Can’t go wrong with a fluke

My advise,
Get him a good baitcaster and teach him how to use it. My son has been using them since he was 4 or 5. Let him use whatever lures will get him bit. That’s how kids learn! If you’re gonna let him fish a tournament then teach him with proper equipment and let him have a chance. Good luck to him for the tourney!

tiny Torpedo

This it's what I taught my kids on, I just used a Bass Pro Shop's 4 inch Squirmin' Worm. Spinning tackle with 8 pound mono.

I’ve had both my daughters fishing since they were toddlers. Single hooks on the lures and if he puts on lures w treble hooks everyone has on sunglasses……


That’s the crew.
BTW I’d go lake fork tackle small ring fry as light of weight as he can get away with in the conditions come Saturday.

My son is 4 and has been pretty avidly fishing for the last few months, he's had success with an underspin, chatterbait, whopper plopper, drop shot, jig and senko. There's a few baits out there that's difficult to fish "wrong", and that is typically what I try to steer him toward. Spinnerbait is another fantastic and super weedless option.

Don't shy him away from baitcasting equipment if he's interested, my son picks up any of my baitcasting or spinning rods [other than the swimbait rod] and can get after it.

Whatever bait you tie on for him mash the barbs on the hook down so it'll be easier to pull out of you when he sticks it in you or him. You can thank me later.

Some good small bait to fish for kids finesse jigs and small 4" twin trailers. You can use different sizes depending on the structure your going to fish keep the size jigs in 1/8oz 3/16oz. and 1/4 oz sizes. That's a good start for them at that age. If you have a good spinning outfit for him and he picks up on using it the small jigs are fun throw.

Agree on teaching him to use a baitcaster sooner rather than later. I was hesitant for my now 9 year old. Got him an inexpensive combo from Academy ($39.99 or so Lew's rod/baitcast reel) and loaded it with 12lb mono 1/2 way. Practiced in the back yard for a week and he was off and running...that was when he was 7. Not sure why I waited that long (he was fishing spinning rods/spincast since he could hold a rod).

As far as baits, given the limitations of the zebco setup agree on weighted texas rig worms or belly weighted flukes/swimbaits. He will need some weight to make the zebco work better. The worm will work for bottom fishing and the fluke/swimbait will work when he gets bored and wants to chuck and wind....and with the weedless rig you will be resolving hangups less....

Saturday's forecast is calling for more wind. Position so that he is casting with it.

Best advice ever. As far as baits go spinner bait, or an inline spinner such as rooster tail. Replace the treble with a single hook.

My son is 5, and a weightless Senko has put fish in the boat all summer. Fluke has worked also weightless and Texas rig. Also a small jig with a good trailer along the bottom has worked, we have found some good rock for him to work it through, not too much for him to hang up on. Don't be afraid to try different things, kids learn faster than we do, let them have fun with it is the key.

Drop shot finesse worm.

Senko weightless

Fluke weightless

Baby brush hog Tx. rig.

Teach him how to cast a spinning rod and a bait caster. He is old enough to learn both.