What casting rod/reel for teenage girl

[FlaGaitor]

I have a 14 year old petite girl who needs a rod and bait caster that is not too heavy.  When she uses mine, her wrist get tired very quickly.  I am thinking a shorter rod, say, 5.5' might be the ticket, but who makes them light weight and a matching, bait caster that is also light weight.  I am looking for quality as well.  A good sensitive rod and a smooth, easy to cast, reel. 

[Angry John]

St croix has an avid line that is pink.  A 66mf is very versatile matched with the alphas sv it would be lite and a great setup.  I would consider it medium price and good quality.

[scaleface]

Sound s like a job for an old pistol grip Lightning rod . If you lived nearby I would give her one .

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

A fairly inexpensive possibility might be one of the venerable UglyStik GS casting rods. They aren't glamorous or "the latest thing" but if you go to the UglyStik website you will see they have 5'6" pistol grip rods in both one- and two-piece configurations and M or MH styles. If you aren't sure how serious she is about fishing, you can grab one for forty bucks. Pair it with an inexpensive, light-weight reel and she will have a serviceable rig for under a hundred bucks - and they are almost indestructible. This may not be the way to go if she is as gung-ho as most of us.

[new2BC4bass]

6 hours ago, FlaGaitor said:

I have a 14 year old petite girl who needs a rod and bait caster that is not too heavy.  When she uses mine, her wrist get tired very quickly.  I am thinking a shorter rod, say, 5.5' might be the ticket, but who makes them light weight and a matching, bait caster that is also light weight.  I am looking for quality as well.  A good sensitive rod and a smooth, easy to cast, reel. 

 

An Okuma Helios rod.  7' MF weighs 3.4 oz.  $180 rod Jet.com is selling for $121.34 with free shipping.  TT gave it a "Great" rating.  http://tackletour.com/reviewokumaheliosrod.html  Also reviews here at bassresource.  Gary weighed the rod at 3.3 oz. on his scale.  https://www.bassresource.com/tackle-reviews/

 

The Helios Air baitcasting reel makes an excellent addition.  Weight 5.6 oz.  Love this reel.  Walmart has 3 left at $179.95...a $280 reel.  Another one that is almost as light...at 5.8 oz....is the Pinnacle Primmus.  Sells for $225.  Amazon has 2 left for $202.95 + $4.99 Shipping.  I paid a lot less for mine, but you won't find those prices anymore.  Both reels have been reviewed by bassresource.

 

I have to say the Primmus is my easiest reel to cast.  Distance is very good, but most importantly it is the only reel I set the spool tension and brakes on when I took it out of the box, and have never had to touch it since...with the exception of one time having to reset the spool tension when I somehow accidentally backed it completely off.

 

Whenever I visit Florida I have to make minor adjustments to all my reels because of having to change my casting stroke while there.  The Primmus is the only reel I never had to re-adjust.  Says hand tuned at the factory, but if I understand it correctly from my reading this only means each reel was individually gone through before shipping so all parts are properly lubed.  No supertuning involved AFAIK.

 

I've cast a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait directly into a strong wind with this reel and had not one overrun or backlash.  A lure not known for its great aerodynamics.    Just so you know I am not speaking from a very limited baitcast reel experience, I own reels from something like 8 brands.  Curados, Chronarchs, Tatulas, Zillions, Revos, Patriarch XTs, Lew's, TD-Zs, etc.

 

Alternatively DVT can build your daughter a nice rod.  I had Mike build a 6 ' MH casting rod for my daughter as she wanted a short rod....in pink.  

 

[roadwarrior]

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/okuma-helios-reel-rod.html

 

[new2BC4bass]

15 hours ago, FlaGaitor said:

I have a 14 year old petite girl who needs a rod and bait caster that is not too heavy.  When she uses mine, her wrist get tired very quickly.  I am thinking a shorter rod, say, 5.5' might be the ticket, but who makes them light weight and a matching, bait caster that is also light weight.  I am looking for quality as well.  A good sensitive rod and a smooth, easy to cast, reel. 

 

Did you mean for "wrist" to be plural?  Hopefully she is casting with 2 hands.  A pistol grip means she could only cast with one hand.  I don't use a pistol grip rod so I don't know if there are quality ones being made.  A 5'6" rod most likely will cut casting distance down quite a bit.  I don't know whether or not that is important to her.

 

If your daughter is casting with 2 hands now, I don't see how going to one hand casting with a pistol grip rod is going to help even if it is a bit lighter than a standard rod because all the work will be done by one wrist.

