My boy turns 5 this week. And part of his Bday is fishing. Took him to the state park yesterday as it was the first place that my googler recommended.

Needless to say, it was as productive (catching fish wise) as I have ever been at a state park pier. Great father/son time but I would like to keep his interest in the activity and know having bites is what will keep his attention and allow us to spend more time at the water rather than him getting bored.

Are there any spots that are a bit more productive than the state park you ETX natives can recommend?

You can fish off pier at Green Acres Park atvLake Tyler, I would take some cubes and bait for catfish. Nice area, you might be asked to join, but 5-10 bucks is better than admission to state park every time.
Also at Lake Tyler there is new RV Park that also has commercial stuff and a covered fishing pier that they bait, but you have to pay I think 7 dollars. But I was there on overcast day and they were tearing the crappie up, nice area and if he gets tired can run and get on playground. No riff raff out there either.
It is called the Boulders, you turn on Camp Tyler road

Also check out the TPWD right off university and Fm 848, they have fishing pond, and do trout in early spring, and lots of nature area/walks- I think it is free.

Thanks. I'll get the kid out there in the next week.

We've got a place you can rent in cass county. Its got a stocked tank on it, is about 40 mins to caddo lake, 30 min to wright patman, 20 to lake o the pines, an hour from the trout in the lower mountain fork in broken bow.

South Spring Baptist just south of 49 on the west side of 69 has a decent sized lake/pond and they encourage people to come fish it. Don't need to check in or anything....just go out and drop your hook.

UT Tyler has a good size pond on campus. They also have a sand beach on one part of the lake. I used to take my kids, and they would play in the sand while I threw a few hooks out. Typically caught 6-7 small catfish per trip.

Then about 2 years ago, they started construction on the new business building near the lake. Maybe it is just bad luck (or bad fishing), but ever since they started construction I have been 3-4 times with the kids, and haven't gotten a single bite.The building is finished now, so maybe it is back to normal now. I haven't tried in the last 6 months or so.

I guess it is this time of year when you can just stand on bank at Wright Patman, especially at Atlanta Star Park and tear catfish up. They taste good out of Sulphuri River up there.

Just wanted to post an update on this for the OP.

My kids were out of town last week, so on Stive's recommendation I decided to check out South Springs Baptist church and fish for a bit after work. Got there around 7pm, and used chicken livers on a treble hook under a bobber. From 7-8 not a bite. Just sat there and read Texags on my phone. However, around 8pm when the sun started to go down, something clicked. From 8 - 9, I caught 12 cats, some of which were a pretty decent size (3-4 lbs).

My youngest son is 6, and he loves to fish. I will probably take him down there this summer.

Wow. We will check it out.

Actually took a family trip to the jelly stone campgrounds. Kids caught several perch/sunfish.. a mixture of corn/hotdogs/worms/cheese...had a blast!