How old for your first baitcaster?

I've been mentoring a kid down the street. Father knows nothing about fishing but for some reason his 9 year old just loves the crud out of it.

The boy bought himself, with his own money, a GINORMOUS spinning combo. I'm talking 7 foot rod with a gigantic reel. Far to big for him, but father didn't know how to direct him.

Anyhow i took them both out a week back, and the boy decided he really liked the idea of a bait caster. I let him use one of my old 1983 reels, which of course was problematic.

Well now he says he wants to buy one for himself, and he's saved up 50 bucks.

So I told him that I would take him to the store and help him select a combo more appropriate for him.

So my question is 2 fold. Mind you, he loves the idea of bass fishing.

Question 1 - How young is too young for a light baitcaster?

Question 2 - He's a little small for his age. In looking in the store the other day, every baitcaster combo was like 6' 6 and up. I had a hard time finding one even 6 feet. Does anyone know of a slightly intro priced rod and reel combo that's good for a kid this age?

I think he needs a zebco, but you know kids....

Sounds like your on the right track. He can practice in the yard with it to avoid the backlashes.

Guessing the spinning outfit cannot be returned to pool some money.

Prolly not, he's had it now for a while BUT if he just takes cares of it and saves it, by the time he's 13 or 14 that spinning rod would be a good addition to his gear box - he just needs a little more height to him

I'm thinking he needs a medium 5.5 rod - of course most of those come with spinning reels, I own two light 5.5 rods with lightweight spinning on them and love them in certain situations.

To answer your question, I would say 11 or 12. Let him grow up a bit so he can actually throw the thing.

IMO, the most important thing would be to keep him interested with the least amount of hassle as possible. The focus should be on #1 catching fish so he stays interested, and #2 teaching him correct technique.

If you've got an old bait caster let him practice with it in the yard, save his money, and after a few trips where he has caught fish and grown a bit, pick up a nice combo of his own.

A little preachy, but just my 2 cents.

Seriously that's kinda what I was thinking. He has a super cheap zebco on a pretty stout rod, which I can cast like nobodies business - but when he tries, he just can't put enough power to it to move the lure more than 10 feet unless it's something heavy. so now he has it in his mind that all zebco style closed face reels are all terrible.

That's when he went and bought the spinning rod - just made a mistake on sizing - the butt is so long it comes up past the underside of his armpit LOL and he has to crank it like he was making ice cream - a hoot to watch - but not effective.

Also wondered about one of those under the rod, finger loaded closed face reels... A trigger spinning reel...

All in all, I think the best be a quality closed face spin cast reel with quality line on it matched to the correct weight rod might be the very best choice.

My 12 yr old boy can throw a baitcaster and fishes with me all the time, but when he's "fun" fishing for bluegill or bass he reaches for his old closed faced zebco33 every time. It's easier and less to worry about, bottom line more fun.

Don't forget they just want to have fun when they go and catch some fish....everything else is secondary.

I hear that! I took him to lake fayette, and he snagged one little fish on a buzzbait early. The rest of the day was spent slamming whatever lure was on his rod into the water a foot from the boat

What I think more than anything is that if he had a rod with the right length butt, and the right action at the tip his casting would vastly improve quickly. I think the butt needs to be just long enough for him to get a second hand on the end plus a fists width, and the rod short enough to where he can control the whip without having to load it so far back.

We keep working in the yard, and I can get him to cast across the street and never move the rod tip behind his head, doing all of the cast in front of his body using both hands and taking advantage of the tip loaded to whip.... but when he gets on the boat.... he has a tendency to load that sucker back to china and wail on it., usually releasing late. I keep trying to tell him that too much power makes it harder - but ya know, they get all excited and wiggly and it's hard to get through at that point. Sometimes he will release early and cast it wayyyy up in the air.. lol

I mean practice is what it takes right? Experience teaches all.

The zebco 33 is a great model, been around for who knows how many years - that with a short butt where his second hand can help add velocity through whipping to the cast might just do the trick.

OH and no doubt, the kid wants to catch fish SOOOOO BADLY, and I really want him to hook into a nice fish for once.. I really really do.

I think he's finally learning that not every cast makes a fish hit, but he still thinks it's because of his gear, not technique or presentation. "baitcasters catch fish, that's what the guys on tv use, so I want one of those" Which is a wonderfully totally natural reaction. I think it's amazing he watches fishing shows! He doesn't play xbox, he watches fishing shows. That to me alone means I gotta keep working with him - getting the love of fishing at that age is something you don't always see except in fishing families - but his family isn't one.

Your young friend needs a Shakespeare Ugly Stick GX2 in the 5 1/2 foot medium action. See this link.
Pair it with a Bass Pro Shops Megacast Low Profile Reel. See this link.

The combination will cost $79.

