So my little one is only 19 months and already wants to "Help Daddy Fish". I had the little thumb press zebcos when i was a kid but they always tore up. What do y'all recommend for a first rod and reel that isn't junk? It will be saltwater .
just that- a vintage Zebco 888. Pop off the caps and hose it down after, add a little oil on the moving parts, and it should easily hold up until the little one steps up to spinning gear. They hold about 175 yds of 17lb test as I recall, and the 888 actually had star drag and power handle- just right for cranking spots and croakers straight up. I still keep a few of these around for the youngsters. My 0.02.
John
zebco dock demon - nice glass rod that I use for large fish, easy to carry on the plane, great price too.
I started 'bout that age, but w/ a nat-boo pole... can't imagine little hands/arms fighting gravity
to keep reel/guides correctly positioned on top -- go underspin & let gravity HELP!
also, I'd plan for future & NOT get a combo: opt for cheapest, most disposable reel
w/ good trigger for weak little fingers, to be upgraded on B-day(s) -- eventually, to better type
go opposite w/ rod -- better is LIGHTER!!! ...something an experienced 5-y-o wouldn't sneer at as "baby rod"
maybe even, something YOU could find of occasional use when it's outgrown (e.g., decent Ice Rod)
Two Mickey Mouse combos with the lighted rod. One for fishing and one for pretend-fishing and practicing at home.
-steve
you know, there's a slew of Levi Vids out there
not a single Mickey or Snoopy among them:
https://youtu.be/rpuUOWqzEOI
I can't fault the Zebco, caught my first fish on it as well as both my daughter and son caught theirs. Semi retired now in the rack until the day I have another generation to get started.
Steve is totally right about it not just being "fishing". That Zebco combo I pretty much got tangled in every palm tree in my parents front yard, and "target casting" at hula hoops in the yard was fun (and good practice). - john
My first reel was a zebco 202 combo from kmarket.
I had a few of those Zebco a growing up and hated the way they casted and if the line wasn't taunt, it would not reel in.
I switched to cheap spinners with the wire bail then upgraded to Daiwa then PENN. It was hard to learn in the beginning but I got the hand of it and was natural thereafter.
The child is nineteen months old. A new rig will be needed every few years. Might as well start a collection.
-steve
just a small spinner and a 4 foot rod. he'll have a ball. the combo shouldn't cost more than $20!!!!!
Just don't do what my dad did. He let me use a spendy ultra light combo of his and I accidentally sat on it and broke it. Pretty sure he never forgave me for that. Wish he would just handed me a Ken or Barbie combo, cause I wouldn't have known the difference, and if I broke it, dad wouldn't lose any sleep over its demise
well, for 18 months kids there is no much need to think about it, a good Superman spincast combo will be good, your kid will not be actually fishing at that age but will be exited to have that rod in his small hands like daddy, for when he is 3 o 4yo, then you can think in a good solid glass rod which are practically unbreakable and put some small cut baits to catch some sardines and small creatures.
for my little princess when they were 5-6yo I bought them some light daiwa Megaforce rods 6-14lb (which were composite contruction) with a 2500 shimano sonora reels but I they're gonna be use for shore and rock fishing in saltwater, that combos served pretty well for them many years, heck, I still even have it in my personal arsenal but no longer in use (now they are 21yo, 16yo and 10yo and use daddy's expensive gear Yaik!!).
I never cared how bad she threated that combo at that time but for my surprise it handle kid careless treatment pretty good, cheap reels come and go when use them in saltwater but a rod could serve you for many years as long as you clean it with freshwater after every use.
they had no problem fighting the small fish but always handled me the rod when a hungry 4# triggerfish ate the micro bait, it felt like fighting a big grouper when you fight a 4# triggerfish on 6# mono line.
Ugly Stik has a 36" spinning combo for about 12-14 bucks. The reel is junk, but l replaced it with a tiny Daiwa 500C strung with 10 lb braid and it's my go to rig to throw back into culverts for panfish, bass, or anything willing to bite.
Alex, nice side hijack. Your daughter is adorable!
Quote from: Bryan Young on October 15, 2020, 12:25:57 AM
Alex, nice side hijack. Your daughter is adorable!
thanks Bryan, she will kill me if she know that Im posting pics of her when she was 3yo
on that pic she was using a cheapo shakespeare alpha reel, I recall changing many reels but the rod kept going strong, no reason for a nice 2500 sized expensive reel for a 5yo that will having it knocking on every rock
You're a good dad Alex.
-steve
Well thanks for all the replies, I'll post back what I end up with.