Need suggestion for kid's fishing pole

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She's 8 yrs old and fascinated by fish and fishing but I know little about fishing so I need an idea what kind of inexpensive pole, hook and bait will work for her in a lake. We'll probably just be tossing the fish back in - at least that's what I plan on doing as I've only cleaned a fish once in my life!
 
I remember teaching my stepson to fish when he was 8. It was a gas. Based on those memories, here are two suggestions:

About $40: http://www.cabelas.com/product/shak...reg-gx2-8482-youth-spincast-combo/1706363.uts

About $15: http://www.cabelas.com/product/zebco-174-dock-demon-spincast-combo/1907771.uts

Both packages include rod, reel, and fishing line. You supply hooks, sinkers, and bait.

The first one is a full length rod (5 ft 6 in) suitable for kids and adults. It will work pretty much anywhere you would want to fish.

The other rod is short -- only 30 inches long -- and is meant for fishing off a dock or other area where space is limited. If you are not sure you and your daughter(?) will do much fishing, it might be a good choice for your situation.

One specific reason why I chose these two packages over the other "youth" packages at Cabellas is both have a closed "spincast" reel. This means there is an housing that covers the fishing line wrapped up on the reel. A closed reel is a good choice for kids because the fishing line is protected from some of the strange things that happen when kids or inexperienced adults are fishing. Also, it's easier to cast than an open "spinning" reel. My stepson regularly snarled up the line on his open reel when he was learning to cast. An closed reel would probably have saved him and his dad some aggravation!
 
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And the enclosed are so much fun to untangle when they go awry. I learned as a child with a very nice spinning real after I threw my Zebco in the lake and told Daddy I wanted a nice rod and reel. I was around 7 or 8 and hated that dang Zebco. Sorry everyone. I would go to a nice known local preferably not a chain tackle store, but a nice private owned store if you have one to go to. They are a wealth of info and can help within your budget and give suggestions and talk to them about a nice set-up for a child. Just tell them what you want and a ball park budget and not to show you the priciest setup in the store. If you do not get a good feel about the store or info try to find another. Then teach them to cast it in the back yard with a weight on it. We also taught both our girls to fish with Shimano or Garcia spinning reels at very young ages, by 11 they were using Baitcaster reels. Fishing is a lot of fun and good for all ages, just don't get something to cheap that will discourage them. Sorry I don't have a particular suggestion since I not longer have my boat I am kinda out of the loop. Started fishing as a kid in lakes, stream etc and progressed to Offshore fishing. Also forgot to mention tell them what you will most likely fish for and the size and weight of the child. It all makes a difference
 
Youtube it.
That will get you some of your own ideas. I remember the closed reels and learning both the closed and open reels as well as fly reels and spincast. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of fishing you are going to do and where.

If the young lady is going to be fishing off docks or in ponds there are poles and reels for that. Rivers and streams? From a boat?
As you can easily see there are lots of choices and lots of opinions. I have a good excuse - er - reason for every pole and reel that I have.

I fish, therefore I stretch the truth.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve
 
Thank you so much ladies. Very great advice Carolyn, and I'm storing it for future use (there's no good mom and pop shops here, but I bet Oceanside or Encinitas would) I am going to try the cheap and easy way for now because I'm not sure she completely comprehends what happens to a fish after you catch it. Reading about it is one thing - but holding a living, squirming fish in your own hand and having say over its life or death is something that I think she'll have difficulty with.

She's also extremely independent and will want to do this without help, so I think the Zebco will suit her for now. But, if she takes to fishing - she'll want to move on to the "real" rods. That's just how she works!

Youtube it.
That will get you some of your own ideas. I remember the closed reels and learning both the closed and open reels as well as fly reels and spincast. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of fishing you are going to do and where.

If the young lady is going to be fishing off docks or in ponds there are poles and reels for that. Rivers and streams? From a boat?
As you can easily see there are lots of choices and lots of opinions. I have a good excuse - er - reason for every pole and reel that I have.

I fish, therefore I stretch the truth.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve

LOL! We'll be fishing off a dock. The lake is very casual with very little serious fishing although we met one person who'd caught a 16 lb bass. Honestly - she might be happier with a big net because when we feed the ducks (Hey...there was no sign anywhere that said we couldn't) it brought out these HUGE catfish...and she was far more fascinated with them than the baby ducks!
 
