Spinning setup for a growing boy

[JasperP]

My 9 year old is an experienced angler and has been fishing for 4 years.  For bass, he currently uses an old 6' Quantum Medium spinning paired with a shimano IX1000 and wants a new setup for Christmas.  He is able to hook into up to 3# with no issues but the lake we fish (club in East TX) has some monsters and he has fought and lost some good ones.  He prefers weightless senkos or baby brush hogs.

 

I'd like to spend around $100.  Looking @ Shimano Sellus, Daiwa AIRD-X.  For reels, Daiwa Revros/Regal/Legalis

 

Having difficulty deciding power/length/reel size.  He likes 6' and prefers 1000 reel size but is growing fast and I would like for this setup to be appropriate for my daughter/wife/guests when he moves into baitcasting.  I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. 

 

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

I'm an Aird-X fan, so that's my choice there.

 

I've looked over the Diawa spinners, and still prefer Pfluegers. The 20 and 25 size are a bit small for general use, I use a 25 for my UL rig, but my 30 size is my 'all around' spinner.

 

The 6'0" Aird-X doesn't have the lure-tossing capacity nor the line-test range of the 6'6", so I'd go with the longer rod.

 

For comparison: the rig I got for my 8th birthday was a Mitchell 320 on a 6'6" rod - served me well into my 20's for bass, walleye, pike, panfish...you name it.

 

So, 6'6" Aird-X M/F with a President-30 seems to be the ticket, IMO, for that budget.

 

 

[MickD]

11 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The 6'0" Aird-X doesn't have the lure-tossing capacity nor the line-test range of the 6'6", so I'd go with the longer rod.

Me too.  If you have some longer rods , let him use them and see what he thinks.  

 

I started my grandson and granddaughter on 6 1/2 foot St Croix Avid M-F, and they had no problems doing all they wanted to do with them.  Longer rods not only cast farther, but give better hook sets.  Also, IMO, a little more "foregiveness" when fighting the fish.

[JasperP]

59 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm an Aird-X fan, so that's my choice there.

I like the Aird-X alot but the blank through handle construction may pose an issue for my son as he has small hands.  What are your thoughts?

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, JasperP said:

I like the Aird-X alot but the blank through handle construction may pose an issue for my son as he has small hands.  What are your thoughts?

I still have my old rod (Berkley Enforcer), though the Mitchell is long gone. The grip on it is thicker than the grip on my Aird-X's, and I was able to use it at 8 years old. I think the Aird-X would be fine. Far as I know, any decent rod...even the inexpensive ones...use blank-through now - those that don't are the cheap 'one season' rods that I wouldn't touch.

[Fishes in trees]

I wouldn't burden the child with sub par gear.  Buy the spinning rod that you'd buy for yourself.   On the subject of reels,  nothing wrong with 1000 size reels.  I'm gradually going back to that side and away from the 2000 and 4000 sizes.

 They are just lighter and easier to fish with.  I've never felt over matched when I've stuck fish using my 1000 size mid to low  price range. ($50 to $110 or so ) Shimano and Pflueger reels.  Get a decent spinning rig & take care of it and it will last a long time.  Get one that you can borrow from him, if you need/want to..

 

[FishinBuck07]

I have the Daiwa Legalis and I am very pleased with it!  First Daiwa reel I have owned, very impressed.  Comfortable to fish with all day, very light, drag is super smooth.  My other spinning reel is a Pflueger President, they are good reels also, I have noticed though the Daiwa is much lighter in weight, and the drag is much smoother.

[JasperP]

7 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

I wouldn't burden the child with sub par gear.  Buy the spinning rod that you'd buy for yourself.   

 

Get a decent spinning rig & take care of it and it will last a long time.  Get one that you can borrow from him, if you need/want to..

This is sage advice.  I would buy a Fury 663 and pair it with a Daiwa LT, so that may be the route to go.

 

7 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

On the subject of reels,  nothing wrong with 1000 size reels.  I'm gradually going back to that side and away from the 2000 and 4000 sizes.

 

Thank you.  The current 1000 size reels we have are cheap Quantums and used solely for bream/crappie, so I wasn't sure how everyone felt about that size when fighting a 6# LM.

53 minutes ago, FishinBuck07 said:

I have the Daiwa Legalis and I am very pleased with it!  First Daiwa reel I have owned, very impressed.  Comfortable to fish with all day, very light, drag is super smooth.  My other spinning reel is a Pflueger President, they are good reels also, I have noticed though the Daiwa is much lighter in weight, and the drag is much smoother.

Thanks so much for this.  Legalis is on sale for $53 right now .. seems like a good deal.

[FishinBuck07]

13 minutes ago, JasperP said:

This is sage advice.  I would buy a Fury 663 and pair it with a Daiwa LT, so that may be the route to go.

 

Thank you.  The current 1000 size reels we have are cheap Quantums and used solely for bream/crappie, so I wasn't sure how everyone felt about that size when fighting a 6# LM.

Thanks so much for this.  Legalis is on sale for $53 right now .. seems like a good deal.

If I were in the market for a new spinning reel, I would not hesitate to buy another Legalis, especially at that price!

[WRB]

When my son was 6 I made him a custom 5' spinning rod with Omega gold mini underspin reel that was perfect for young anger.

When he was 9 and wanted to fish a father son tournaments with dad. I upgraded his outfit with Shimano Stractic 1000 spinning reel and Iovino Phenix 6'6" medium finesse spinning rod.

The reel was a boys and girls auction item and a fantastic choice as it turned almost 28 years later. 

We fished many night charity tournaments together and enjoyed every minute, my son is phenomial with a slip shot rig. While tried to catch a big jig fish he back seated and put a limit in the boat.

My son still was fishing with this outfit whenever he can, quality last. My advice is buy you son a quality outfit, it's a gift for him that he will cherish.

Today the Iovino finesse rod is Major Craft finesse 6'8" medium spinning rod. The 1000 size reel I suggest is Shimano Sahara F1 1000. 

I can't recall how many 6 lb to 8 lb bass he caught on his finesse combo.

Tom

PS, my was 6'2" at 17 years old.

 

[new2BC4bass]

A fellow member..Darren...fishes 1000 size spinning reels.  Shimano, I think.  Has mentioned more than once that he has no problems with bigger fish on these reels.  Maybe he will jump in later with a little advice.

 

I like the Daiwa spinning reels I have....but no spinning reel of mine has seen much use as I prefer baitcast reels.  With one exception.  I still have an old Penn 430SS with 4# XL that caught quite a few fish back when spinning was all I knew.  Needless to say the Penn is a small reel.  I never felt handicapped with it.  Probably cuz I didn't know better.