 

BTW, just noticed that this is your first post so  and 

[PAbasser927]

I can personally vouch that the new Tatula SV casting reels are fantastic.  They are very light and very difficult to backlash. The setup is also very simple as spool tension does not need to be adjusted everytime a lure is changed.  It is pretty much a "set it once and done" deal.  You can also set the brakes so you don't even have to thumb it when the lure hits the water.  I notice you will lose slight casting distance when doing this but it would a be perfect reel to learn on.  I have really been liking mine!

[scaleface]

14 hours ago, GrumpyOlPhartte said:

A fairly inexpensive possibility might be one of the venerable UglyStik GS casting rods. They aren't glamorous or "the latest thing" but if you go to the UglyStik website you will see they have 5'6" pistol grip rods in both one- and two-piece configurations and M or MH styles. If you aren't sure how serious she is about fishing, you can grab one for forty bucks. Pair it with an inexpensive, light-weight reel and she will have a serviceable rig for under a hundred bucks - and they are almost indestructible. This may not be the way to go if she is as gung-ho as most of us.

 

I just gave my Sister In Law  an old 5'6'' Ugly Stick yesterday . She broke her " Fishing pole" . Lets see her break this one .  Its thirty-five years old , one of the first ones built . I still have my first rod , a Shakespeare Wonder rod , which is now 47 years old . They are wrapped just like  the Ugly Stick . I wont give that rod away . I would like to find another   reel like the original  that went on it . I think it  was a 2200 .

 

Sorry ,ranting off topic .

[fishnkamp]

I look at this VERY differently. One of the biggest causes of hand fatigue is a combos balance! Also the shorter the rod will require more effort to get the same distance.

I learned a lot while teaching and helping my wife (then girlfriend) as she became addicted to fishing. She is just under five feet tall with a small frame and small hands. She not only can handle most any spinning gear from ultralight to heavier saltwater stuff, but also fishes with some 9 foot fly rods. It was always about proper balance.

 

I would start off by looking at some high quality spinning rods. Dobyns has a full lineup in the Sierra Series. There are a few in the Fury series, but I would stick to the Sierra series for better options. They are made using a better blank and offer more actions.  They even offer a 7 ft 5 power rod that my wife loves for frogging.  I would look at two rods. First I think the SA 693 SF is an all around perfect rod for her. She can throw all of the usual finesse baits on this. I would match it with a reel like the Okuma RTX30 ( very light) or a Pflueger President 30.  If she already has a good spinning rod for finesse baits ( grubs, tubes, light texas rigs, shakey heads, ned rigs etc,) then forget this one.

 

My next rod would be the replacement for a baitcaster. It would be a Dobyns Sierra SA 704SF.  That rod is built to handle jigs, texas rigs, Sencos, Flukes, but also baits like spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and even some topwaters. It would balance nice with a Pflueger Supreme 30 or 35.  My wife's SA 705SF is the next up in their lineup and it weighs basically the same as a 704. It balances great with a Supreme 35. Of course it has 30 pound Power Pro braid on it and we throw mostly frogs but it makes a great option if we want to toss BIG jigs deep on ledges out in Tennessee river impoundments.

 

If you really do want an all around baitcasting rod then I would call the factory and tell them you are looking at a Fury FR 663C, a FR664C , and both the Sierra SA683C and SA684C. The Sierras have nicer blanks, but full cork handles. Ask if the Sierras weigh more or less than the Fury series. I have held many of the Dobyns rods, but never one of the 6 footers.

 

If you go the spinning rod route now she can always add a baitcaster to her arsenal later and she will still have a very versatile spinning rod as well.  

[WRB]

I wouldn't make a distinction between girl or boy at 14 years old, girls can be more coordinated and athletic. If your daughter is into girly colors then that would be a consideration to get pink otherwise get whatever fits your budget.

Spinning tackle is easier on the wrist. Small hands consider size 50 light weight bait casting  reels. I would go with a 6' to 6' 6" medium power with moderate action rod and reels under 4 oz. Balance with slower moderate rod action is the key to reducing casting fatigue.

