Reel for a child

[zummy]

So we bought the daughter a decent combo. The 4'6" ugly stick ultra lite is great. The reel is now shot after only a few trips. Anybody have a recommendation. Here is the picture of the rod and reel with her fighting her first "all by her self fish".

[deathb4disco]

Most spincast reels are garbage. The cheapest option would be to get an old Johnson Century off eBay. (Don't get the "anniversary edition" that came out in the 90's.)

[Slab]

For a child I would suggest an underspin reel. It get them used to the reel being under the rod, and it get them used to reeling and casting with the correct hand. Plus they are easy to use. Then mater you can promote them to a real open faced reel. They are not expensive, but maybe look into the ones that are a little higher quality. I can't vouch for a brand on the underspin.


I have a couple of these for when I have kids as guests on the boat, and they are OK. The drag system had to be redone and tightened up.

[oldbigun]

The Zebco 11 is great for kids

[Fatman]

If you can find older Zebco 33's you'd be all set!!! The new ones just aren't the same - A buddy of mine brought one over knowing that I can clean them and I cleaned it up and started test casting it and it just kept jamming up the line inside. It looks like they've changed the inside spin cone and the shape of the top cover. The older ones seem to last forever.

When I started my grand daughter I got her a Zebco 22 outfit and didn't have any problems with it but it's only good up to 6 lb. line.

[frogspit]

[QUOTE=Fatman;2723026]If you can find older Zebco 33's you'd be all set!!! The new ones just aren't the same - A buddy of mine brought one over knowing that I can clean them and I cleaned it up and started test casting it and it just kept jamming up the line inside. It looks like they've changed the inside spin cone and the shape of the top cover. The older ones seem to last forever.

I agree with fatman look on ebay and get a zebco 33 spool it with 10 lb berkley trilene XL 6foot M/L rod and she can catch any fish she wants to.

[lazi]

My advice is to start as close to where you want to finish as you can. I hand my spin cast and under spin reels to folks as a temporary option. If I'm giving somebody a reel to learn how to fish then they will get the same thing I'm using. Like it or not... They can learn and will be better off for it.

Kids learn fast and they retain skills a lot better than adults. I say get her the same reel she will be using when she is 20+ years old and be done with it. It may seem difficult at first but by the end of the summer she will be teaching you a few things. A size 25 Plueger President on a 6 foot Eagle Claw Power Light rod is what I hand to anybody who I think can handle it. But the Plueger Centina spin cast reels is what I hand to folks who are just killing time with me.

[wilbur]

For a child I would suggest an underspin reel. It get them used to the reel being under the rod, and it get them used to reeling and casting with the correct hand. Plus they are easy to use. Then mater you can promote them to a real open faced reel. They are not expensive, but maybe look into the ones that are a little higher quality. I can't vouch for a brand on the underspin.


I have a couple of these for when I have kids as guests on the boat, and they are OK. The drag system had to be redone and tightened up.

Is that the one you let BillBob use? Or is his Pank

[moswampy]

Zebco omega

[NIMROD]

Most small spincast are junk IMO. The Zebco 33 classic is alright but if you don't mind spending a few more dollars the Zebco Omega is the best spincast I know of on the market.