rod for a kid(christmas)

[eaglesfn68]

hello, my kid is 14 years old and he just asked for a fishing rod for christmas. I was thinking of a Shakespeare Agility spinning combo with a 6ft rod. what do you think?

also what would you suggest with tackle(live,artificial), and line(what pound). Thanks very much.

[Jake.]

That's an ok combo, but here's one that I think is a little better for that price range.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_90836_100003002_100000000_100003000_100-3-2

How much are you willing to spend?

[eaglesfn68]

around that $50 range plus or minus a couple dollars. Is there any difference between a one peice and a two peice rod. A two peice rod would be easier to carry with the car i have.

[.dsaavedra.]

jake reccomended an excellent combo. i personally hate shakespeare and everything about them. but abu and berkley are great.

as for pound test line, spool him up some 12lb berkley trilene XL.

as for lures, stick w/ the stardards:

-berkley powerworms--junebug, black, black/blue fleck

-original floating rapala--silver

-yum dingers--smoke/pearl laminate

-maybe pick him up a bass jigs--black and blue.

[eaglesfn68]

why do you hate shakspeare.

[.dsaavedra.]

have not had a single good experience with any of their products...not line, not reel, not rod. and its not a name thing either, i seriously have owned and used their products, all of them to my dissatification. never again will i use another shakespeare product.

get your boy an abu garcia cardinal on a berkley lightnin rod and he's set!  

[eaglesfn68]

thanks. but what do you think about a 2 peice rod. is their any difference between them and a one peice

[.dsaavedra.]

2 piece rods are great. the only difference is that 2piece can be tranported easier! lol. most spinning rods in the price your lookin at are two piece so dont even worry about it. just make sure when you assemble it that you slide the two pieces together straight, not at an angle to avoid breaking the ferrule (part where they connect). also be sure to line your guides up and firmly set the two pieces together so they dont separate during use.

good luck in your combo buying quest!

[mayassa]

Make sure you get a light or ultra lite action so when he hooks a fish he will thinks its huge!

[eaglesfn68]

lol thats pretty funny but seriously i was thinking of medium action

[Jake.]

lol thats pretty funny but seriously i was thinking of medium action

Medium is good for a good all around rod, as long as you aren't fishing thick cover.

[JigNBig]

The combo you were looking at will be good for about the first 3 months, then it will not perform to his or anyones standards.  For 50 bucks I would say buy him an ABU round baitcaster.  Even if he doesn't know how to use it. Tighten the cast control and set the brakes at full potential.  Tie on a 1/2 spinnerbait and he will learn how to use it. The next time you go fishing lower brakes and let off of the cast control some and use the same spinnerbait.  Continue until he gets more comfortable and you can set it where he can use the reel at its full potential.  For line, I would buy 12lb Suffix Elite.  If you buy a little larger reel I would go w/ Cajun Advantage 14lb.  This line will enable him to learn better by the thicker diameter.  

Lures:

   Spinnerbaits

   Rattletraps

   Jigs

   Texas Rigged Worms

...will be great choices for a begginer in casting equipment.

 

[eaglesfn68]

i really wanted a spinning reel for him. Just a question why wouldnt that combo be up to standards after 3 months. Is it bad and will it break or what.

[Micro]

There is nothing particularly wrong with Shakespeare. The perception is that Shakespeare is a little "low end." Shakespeare produces no-frills stuff. Otherwise, that combo should give yeoman service.

Are you a fisherman? Is fishing something that you think your son will want to continue? The reason I ask is because I think you can get a rod and reel from a company that has a wee bit better reputation that your son will have pride in owning and will give great service for many years. Keeping it at the $50-$75 mark, here are some combos that I think would work:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0043392

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=3&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0037134

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=5&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0044015

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=7&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0037131

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=9&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0023619

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=11&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0042973

Of course there are many rods and reels that you can buy separately in your price range. Pflueger, Abu Garcia, Mitchell, Shimano, Daiwa all make very nice reels in your price range. Shimano, Berkely, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, etc all make very good rods in your price range.

IMO, there is no practical difference in performance between 2 pc and 1 pc rods. It's a matter of personal preference and space requirements.

It's not my intent to try and steer your from a Shakespeare branded combo. When I was a kid I had one and it lasted for years.  It's not my intent to try and get you to buy a cabelas rod, either - just showing you some options.  

What I'm try to get at is there are better options in your price range - from names that enthusiasts trust.

[Tin]

Medium action with a fast tip is the way to go. Can do just about anything with it.

[.dsaavedra.]

you should definitley get a medium w/ a fast tip. most versitile. pretty much all of the ones that micropterus posted were good. i would not get him a baitcaster just yet, make sure he likes fishing and will stick w/ fishing before you go dropping lots of money on top of the line equipiment.

and to answer your question of why wont the shakespeare be good after 3 months...i'd say that are 2 possibilities:

A.) If he really takes off and love fishing, he will soon out grow it and want better stuff....its only natural

B.) shakespeare stuff will break...mine broke after 8 bass in one day  >

but possibility A is more likely to happen.