Anglers: what's a good pole/reel setup for daughter and wife
- Thread starter Fijimn
- Start date
Very dangerous thread title to use with this group.
go with a zebco
go with a zebco
Assuming this is just in rivers/lakes/ponds you can get a decent setup to get them going from walmart/target/dick's for like 50 bucks.
A good old zebco 33 on a shakespeare ugly stik. 6 foot, 2 piece, medium light action probably.
I’ve got 6 or 7 poles. My favorite one is my Shakespeare ugly stik my grandpa got me when I was like 12.
But to answer OP’s question, I agree with @Tenacious E. You can get a pretty solid setup for cheap at Wal-Mart or Dicks.
OP's wife has never been fishing, but she's partial to my pole.
Yeah, looking to do a little rainbow trout (primarily) in Colorado. I haven't fished for lake trout since I was a kid. Pops and I used to limit out at Mammoth Lakes in Cali using salmon eggs.
Yep, zebco is the way to go. if/when they get older and/or more proficient you can go up. zebcos take alot of abuse and keep working
Good Lord, have prices gone up that much? I guess it's been a few semesters since I bought gear. Used to be able to get a decent Zebco starter kit for 20 bucks.
EDIT: You still can. Zebco spinning rod andn reel, $19.41 at Amazon.
Amazon product ASIN B00F5EAKZ6
Great poles, but a little too much coin for a 7yr old. Ugly Stik is probably one of the best bang for your buck poles out there. Pair it with a shimano spinning reel and you have a setup for life.
Zebco is excellent for testing if you can fit it into various trash cans. Diawa can be found super cheap now.
I actually use a Diawa Lady combo as my backup on trout because I hate changing spinners on braided line or fireline. Lady <<click It is medium-light so it is usable for most fresh water species. This version is less pink and has more options, light is 5'6 and medium-heavy to 7'
I would immediately change the link to Fireline or Spiderwire. I effing hate monofilament. You will see way better cast distance and line stronk. I think walmart has 300 yard rolls of Spiderwire for less than 20 which is enough to do at least 2 reels. I shoot for between 6-8lb test but is rated higher than advertised.
@McLovin32 is right about Ugly Stiks too. I don't love their reels but the pole is awesome.
I had my boss buy 6 when he was trying to get his family into fishing. They have a different play, they make most any catch feel pretty fun.
***and mitchell rods have all broke their tips off in the worst ways in my experience
Fishing sounds too sexual.
Agreed. I’ve got 2 ugly stiks in my arsenal. One I bought “rebuilt” at a sports expo. Great pole too. Landed my 40 inch muskie with it.
Don’t listen to the Zebco and Ugly sticks bs. Zebco is garbage and Ugly Sticks should only be used to catch catfish.
St. Croix Bass X and a Shimano Nasci 2500 is the perfect all around cheap set up. If the you break the rod, $70 bucks and you’ll get a new one. You can get away with a Ugly Stick Gx2 if you’re a poor. Jk. They don’t break, but you’re not fishing. Just get a good setup and take care of it. Stay the f*** away from Zebco and Shakespeare reels. Just go to your local tackle place and try all posted. You’ll fall in love with my setup and might make it yours. The others will be heavy unbalanced junk. Don’t by her a push button, my kids were casting a spinning reels with ease as early as I can remember. My oldest at two. If you’re in the Waterloo area go to Hank’s, my son will set you up perfectly.
St. Croix Bass X and a Shimano Nasci 2500 is the perfect all around cheap set up. If the you break the rod, $70 bucks and you’ll get a new one. You can get away with a Ugly Stick Gx2 if you’re a poor. Jk. They don’t break, but you’re not fishing. Just get a good setup and take care of it. Stay the f*** away from Zebco and Shakespeare reels. Just go to your local tackle place and try all posted. You’ll fall in love with my setup and might make it yours. The others will be heavy unbalanced junk. Don’t by her a push button, my kids were casting a spinning reels with ease as early as I can remember. My oldest at two. If you’re in the Waterloo area go to Hank’s, my son will set you up perfectly.
had one.....beyond bad
what previous posters sad...ugly stick with a zebco 33
when the kid gets hs age and you wanna go after flatheads & big channel cats....zebco 808 with medium action ugly stick
Why is the pole awesome? Because it doesn’t break. The pole is garbage, it like a willow twig with zero sensitivity. We buy them for our guest to use that don’t know any better and for large catfishing.