You may be able to beat the price at other sites, but the Shakespeare Ugly stick is the way to go. Walmart also sells them.

Another possibility is a used rig from eBay. I have bought several Abu reels in good condition from eBay.

I got my first baitcaster when I was 10. My mom was single and had a boyfriend who gabe it to me. It was a Daiwa and all black thats all I remember. No One really bass fishes in my family but I l have been obsessed with it since I was a kid. Noone taught me how to really use it hands on and it took a while to get it down but I did. As long as they understand the concept of it which is controlling the spool with your thumb. I backlashed alot but that just made me more effective at picking them out.

My first was a Shimano Bantam Mag on a 6' pistol grip ugly stick. I was 12. I begged and begged for it and got it for xmas one year. Loved it but couldn't cast it worth a [censored] until after I had it about 3 years I was watching Freddy Grant explain on TV how to adjust it. I wondered what that cast control knob was for. Thanks Freddy for ending my misery.

As for the neighbor kid. I recommend this reel. I purchased these for my boys and they are great.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Extreme-Spincast-Reel/product/1209270506431/

My dad gave me my first bait caster when I was ten. It was an old ambassador that was all thumb control. It kicked my butt for a year but I finally got it. I felt like a man when I could cast it without backlashing every time.

I still remember how cool that velvet cover looked that came with it.

Thanks so much for all the advice. It feels nice to give the little dude some guidance. I'm gonna carry him to the local bass pro shop here soon and have a look over all of these rods and reel suggestions. Then time to take him back on the lake.

He will remember that his entire life. Hook him up!

Look at it this way. You doing this may effect him more than you know. When he gets a few years older and all them "other" influences" start hitting him from every side, he may just be that kid that says, "no thanks, I'm getting up early and going fishing". Someone has to show him....why not you?

Hey Plasma,
What part of Houston do you live in? I think I have an old Daiwa boron rod that may be just right for him. I think it was originally 5'6" but I broke off the tip when I hit a tree branch while setting the hook. I put a new tip on it & now it's 5'3". It is a pistol grip and a little stiff but it might be the size he needs. I think it is about 30 years old & I haven't used it in about 25 years. It is one of the most sensitive rods I have ever used. I think I have some old Berkley Stinger rods too. They are all graphite & I think they are 5'6 too & I think they are straight grip. They might be 6' long. They are old too but in perfect shape. If you're interested in them, let me know & I can arrange getting them to you.
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike

I found a old ambassador 5500 when I was about 8 or 9 at a garage sale that was mounted on some old nasty fiberglass rod.

I taught myself how to use it and caught abunch of fish

3rd grade I got an Abu5000, bought it with money from mowing yards, still have it, I used it on a Fenwick Lunkerstick. Never used spinning reels.

You might be on to something. We are up in the Jersey Village area.

I bought my first Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 back in 1972. I still have it and use it to this day.

I checked & I do have the old boron Daiwa rod but it's a little shorter than I remembered. It was originally 5'3 but is now 4'8. It still may be ok for him. I also have the Berkley Stinger . It is 100% graphite, 5'6 & has a straight handle. The handle is not very long so it should work. I also have a Berkley Bionix . That was my favorite rod for a long time. It is super light but somewhat stiff. It has a pistol grip and is also 5'6. This was considered one of the better rods in it's day. It is also 100% graphite. If you p.m. me or email me, we can figure out how I can get them to you.
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike

I started with a Zebco 202. I decided to change to a baitcaster the day that the Zebco could not bring in a large bass. That bass hit a topwater lure twice during the same cast and both times he pulled the drag. Cranking the handle was useless. I guess if I was more experienced I might have landed the bass. After missing that fish, I picked up my grandmothers Ambassador 5000, at the age of about 10.
I started my son at age 8 with a bait caster. That is what Dad used, so that is what he wanted. He picked up the technique in no time.

Mike

Bass Pro has their Megacast rod and reel combos on sale for $44 this week. I have one that I bought on vacation just to throw out a bit and it's actually a pretty nice setup for $50. Spool up some 10lb. mono for him and let him throw out a texas rig. I do this when my girlfriend wants to fish and it works out really well.

Teaching my wife right now. She doesn't want a bait caster or spinning reel so she went with a zebco combo. She had problems casting it so I grabbed an old one in the garage and it worked better but still no distance. At the lake the other day I broke it so rode to the marina and they had cheap combos for sale. I picked up one with a Short, medium action rod and that was all that out took.

Get a lighter action and tell him to aim for the top of the trees. When he does catch one it will be a neck of a fight for him on a li
ghter rod.

My 4 year old uses a bait caster. Actually he has for a year. Just what you're used to and practice with.

oldest bait caster working 16 years old . Calcutta 100 from Smitty's

My first baitcaster was a used Ambassaduer 5000 that cost me $20. Caught lots of small catfish from a local pond. I was probably 8 or 9 years old at the time.

