Bought my nephew a tackle box..

[Templeton]

Hey guys, 

I had recently bought my nephew a tackle box for his birthday and need help to fill it. He's 7 years old and tomorrow I'm taking him fishing for the first time. I'm gonna show him the basics, catch a couple of bluegill with a worm and bobber. I know the boy will love it cause he's always amazed by my fish in my pictures I have caught lol. I'm just wondering what lures you would recommend for a kid his age. Any input would help, he's fishing mostly small lakes and ponds. I bought a few senkos and octopus hooks for him to use, along with a couple of bombers and rooster tails. 

Thanks, 

Templeton

[JPascavage52]

Mr. Twisters, Gulp Minnows, smaller jigheads, Ned Rigs, maybe some small worms.

It's been my experience that, with kids that age, catching numbers is more important than catching size, in order to keep them interested.

Good to start him early! 

[burrows]

My daughter started by throwing a rc square bill the smaller one. She was 5 years old at the time. Zebco combo. Treble baits are not always the best way to start but it worked for us?

[MPM IV]

Zoom trick worms or something similar. My son started fishing at 4 years old and catching bass with them. He can't cast well enough to use spinner baits or anything with a treble hook as mentioned above. Also something Texas rigged is far less likely to end up embedded in them when they stop paying attention.

[Last_Cast]

Nothing like a bobber and hook.

Some plastic worms would be a good idea

[the reel ess]

The live bait thing is best for starters because keeping them catching is what will keep his interest. If you decide to target bass, you can put a jig under the float and probably get a few more bass and fewer bluegill.

I started out sunfish and crappie fishing. I discovered that a small grub on a ball head jig will catch them all-crappie, bass, bluegill, white bass and even an occasional catfish. Even now, when I go to my buddy's pond that has monster bluegill and lots of small, hungry, dumb bass, I'll take a light combo rigged with a tandem rig of a plain grub in front and a Beetle Spin knockoff in back. Rigged with different bright colors. Sometimes you get a double hookup!

Rooster Tails are great. A Mepp's Mino is also a good bet. I like the Rebel Wee Craw and Tiny Craw. The smallest sized jointed Rapala is a good one. I know a lot of people swear by the Ned Rig. I have some pond size spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Rat L Traps catch a lot as well.

As someone mentioned above, the Zoom Trick Worm is fantastic for inexperienced anglers, but there will be a learning curve for being patient, feeling the bite & setting the hook.

[d-camarena]

Try livebait first. Then you can get him into flukes, grubs, senkos etc... Numbers baits

[Torn Thumb]

My 8 yr old son kills it with squarebills nowadays but when he started it was nightcrawlers and bobbers. As long as he is catching fish he is happy. For him bigger is better though.

[blckshirt98]

Doughbait on a bobber and hook for panfish for sure!  I grew up fishing for bluegill at a small local lake with homemade dough and had a blast with lots of fond memories.

[Outdoor Zack]

If you can find them, look for Rebel Wee-R's online or in small tackle stores.  They work well with a straight retrieve and the bluegills, crappies, redears, perch, and bass in my streams love them.  Good for when the bobber fishing gets boring as well 

[buzzed bait]

small grub on a jighead, catch all sorts of fish and really easy for him to fish.

[Bassun]

Whatever you get - I would down size it.  As mentioned above kids need action.  Most would rather catch a dozen dinks, over one really nice fish.  So focus on numbers.  I would even go so far as looking at really small stuff like bettle spins, and 2 inch grubs.  Great for any small fish, gills, perch, etc. and dink bass will thrash em too!  And, I don't know why, but some lunkers will suck up those tiny grubs too lol.

Definitely reaction style baits, small cranks, small spinner baits and definitely throw in some topwater stuff if they fish any ponds at all. 

[Templeton]

His face says it all guys. I appreciate all the comments and tips. I built him a tackle box with pliers, bobbers, hooks and weights. Gave him some senkos worm hooks.  Little guy loved it. He is actually really good at casting. My brother is gonna take him up for me while I'm in Alabama until I can move back up north.  I'm gonna wait till he's a little older to teach him about soft plastics so I don't burn him out on fishing. 

[blckshirt98]

Nice going, looks like he had a great time!