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Children's Fishing Rods?

JamesD

JamesD

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I have fished only a few times in my life, i.e. I know nothing about fishing.

My club, Shirley Rod and Gun, is having a fishing derby in a few weeks and I would like to take my kids, ages 4, 2 and 2. While only my oldest may be able to focus long enough to actually fish, I would like to buy rods for all 3.

Can anyone suggest decent starter rods and accessories, as well as a good retailer? We live in Concord, MA but I have no problem driving an hour to the right store.

Thank you in advance for your help.
 
Any cheap, short, push button combo will work fine. The shorter the better for their age.
You'll need hooks, bobbers, and maybe some weights.

Good luck and have fun. You might need needle nosed pliers too.
 
Take your wife or an assistant to help out, and do not bother trying to fish yourself. They will want to cast themselves. You may want to go away from the rest of the crowd, and get ready to do a lot of untangling of lines. I taught my son and daughter how to cast when they were 5'ish with a small rubber ball at the end of the line, with a push button rod. Now at 7 and 11 i am amazed how well they can cast. They also now have nice and fancy rods. It will be a fun time no matter how you cut it. Do not get anything fancy. go to Walmart or Dicks.
 
If youre not opposed to walmart its a good place to start, they will likely have kits for children that come with everything theyll need. Brand and quality arent a major concern for that age group, long as you can keep them from swordfighting with them. Worm and bobber is always the best way to start kids off.
 
I like the advice. Keeping it simple sounds good. My wife is coming with us, but I'm sure it will be a cluster f with more sword fighting than fishing. I may be more excited than them.
 
When I started my kids out, I kept it simple. They'er 9 and 7 now and I let them use small rooster tails and soft plastics. Sometimes I'll get live bait for them and watch them crap themselves when a couple pound bass eats it, the look on their faces are priceless!!

But basicly they pan fish because they don't have the pacients it takes yet.

Small hooks are key. Not too small, just remember what your trying to catch, they probably have small mouths. With that small hook, you don't need a lot of worm on it. A small piece works best. It gives the fish a better chance to suck it all in rather just nibbling on a dangling piece of worm.

Bring a camera and take lots of pictures!!
 
JamesD said:
I have fished only a few times in my life, i.e. I know nothing about fishing.

My club, Shirley Rod and Gun, is having a fishing derby in a few weeks and I would like to take my kids, ages 4, 2 and 2. While only my oldest may be able to focus long enough to actually fish, I would like to buy rods for all 3.

Can anyone suggest decent starter rods and accessories, as well as a good retailer? We live in Concord, MA but I have no problem driving an hour to the right store.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Click to expand...

some of the clubs actually provide rods when they do the derby's. check first
 
Same boat here. Just started getting my 3 year son on our boat. He " fished" with me for 4 hours yesterday out in the lake and loved it. Here's my tips.

1) snacks, snack, snacks. Trust me. Snacks!!!
2) Bring your kids to Walmart and let them pick their carton character rod/reel. My son picked a ironman rod reel and a Spider-Man life vest. He now considers both items "his"
3) Try to pick the same brand/type for all three. Then as soon as you get home, learn how to take them apart and untangle them, as your kids willl, no doubt, create the birds nest from hell inside that reel. I can't tell you how many times I torn that thing apart yesterday.
4) Actually might not be a bad idea to grab a spare rod/reel for when you kid drops his/her in the water.
5) It's still early in the season and most of the fish haven't made their way up yet. Water temps are still low.. Hopefully it's warm up soon and the pumpkinseed/ bluegills will come out to play.
 
Everyone started here:
il_570xN.475690402_s4fh.jpg
 
What everyone else said. Think small combo rods and reels. Start with small hooks, the excitement of a kid hooking a sunfish is great. But I would double up the dozen night crawlers as more often than not they get spilled, stepped on ,torn apart so the kids can play with the mud inside..just enjoy it for what it is.
 
Pick up a couple of the cheap push buttons. That way you'll have a backup with you. Something's bound to get tangled or snagged with little kids.
 
Great advice(s) above.

The only recommendation I have is to get small hooks with long shanks. Less likely to gut-hook the fish, and easier to remove by grabbing the shank with pliers, and just turn it over, dropping the fish.
 
Don't forget a few small bobbers. My kids are in their 30s, they learned with Zebco 202 push buttons. We sell fish together and have been for 30 year.
 
All good advice. The best thing you can do, dad, is educate yourself so you are ready to help them to the next level. My dad got me started and from about age six on I was hooked. They may take to it or not, but if you love it, chances are they will. A small car topper boat launched on small ponds can bring you some of the greatest times of your life. It's also a great parenting tool, as kids pretty much have to listen to you when they are eight feet away in the middle of a pond. Happy fishing
 
And... Consider coming to the concord rod and gun club's annual kids fishing derby. Sunday the 27th. PM me for info. If you're local, you can't beat it.
 
Bought my 5 yr old a Spider-man fishing pole last year. I put some real fishing line in it.
He caught tons of fish even a 16" Bass.
 
Obie1 said:
All good advice. The best thing you can do, dad, is educate yourself so you are ready to help them to the next level. My dad got me started and from about age six on I was hooked. They may take to it or not, but if you love it, chances are they will. A small car topper boat launched on small ponds can bring you some of the greatest times of your life. It's also a great parenting tool, as kids pretty much have to listen to you when they are eight feet away in the middle of a pond. Happy fishing
Click to expand...

Very true. My best memories are from a small tin boat in a local pond with my dad
 

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