Sorry, I didn’t realize you were a poor and I certainly didn’t mean to offend your sensibilities of what a starter rod would cost.
Dude, he’s getting a pole for a 7 year old and a person that’s never been fishing. Spending 70 bucks on each one is absurd and unnecessary.
Find an open reel for the wife, Pflueger reels are nice, a little speedy, but it shouldn’t give you fits if you know what you’re doing. Throw it on a $15-$20 ugly stick, ultra light in that 6’ range and you’ll be set. For the kid, closed reel, Zebco style, short, 4’ range.
I disagree, dude. My kids all have good setups and take care of them. You can’t learn how to fish with an Ugly Stick and a Zebco or enjoy it. If the dude isn’t poor why not have sweet setup? It’s worth it to me anyway. I could handle the Gx2 with a good spinning reel. I’d do that if is a budget thing, but I’d at least go with Plfueger President reel for $60 bucks.
Misky on a Ugly Stick, awesome.
Are you people being serious or just fishing twice a year? A Mitchell? I wish I could give more insight on markups on the crap you people are buying.
I’ll stop now and let you guys do you. Wow
I learned how to fish with an ugly stik. You are wrong.
I’ve never talked to a fishing pole snob before, when discussing poles for children and/or other folks that don’t fish often.
With that said, I do have a buddy that bought his son a nice pole after he upgraded from his snoopy pole. The kid broke it on their 2nd trip. We’re talking about kids man. I’ll stand by my point that $70 for a pole for a kid is absurd.
Hell, I use this pole with Zebco Omega's on 3 rigs yet today. Have for about 10 years now.
Bulletproof, simple. Caught too many largemouth and walleye to count through the years using them.
Not a suggestion in regard to fishing poles for your family, I do have a suggestion in regard to lures for them to use, I have trout fished the Rocky’s numerous times, Almost exclusively stream fishing using an ultralight spinner, and I used various Mepp’s #1 and #0 spinners, I had very good luck catching Rainbows,Browns,Cutthroats and Dolly Vardens, Every trip has been mid summer, Colorado,Wyoming and Montana, I am not a gifted fly fisherman so I have tried a lot of spinner baits for trout and I think the mepps have by far worked best for me.
Mitchell reels are cheap AF and the Avocet I have is 20+ years old and works as well as the day I bought it. I use it on canoe/kayak trips on fast moving streams where the risk of losing gear is high.
I have plenty of high end gear, including custom made surf rods, which are probably the only equipment I own that make a significant difference in number of fish I catch, as I can cast them a lot further than the stuff they sell on the shelf.
OP is asking for a rig for his wife who has never fished. Suggesting a St Croix rod for her is just downright weird, regardless of OP’s financial means.
I giggled for a solid 30 seconds before even opening this thread. OP was definitely trying lighten up our days.
Well, they would be a bit too much for the 7 year old.
I fish the Upper Mississippi almost exclusively. Rip rap, wing dams, sunken trees along shores. Lots of overhanging tree limbs close to shore. I also can hook into anything from crappies to northern pike using the exact same pole, lure, and presentation.
I need tough, versatile poles and tough, versatile reels. I also need a tough, all purpose boat and a tough motor that I'm not afraid to take into any depth of water. If I was fishing wide open Minnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa lakes I would have 100% different gear and equipment across the board.
Have a half dozen Ugly Sticks. They make great ultra lights and I landed a 26" walleye with one.
Haven't stopped in a couple years but for a long time you could get them at the outlet store for $13. Incredible value for what you get.