Tom

 

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

@fishnkamp: I certainly don't disagree with your argument. You make a lot of sense. I could not take your suggestion from a financial perspective; o I just don't have the bucks!  Certainly would be nice though. Just as an example, when I got back into fishing, I started with a 6'6" spinning outfit and a 6'6" casting outfit based on the GX2 rods because it's what I could afford. Now I've "upgraded" to a Manley (I fish from a sit-in kayak) and an Okuma TCS (same reason) and again my budget was a concern. Dobyns are beautiful rods and if I ever hit the lottery they will be on my shopping list! But, I have reconciled myself to the fact I'll never have the gear you big guns use, so I enjoy what I have ... And even catch a nice bass! Heck, I probably wouldn't do a whole lot better with expensive gear - until I get a whole lot better as a fisherman. Still, I completely buy into your point of view. Poverty sux!!!

[FlaGaitor]

Geez,  as New2bcforbass noted, this is my first post.  I really didn't expect this good of response.  I will update profile soon.  There have been a lot of suggestions thus far, and a lot to consider.  So, as I pick thru all the replies, there seem to be some really good questions that I need to ask my daughter first, and some more trial with the my rods/reels keeping in mind some of the things pointed out in this thread (meaning, I have a new set of questions to ask while she is trying out some of my gear).   This should get me down to what will make her happy and functional.  There definitely is some gear mentioned that I was not aware of and I so appreciate the suggestions.  

 

She has fished with me on and off over her years, and we are just finishing up a 3 year long project in a lakehouse on Lake Sinclair, Ga.  So, the fishing time is increasing.  She would probably tend more on the 'girly, girl' side, doesn't crave going fishing, but when she gets that 'tap, tap, tap', or a topwater hit, you can image the smile.  When her wrist (yes, one handed cast), get tired, I invite her to the front and lay down my rod, make cast for her and then give her the rod.  When I get a bit more time and update my profile, I will also post a pic of her with the 4-5 pounder she caught 2 weeks ago.  The smile on her face makes it where the cost of whatever I get her, does not matter.  Even if she only goes out with me from time to time.  I want her to have something that she can alway's have (past HS into College), that is hers and familiar.  She is past spinning gear and the tangles are frustrating (even for me).

 

Sorry so long, but I really appreciate the great response from my plea for help!!!  

BTW- I have used BassResource for a long while, just never registered.  

[Pro Logcatcher]

Lews Speed Stick Combo. My first and favorite baitcaster.

[fishnkamp]

My congrats for doing THE MOST IMPORTANT duty a dad can do for his kids. Spending time together is the most valuable gift a parent has today!  Time spent and memories made are not measurable in dollars or anything else.

As for dismissing spinning gear, please slow down on that thought.  I have no idea how many new style spinning reels and lines you have tried. So here is my suggestion of an experiment to try.

 

If you have not purchased a spinning reel within the last 5 years then do so. A quality reel like as Pflueger President is only around $50.  There are plenty others, but I can personally vouch for the 6930 and 6935 reels.  If you already own a similar reel then skip that part. Now spool the reel 1/2 way with a quality mono in say 12 to 14 pound test. I prefer Stren Clear Blue Mono. Now fill it up with Berkley FireLine braid in 14 pound test. That line is the same diameter as 6 pound mono.  The 125 yard spool of FireLine is not cheap, but using the mono as backing that one spool of braid will fill a couple of reels. Sometimes I will tie the braid directly to the lure, but more often I use a 5 foot leader made up of  8 # copolymer line. Almost any 8 pound copoly or mono works. P LIne CXX 8 pound test copoly is my favorite.

 

Anyway, I know this is a little complex, however I am confident you will be amazed how easy it casts and how few line issues you will have to deal with.  My wife always had trouble with line twist, curls and knots. I tried all brands and types of lines. Finally we tried FireLine as one fishing guide suggested. We have been rigged that way for over 5 years now. Also never close the bail by turning the handle.  We always stop the line with our finger, then close the bail manually by hand.

As for the Dobyns rods ( both spinning and baitcasting) that I suggested they are all high quality rods that I expected her to enjoy for decades.  I really do not like suggesting "beginner" gear, as it always means we expect to upgrade later.

 If she decides it needs to be a baitcaster. seriously look at the 6'6" and 6'8"  Dobyns baitcasters I mentioned earlier.