Oh no! I noticed one family of ducks had dwindled from 4 ducklings to only 1 :(. I assumed they'd been had by coyotes or cars but the catfish seem more likely the culprit.

Maybe we'd better to learn how to snag those big ol' catfish! :evil:
 
Youtube it.
That will get you some of your own ideas. I remember the closed reels and learning both the closed and open reels as well as fly reels and spincast. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of fishing you are going to do and where.

If the young lady is going to be fishing off docks or in ponds there are poles and reels for that. Rivers and streams? From a boat?
As you can easily see there are lots of choices and lots of opinions. I have a good excuse - er - reason for every pole and reel that I have.

I fish, therefore I stretch the truth.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve
LOL, yep me too. That is why I recommended talking to a rep in a nice private tackle or bait shop. Kids get very discouraged when they cannot get something to work. Also, even fishing off the end of a dock you cannot be sure what is lurking. Might be bigger than Blue Gills. With a nice little spinning setup they can open the bail and just drop the line down. Catfish also like beef liver and chicken livers. That is what we used to use for catching them
 
Thank you so much ladies. Very great advice Carolyn, and I'm storing it for future use (there's no good mom and pop shops here, but I bet Oceanside or Encinitas would) I am going to try the cheap and easy way for now because I'm not sure she completely comprehends what happens to a fish after you catch it. Reading about it is one thing - but holding a living, squirming fish in your own hand and having say over its life or death is something that I think she'll have difficulty with.

She's also extremely independent and will want to do this without help, so I think the Zebco will suit her for now. But, if she takes to fishing - she'll want to move on to the "real" rods. That's just how she works!
I think the Ocean Side tackle store closed. But I have not been in the Harbor for several years and there may be one there. My boat was in O'side Harbor. There are several around the docks in San Diego. Check West Marine website they have a spinning combos starting around $45. I know a bit higher than Zebco. At her age she is most likely not going to remove the fish from the hook or bait it herself at first. Part of the life and death part is teaching them it is food or give them the choice to catch and release. To release hold the fishing by the mouth and try not to remove the slime from their bodies. I can understand the cheap. My kids did not have much choice but to learn since they grew up fishing, camping and boating. :). One of my daughters friends almost pulled a 200 lb thresher shark into out boat. LOL, that's another story...
 
I think the Ocean Side tackle store closed. But I have not been in the Harbor for several years and there may be one there. My boat was in O'side Harbor. There are several around the docks in San Diego. Check West Marine website they have a spinning combos starting around $45. I know a bit higher than Zebco. At her age she is most likely not going to remove the fish from the hook or bait it herself at first. Part of the life and death part is teaching them it is food or give them the choice to catch and release. To release hold the fishing by the mouth and try not to remove the slime from their bodies. I can understand the cheap. My kids did not have much choice but to learn since they grew up fishing, camping and boating. :). One of my daughters friends almost pulled a 200 lb thresher shark into out boat. LOL, that's another story...

I bet that's quite a story!!

I'd really need to find someone knowledgeable who would take her fishing; her uncle took her once but he did everything for her so in her eyes it didn't count. She's a hand's on person and want to do it herself. If she'd been on board with that thresher shark - she'd have been right there trying to pull it in!
 
My husband is an avid lake fisherman up here in Fresno, I might be able to get you some good suggestions, or if you're up for a drive you can head this way and we can take the both of you out for a trip on one of the lakes.
 
Have a thought as to finding someone to teach her. You can go to Kens Custom Reel in the Harbor and ask him if he knows of someone that would help teach her. Ken is a member of the Anglers Club and may know of a senior or young club member that would teach her. He pretty much knows most all the fisher people in the Harbor. Dang I miss those days...Maybe try calling the bait barge and ask if any of their young workers would like to make a little extra and teach her to fish. O'side does have a small fishing pier. Good luck fishing is a lot of fun. She can catch a fishy take her pic with it and release it if you do not like to eat them. We would always release our sharks when fishing the tourneys. Once I caught and released the same almost newborn Mako 2 times so we just had to leave because he did not get it. Talk a fish with a bad attitude, they are born with it. :)
 
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