Kids Fishing and Equipment

[CrawfishKiller]

I'm curious to see when some of you guys got your kids into bass fishing.  I've taken my son bluegill and crappie fishing before and he keeps telling me he wants to land a "hog". 

 

Also, did you start them off on a spin cast reel? or go straight into spinning gear?

[TOXIC]

Trusty Zebco 303's to start.  Spinning reel when they could handle more accurate casting.  Baitcasters when they got proficient with the spinning gear.  

[Airman4754]

I started taking my six year old either right before or right after he turned three. I took my two year old out for the first time yesterday. I cast it for him, handed it off, he hooked a bass and landed it (that d**n Ned rig). Then he handed me the rod and went to go play. He is batting 1.000 now, but that percentage will probably go down a bit.

 

I started them both on a little spincast and as soon as they can cast on their own it's onto spinning gear.

[IndianaFinesse]

As soon as you can keep them interested in bass fishing for long enough to realistically catch a fish, little kids get bord easily.  Start them off on spincast if they are very young, but do them a favor and don't buy them a plastic batman rod.  An ugly stik is a good rod to start them on, when it gets dropped off the side of a dam or thrown on the ground it won't break. 

[Bluebasser86]

My oldest was about 6 months the first time he went in the boat, edit courtesy of @buzzed bait

 

His first time meeting a fish.

This past year was the first time he'd really fished, he was 2 at that point. I started him with a Zebco Dock Demon rod and 20 size President spinning reel.

Now he's 3 and gotten pretty good at reeling, even has several solo catches under his belt and looks like a seasoned vet while posing with his fish.

Our trips are always short, when he's done, we're done. I try to make sure they're his idea as much as possible and that wherever we go has a very healthy population of readily catchable fish. I feel like I'm doing something right because barely a day goes by that he doesn't ask if we can go fishing. Going to be time for him to graduate to a little better rod than the one he has. 

[Mike L]

34 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

My oldest was about 6 months the first time he went in the boat, edit courtesy of @buzzed bait

 

His first time meeting a fish.

This past year was the first time he'd really fished, he was 2 at that point. I started him with a Zebco Dock Demon rod and 20 size President spinning reel.

Now he's 3 and gotten pretty good at reeling, even has several solo catches under his belt and looks like a seasoned vet while posing with his fish.

Our trips are always short, when he's done, we're done. I try to make sure they're his idea as much as possible and that wherever we go has a very healthy population of readily catchable fish. I feel like I'm doing something right because barely a day goes by that he doesn't ask if we can go fishing. Going to be time for him to graduate to a little better rod than the one he has. 

 

Clayton.....

Thats great.I can tell you are one proud Daddy!!

 

I started my son and all 3 grandsons on a cheap little casting rod and they all used my first reel..

A Johnson Century 100. I Love that thing and every once in a while I take it out of the box just to look at it and remember..

 

 

 

Mike 

[NYWayfarer]

My son started with a superman spincast setup. When his interest in fishing lasted more than 15 minutes he saved up enough money to get a Quantum Snapshot combo.

 

I like the looks of the Ike Dude combos from Abu Garcia. Looks like a decent rod and reel setup that won't fall apart on kids.

[ww2farmer]

8 minutes ago, Finesse Wayfarer said:

 

I like the looks of the Ike Dude combos from Abu Garcia. Looks like a decent rod and reel setup that won't fall apart on kids.

They are pretty decent combos, that's what each of my kids has and they have served them well.

 

I try to take my kids fishing when I know it's going to be fast and easy, having to grind all day for a handful of bass is not fun for kids.

 

The fast and easy part is usually about a month or so window in the spring, where everything is on the bank and chasing, and in-between catching bass and pike, it's rock bass one after another. I keep lure selection simple..........chuck and wind. KVD 1.0 crankbaits catch everything that swims, as does swimming a grub on a jig head. My oldest daughter is now 12, and she's going to be in for a "reel" treat this spring when I show her how to catch smallies off beds.

[buzzed bait]

start as early as you can!  i took my nephew when he was about 2.  Started his brother out at about that same age.  Every time i talk to my older nephew (4 now) he says "Unc when are we going fishing?" EVERY TIME!

they are both much better with the spincast.  i tried them with spinning and it was awkward for them to use so we stuck with the spincast for now.  the dock demon is hard to beat man, they've put that thing through hell and back and it still works like a charm!

 

starts from somewhere too, here's a pic of me about 30 years ago with my stringer!

 

 

 

and here are my dudes!

 

 

[scaleface]

3 hours ago, Mosster47 said:

I started taking my six year old either right before or right after he turned three. I took my two year old out for the first time yesterday. I cast it for him, handed it off, he hooked a bass and landed it (that d**n Ned rig). Then he handed me the rod and went to go play. He is batting 1.000 now, but that percentage will probably go down a bit.

 

 

 Hahaha . My twenty year old is batting 1.000 too . When he was about  ten we went on a seven mile canoe trip . He never did like fishing anyways , I rigged up half a Tiki Stick on  a jig head and handed him the rod . He made one cast , caught a sallmouth put the rod down and went swimming . He hasnt fished since . Just doesnt like it .

[RoLo]

 

I think the starter tackle should hinge on age.

Spincasting gear would be appropriate for toddlers, but for children over 5, I'd go straight to spinning tackle.

 

Thanks Bluebasser & buzzed bait, this is the future of our great sport  

 

Roger

[Catt]

Aiden is 10 yes old, this is his 5th yr, caught his first bass on a fluke.

 

This is also his 2nd yr with a baitcaster!

[Cranjus McBasketball]

My kids started with the old reliable Zebco 33.  My son is now 12 and has "mastered" baitcasters.  I'll admit, he "mastered" them earlier than I did when I was kid.  My daughter is 10 and is still content with the zebco or a smaller spinning combo.  The look of excitement when they catch fish is priceless.

[Paul Roberts]

Spin-cast early but get them into something faster -retrieve wise- ASAP.