Not sure how old I was but I just remember being in 1st or 2nd grade and wanting to bring my reel in for show and tell. My first baitcaster was a bantam with the spool release button on the handle side on the frame. My dad got it for me because he got tired of buying me all the kids stuff combos and then I'd end up destroying them on whatever fish I was catching. That bantam lasted a long time till we went out to the Texoma dam while the OK side was open. We destroyed all our gear on those stripers and had to buy some heavier gear.

My dad taught me how to use the reel by kind of tricking me. I guess he set the tension knob to a medium size rattle trap. Then told me to never touch that knob. Only mess with the magnet adjustment on the other side. Then he'd always hand me what lure to use which were all in the same weight class so all I had to do to adjust for them was the magnet brake.

It wasn't till I was a lot older that I asked my dad about why he told me to never touch the tension knob and he just started laughing. He pretty much said he didn't want to go though all the trouble of teaching all that so he kept it simple. Then he said well you still learned how to use one though right??

My first rod and reel was an uglystick spinning combo. I still have it today 14 years later and I have caught everything from trout to bass to catfish with it. I don't think you can go wrong with a light spinning combo. I started seriously bass fishing with a medium action spinning rod, throwing 1/8th t-rigs and I caught tons of fish, enough to get me hooked. A baitcaster is great if he wants to go flip docks with 15-20lb flouro, but I think he may be a little young for that.

i was 6 and it was a old 5000. with the reels now days 5 or 6!

Maybe just a little bit young for a baitcaster but you never know. I cut my teeth on Zebco 33's. I still have the ones I started with about 52 years ago and I think the older Zebco 33's are better built than the new one. I moved up to Spincast about the time I was 12 and did;t move to bait cast until I was in my 30's. I sure wish I had someone like you teaching me tho use a bait cast when I was a kid.
Let us know how the kid does!

I believe I was about 8-9 years old when I started using a bait casting reel on a regular basis. This was in the early 70's, and I started picking up one of my dad's Garcia 5000. The old Red Reel. I still have it.

To answer your questions, 1) he's not too young, and 2) you may have to buy the rod and reel separate to get a <6ft rod. There are a couple of rods listed on Academy's website that are less then $20. he may have to save up a few more bucks to cover a reel.

If he gets a nice reel that won't backlash easy, all the kid needs is alittle practice and he's good to go

At his age I was still throwing zebco's, at the age of 12 I got one of my dad's old abu garcia's to start learning with.

And I was also small for my age, I remember most of my rods being 6' and my first flipping stick was 6'6"

How old for my first baitcaster? I was 49, and I just turned 50 last month. It was time, and it took enough time and frustration to learn how to use it!

...wisdom

I started using mine around 7

Abu 5000d 1974 5/12 Skyline rod Hooked eversince, Black Flip tail worm.....

I had an old Langley with braided dacron line on a steel rod back in the mid-fifties. Wish I still had it; my dad gave it to me and taught me how to use it. I lost the whole rig in the Musi River in Indonesia in the early sixties.

Abu 6000 1969 model, 19 years old.

I'm 24 and just recently started using one.. I'd probably still be on spincast stuff if it wasn't for me having a nice Shimano Bantam 100 laying around. It's old school but really nice.. Doesn't have any of the fancy magnet breaking system.

I did have frustrating back lashes at first.. But once I learned how to properly set it up I could fish all day without a birds nest happening. Its quickly becoming one of my favorite reels to use.

I'd say any age is ok as long as they can understand how to set it up with each lure or jig and learn casting techniques with it.

My dad started me on a baitcaster around 7 yrs old. He bought my own baitcaster and rod when I was 8.

I was around 12 or 13, it was a South Bend.

As kid I used a Zebco, at around 35 I started fishing again and use Gracia 5000 still have it works great. At around 50 I started fishing again with bait caster, never got the hang of a spinning reel.

Abu 5000c 1975

I can remember using an old metal rod and some kind of silver bait caster with what was then old Dacron line,fishing for carp at Whitney inside my GP's boathouse,he had an big old wooden Cris Craft with a white merc on the back. My dad gave me my first bait caster an old 5000 and a used Ted Williams rod when I was 8. Still have it its retired now along with several of Dad's and GP's baits in a case

I started throwing bait casters when I was 10 years old, practice, practice, practice

Learned at about 9-10 with an abu5500 and then bought a shimano cardiff

honestly 6, a Shakesphere I have never used anything else

Don't remember how old but MobyDick was still just a minnow. My first baitcaster was an Ocean City and cost about $2 from White's Auto or Western Auto. Can't remember which one but the Constitution hadn't been written yet.

Red Abu 5000...1968...still in use...

Autumn 2014, H20 Xpress Mettle MT2...love it!

...------

I am 56 and I still prefer a Zebco to a baitcaster