Son's first rod and reel

gearhead · Apr 22, 2012

Howdy All,

So, my son is turning 5 this year, and has shown a lot of interest in learning to fish. It's been years since I've been freshwater fishing, and a lot I've forgotten. I'd like to get him a nice rod and reel for his birthday, but have no idea where to start looking for something well made that won't break the bank. Should I just go to Cabela's and talk to a salesman? Thanks for any advice y'all have to offer.

DOA · Apr 22, 2012

If you want a nice easy setup, uglystick has a great combo for trout, bass and bluegill. I have 2 kids 7 & 6 and they have been fishing since 4, even with friends their age and that one rod and reel is a great combo. They use others now, but it's a great starter too. Again, easy to use. I actually found it at Sports Authority for $49. Its a diehard setup. Let me look and try and find it for you...a link.

I bought the spiderman and what not kinda setup, and it was terrible. Yeah, you could use it, but it doesn't cast far and doesn't come off the reel very easy either. They do have adult competitions with them. lol

gearhead · Apr 22, 2012

I think I may have seen that on Shakespeare's site. It looked like it would take some abuse. He said he wanted a spiderman or a lightning mcqueen, and I figured those would break, lol. Thanks for the advice, I'll look into the ugly stick.

jbett98 · Apr 22, 2012

Walmart has Ugly Stik combo's that will work. The 5',2" rod with a closed faced reel is probably the best and easiest to master at that age.
Plus you really have to try hard to break one of them.
My daughter's first fishing trip at five ended rather quick, when she couldn't wait for me to help her cast out of the boat for the first time.
All I heard was a plop and then she pointed to some bubbles in the water as her brand new Minnie Mouse pole went to the bottom of the lake.

DOA · Apr 22, 2012

I would quickly grab a pick, but it's in the truck and ready to go when we have a moment. I have a batman one right here in the room too. Worthless, but amazing advertising. My sons would always ask for it and I would hate to bring it out. I have my daughter who ties her own, baits her own and throws a mean cast with a spinning reel. She's been hardcore fishing with me for hours and never a complaint or distraction. My son, lasts about few minutes and is ready to do something else. He gets all pumped and then bounces.

My advice, find a place where you know he will catch and get him hooked.

pun intended. You will be grinning ear to ear, and never forget it. Get good pics of it too. They love to show them off to friends.

DOA · Apr 22, 2012

jbett98 said:
Walmart has Ugly Stik combo's that will work. The 5',2" rod with a closed faced reel is probably the best and easiest to master at that age.
Plus you really have to try hard to break one of them.

Closed faced is the key, but I think mine is a bit shorter, but casts a mile...at least to them and gets to where the fish are.

DinhRose · Apr 24, 2012

Dang i am a day late and a dollar short. I just got rid of a bunch of smaller trout and pan fish rods and reels. I would have been more than glad to pass them along but i donated them instead. Those little cartoon themed combos actually work really well for kids.

ineptspelr · Apr 24, 2012

I bought my son an emmrod pole @ age 3 and placed a cheap closed face reel on it. He was able to learn to cast it very easily. The coils in the middle act like a catapult and whip the line out with very little force. as an adult, I can cast it almost as far as a full-size pole from a sitting or kneeling position. It as also made of stainless steel and almost impossible to break through accidental contact with the ground or other objects. If you get a 6-8 coil pole, it will catapult out easier and be more sensitive to fish strikes.

Cougfan2 · Apr 24, 2012

Any decent 5-6' spincasting rod with either a Johnson or Zebco closed face spincasting real will work just fine filled with 6 lb. mono. I don't know what part of Oregon you are in, but if you are close to the PDX area, especially the west side, Hagg lake has lots of accessible shoreline and a kid can have a ball catching bluegill maybe even a trout or Smallmouth bass.

gearhead · Apr 24, 2012

Thanks for all the advice y'all. I'm out in Astoria, but moving up to the Long Beach peninsula this summer. We make it to Portland from time to time, so we'll be sure to check out Hagg lake. I grew up in the south fishing small ponds and the lake with Dad, catching brim and bass. It was the most fun I had before duck hunting, without a doubt.