 

GrumpyOlPhartte  I understand poverty.  I just think most of us can save a little over time to afford a good setup.  A Dobyns Fury rod costs $110 and fishes like many other brands $200 rods.  A Pflueger President can be purchased for around $50.  When I was a snot nosed kid I used to go in a local Orvis fly shop to get tying supplies. I drooled over those gorgeous Orvis fly rods on the walls. The owner saw me do this over and over. One day he asked me to get their entry level rod off the wall, he grabbed a demo reel he had filled with line and we went outside and cast it. At the time I was about 14 and still riding a bike around.  We cast it and to me it was amazing compared to my cheap combo. He asked me what I liked to do, my other habits and hobbies. He saw a pack of cigarettes in my pocket. He challenged me to save the exact cost of a pack of cigarettes every time I purchased one. It did not take me long and I bought that same rod from him. When I started working flipping burgers I would stop in after getting paid and put $10 on account. When I had enough I would buy new gear.  I still have that beautiful Orvis Far and Fine rod, a 7'9" fly rod for 5 &6 weight lines. I still have 4 Orvis rods bought by saving a littlew over time. Those rigs were purchased back in the late 70's and 80's.

 

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

@fishnkamp: Great info. First, Bravo Zulu for emphasizing the spinning gear. The PO does seem to discount spinning gear in his posts though. Heck, the first rig I bought when I got back into fishing included a Pfleuger President and after a couple of years (and a few dunkings in various lakes, it's still going strong.  Gotta admit I appreciate the "saving up" but at my age they'd have to dig my sorry butt up to use whatever I was saving up to buy! I kinda lost perspective there.

@FlaGaitor: Looks to me like you have a lot to chew on.

[FlaGaitor]

I do some work and research to do GrumpyOlPhartte, your right about that.  I spent some time today looking up the rods/reels from the suggestions here and you know of course this gets you off on rabbit trails...  I've been in and out of bass fishing since I was 11.  I learned how to use a baitcaster very early and that is what I have always stuck with.  I usually keep on spinning outfit serviceable and ready to go, but never seem to pick it up.  FishNKamp got me to thinkin about that.  I still have the same spinning   rod/reel that I got a long time ago, a Mitchell (308?) on an ugly stick.  So, no, I haven't really given the spinning reel a fair shake especially with the modern equipment available.  And FishNKamp, I have never thought about using braid but that sounds like a fabulous idea.  I am just so in love with baitcasters, that my confidence and passion is in those guys.  And...I want my girl to have a love for them too.  She is really casting them well, just gets fatigued quickly, which is why I went on this search.  

 

Today, I had almost decided on the Okuma Helios Rod/Reel.  Then, I noticed the KastKing Assasin reel in the 'headlines' of BassResource today, which made me take a deeper look.  I'm thinking now, that I just may try the reel (which has blue in it) and the helios rod (which has green in it).  The colors don't mean much to me, but to a 14 yr old girl, I think there may be an issue with them matching.  BTW, she liked the green.  

 

I have 3 St Croix rods, 1 Avid and 2 MoJo Bass.  The Avid Pearl is a thing of beauty (the one Angry John mentioned) but it is not the lightest an may be overkill for what I am trying to do here.

 

So, I think I may sit on the KastKing Assasin reel, (and possibly the Helios rod), and keep looking for a good, light rod with some blue in it.  Hey, if this doesn't work, I know I can put it to use and I have some good ideas on the spinning reel front now!

 

Thanks fellas

[fishnkamp]

Well I know KastKing is a sponsor here. I do not want to say anything really negative about a sponsor, but I believe you would be better served with a reel from another manufacturer.  Daiwa, Shimano, Lews and Okuma make some great reels. These have been on the market for a long time, and have reputations of long term quality service.

My preference is a Daiwa Tatula CT, however not necessarily for her situation.  Seven of my 12 baitcasters are Daiwa Tatulas and Tatula CTs.  I love them, however I also like your choice of a Helios and a TCS if you are thinking about the 6'9" model. Another nice option could be an Irod Genesis II model IRG693C, a "Harold's Lone Star Special".

[Bluebasser86]

My wife used to complain about her hands hurting from fishing too long (she has very small hands and felt she had to grip the rod very tightly or risk losing it). I found an Avid Pearl and she loved it. Lightweight, fit her hands well. and the fact that it was pink didn't hurt.

http://stcroixrods.com/products/freshwater/avid-pearl

 

Several good suggestions on reels already. If money isn't a concern, the Helios Air would be my choice (or any of the Helios reels for that matter). 

I spent the money and bought my wife a really nice rod and reel combo so she'd enjoy using it when she does get to go. Works out for both of us because she has fun and wants to go more often, which means I get to go more often, a win-win

 

[fishnkamp]

Just for fun I did a little detective work. You have a pretty good tackle shop not too far away from you. It is called Natures Tackle Box and is located at 4215 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy in Hiram GA. He stocks some Dobyns rods.  If you have some time and are interested I spoke with someone there and they had some Dobyns Fury rods in stock, including a pair of FR 703SF spinning rods, just to see how the new stuff is evolved.

