Looking for the best reel and rod combo I can get for my 3 year old. She does not need the snoopy or Barbie kid reel, and has proven that time and time again by fishing with me. She right now uses a crappie rod with a open face reel I use for ice fishing, now mind you she only fishes for crappie and sunfish and can handle this rod just fine but some times will turn it the wrong way and or not grab the rod the right way. (I just need the perfect rod to make her time on the water the best that it can be). Thanks

Even when I was growing up you couldn't beat the Zebco 33!

I remember having a 33 and caught a pretty nice walleye on it. I believe it was around 6#'s.

My first spincast reel was also a Zebco 33. However, I was not too impressed with it. A few years later I bought a Shakespeare spincast reel that was much better.

I'd definitely look at ultalight spincast combos. Shakespeare has one, and so does Abu Garcia. Having only seen them online, the Abu Garcia combo is where I would start. Their web site shows it is about $30 for the outfit. Shakespeare has an ultralight spincast outfit for about $20.

Diawa also makes an underneath ultralight spincast reel that might be good for her. It sits under the rod like a spinning reel but has a "funnel" for the line like a spincast. Instead of opening the bail to cast, there is a lever.

I think any of these would be something she could use for a very long time. I could stil use my Zebco 33 for ice fishing if I wanted too.

There's a similar thread in the bass forum that you might want to check out. It was for a 10 year old kid but had a lot of good info.

I agree with an underspin reel. I had my kid using a cheap Shakespeare model --- it worked really well for him at first, even though the reel was pretty much junk and didn't last long. But some of the other guys in the other thread were talking about better ones like the Daiwa that Blue Kayak mentions.

My daughters first rod (after the barbie) was a ugly stick with a Cardinal garcia reel. Not to hard on the checkbook. She was a little older than 3 though. Now is using my St. Croix avids rods.
My kid is 10 years old and she loves to fish.
Good times!!!!!!


Brian

When I met my wife, she wanted to give fishing a try. I got her a zebco combo at wally world for $20 and it's been going strong for 5 years for her. I've used it for kicks and caught some nice fish on it.

This summer for B-day gifts, I bought that Wal-fart Zebco 33 combo for each and every one of my nieces and nephews. Great rod! They ranged from 6-11 years old.



Pound for pound, the Sponge Bob pole is the best by far for very young anglers. Casts great, easy to use and the kids love it. It is one of those poles they will be begging for you to go out and use. When I was young, Snoopy was the choice, but now-a-days Sponge bob is killer. I think little ones just have more fun with the cartoons on the pole (IMO).

Another vote for SpongeBob!! It also floats. I did get my 4 yr old a nice Phlueger micro spin caster combo this summer. Paid around $35. He does pretty good with it...casts a bobber set up 20'. He still likes the SpongeBob better though...shorter and easier to handle. Casts good,too.

I'd vote the classic Zeb 33. However that being said, don't get the cheapest flavor of it- go with one of the all metal bodied styles. I think there's 2 or 3 of them.
then stick it on something like an Ugly Stick or a Whuppin Stick, and not only will it work, it'll also be "kid proof" for the most part and won't end up broken due to an "oops" moment

zebco33 rhino rod and reel combo.Oldest son caught his first walleye on this using a ratlin rap.A real nice 30" not bad for a 7 year old.

I am a big fan of the ugly sticks. Theyre practically industructable and pretty good rods too. I still have mine from my childhood, which has been transported by bike to/through the creek more times than I can remember.

"Meet me at mill creek behind the Dairy Queen"

Ah, the days.

Zebco makes a rod combo called the hot shot spincast combo. We sell a lot of them to kids that have outgrown the short snoopy rods. They are still kids rods but they have enough play in them to cast and fight a fish. It is about a 4 foot rod.

Jason Erlandson