Your Child’s First Rod and Reel Really is a Big Deal
Your Child’s First Rod and Reel Really is a Big Deal
A child’s first rod and reel is an important milestone on life’s journey
say the people who run the Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby. Here
are some tips to help parents get it right.
KETCHUM, Okla. Some gifts children receive are more than gifts; they are
milestones, proud installments in life’s journey that say -- with
feeling “You’re a big person now.”
A child’s first pair of lace-up shoes or a bicycle without training wheels
are those kinds of milestones. In many families, the milestone gift that
remains a fond memory for the giver and the givee is a youngster’s first
rod and reel.
So, don’t blow it.
To help parents make the right call on this all-important decision are
these gems of advice from the people who run the Wal-Mart Kids All-American
Fishing Derby, the world’s largest youth fishing program. Every year
Hooked on Fishing International of Ketchum, Okla. produces close to 2,000
events for over 300,000 young anglers from ages 5 to 16.
Buy a short rod, about the same height as the young angler.
A short rod is not only easier for the young angler to cast, it’s easier to
carry and, therefore, less likely to break. Dear parent, expect that from
time to time the rod tip will be dragged through the gravel of a parking
lot. “Kids don’t comprehend that rods and reels can break. Rough treatment
is the rule, not the exception,” says M. Scott Smith, director of marketing
for Zebco, the fishing tackle company. His other job parent and “proud
father of three case studies,” underscores this all-important tip.
Equip the rod with a push-button reel.
Line tangles may be frustrating for a parent but they can be tragic for a
kid and could even end a life of fishing enjoyment before it starts. Head
off that kind of trouble by equipping the rod with a closed-face spin-cast
reel, about as trouble-free as they come. ”The closed cover keeps the line
in check and doesn't expose it to curious hands like a spinning reel
would,” said Smith.
The rod handle should be designed for two-handed casting.
Zebco studied the casting actions of kids as they learned to cast and noted
that those from four to six were more likely to use both hands when casting
the rod. This information led them to design beginner combo rods so that
the young consumers could grip the handle with both hands. It’s not a
coincidence that these two-handed beginner combos also sport the image of
cartoon characters admired by four to six year old anglers, characters like
Mickey Mouse, Sponge Bob and Tigger. Smith notes that if your child
accidentally drops his Zebco Character combo into the water, the rod does
not sink. Zebco’s Character combos have a patented system that allow them
to float and to be retrieved.
Practice makes a difference.
Practice doesn't always make perfect at this stage in an angler’s life but
practice with a patient parent can make the difference between a tearful
episode and big fun on the bayou. Casting is not easy for little persons
but a good cast is immensely satisfying to two people parent and
child who work together from start to satisfaction.
Some young people may dream about sugarplums but young anglers with a rod
and reel combo have visions of fish dancing on the end of the line. Give
them that opportunity by taking them fishing and helping them achieve
another milestone -- their first fish. Many communities participate in the
Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby, a structured half-day of free
fishing with grown up supervision and fun contests. Parents can go to the
official website, www.kids-fishing.com, and search the “Derby Locator”
sponsored by Fisher Boy for the location and date of the derby nearest to you.
Check out the kids fishing gear here at LandBigFish.com
Gordon Holland
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