[Deleted account]

I would look at a 6'6" med with a Revo, Lew's or similar clone. The ergonomics work well with smaller hands. I agree with the post above that balance is more important than actual weight. If she's just getting started, get some 12-14 lb mono on there and some lures that cast well to get the feel and confidence. 

[new2BC4bass]

The 7.3:1 Helios LP has green accents that should match the Helios rod.  My Helios has blue accents so it should be the Helios TCS model.  Will have to wait until I get home to know which ratio it is.  Both reels are a bit heavier than the Helios Air at 6.3 oz. and a bit cheaper at $80 less list price.  The Helios Air has gold accents.  Would match up with the original Tatula rod which will weigh about an even 4 oz.  The Tatula is an excellent rod at full price, but a few models are still left at Sportsman's Outfitters for $110.

 

A light rod that would match up pretty good with the blue accents is the Quantum Smoke.  I have a 7' MF Inshore model rated 1/4-5/8 oz.  Light, but handle is very short.  Very nice rod otherwise.  The short handle is similar to the Fenwick Smallmouth 6'10" MH-XF which has the shortest handle of the 4 or 5 Smallmouth rods I have. A used Fenwick Smallmouth would also be a possibility.  Rods are light and worth about twice what the new asking price was.  Not selling any of mine, tho.    Quantum rods are the Rodney Dangerfield of rods.  No respect.  I have 3 different models and like them just fine although I must admit they are the higher priced models.  I'd like the Smoke a bit more if it had a longer handle.

 

The Helios Air probably would probably also look pretty good on a Fenwick Smallmouth.

[FlaGaitor]

Just back from a fairly long break and trip to the lakehouse, which happened to fall out over the 4th!  Kind of a funny year of celebrating this year, no one seemed to know exactly which night to blow up their (money) fireworks so we went out on the lake each night for some pretty good shows!

 

I really appreciate all the input into my original post.  I look back and chuckle as I have bass fished for a long time and colors and accents have never been a thought for me.  So I looked at dang near every rod and reel and absorbed all the suggestions given.  This is a good way to dig into what is really out there for purchase and it is a LOT more than you see in the Bass Pros or Cabelas.  

 

For my daughter, I purchased to reels and one rod.  The rod was the Okuma Helios Mini Guide.  The reels, well, I wanted to give the Kast King Assasin a look given it's review on this site and also the weight.  It is indeed a nice reel and noticeably very light.  This would be an awesome reel for a beginner, which is where my daughter really is with the baitcasters, but I will also be using the setup as I thought it would be dumb to dump money in such a nice setup to only be used at her frequency.  Although the reel is small, lightweight, it is just not that smooth and made a noise when winding, reminiscent of line rubbing even with no line on the reel.  So, I went with the Okuma Helios HS-273Va, which matches the rod in color.

 

This is my first purchase with Okuma products.  It got a great workout over the last week or so.  I have to tell you that I love this set up and would without a doubt recommend it.  I mostly have Lews BB1s.  My daugther is casting this like a pro (almost) and the wt and balance is good as well.

 

So thanks for the help fellas! 

[fishnkamp]

Great to hear that. You know all this "PROFESSIONAL HELP" comes at a cost!!! 

We expect some good fish porn. Really we all would love to see some pics of her fish. I love to help girls to learn top enjoy this hobby.  My wife and I dated all through high school and college. before she met me she had never even touched a rod. We honeymooned in Calgary Canada during the summer of 1988. That was just after the winter Olympics were held there. During two of the days we were there we fly fished the Bow River. It was so cool to see her smile while fighting 6 pound rainbows.  To date her personal bests are a 6 pound smallie, a 5 pound largie and Kentucky Spotted Bass, 15 pound stripper and a 34 1/2 pound flat head catfish. I love to watch her battle the big ones.  I hope your daughter learns to love this hobby like Linda.

Here is a piece of fish porn for you to enjoy.

 

[new2BC4bass]

Congratulations to both you and your daughter on the Okuma combo.  Glad to see you like it.  Haven't tried my Helios on a Helios rod yet as the reel is still in Florida, but I imagine it is not tip heavy at all.  I can attest to the fact that a well balanced outfit is much easier on the wrist.  That is why my first dedicated crankbait rod has only been out once.  It is a cheap 7'7" rod that gives you a nice workout....except I don't go fishing to work out. 

 

I see jet has that reel for about $145 with free shipping.  Hopefully you got yours at a similar price.