Musky reel for son

[Shorelunch]

I have a 10 yr old who wants to get into musky/northern fishing this year. He'd be casting a variety of lures, but nothing too heavy. He's going to use my 6' 6" MH St. Croix, but I'm not sure what to find for a reel. I'd like to keep it at or near $100-150. Thanks!

[Meat-Run]

a Revo 50 or a Abu C4 with 50-65lb braid would be my suggestion but it really depends if your son can palm the reel or use the cork handle infront of the reel? OR just get him a bass style bait caster and just put on heavy line they'll do the job just don't use big blades or use a lure with alot of resistence... the easier it is the longer your son will fish with you and most of the time they want to toss top water baits that don't need "great" bearings or gears to make the lure work...just my .02

mr

[cbrooks]

Shorelunch, for that price range get a Abu Garcia ambassadeur. If you need baits don't buy any I have a bunch I will GIVE you the next time I'm in your area.

[Swimmer]

I agree on the bass style reel. It would fit his hand and holds modern braid lines well. My wife uses one for Musky and hasn't had a problem like I do with my Ambassadors (slipping drags). However you go...get one with a clicker; your son will have fun hearing that go off when you get a trolling hit.

[dan z]

I have a 10 yr old who wants to get into musky/northern fishing this year. He'd be casting a variety of lures, but nothing too heavy. He's going to use my 6' 6" MH St. Croix, but I'm not sure what to find for a reel. I'd like to keep it at or near $100-150. Thanks!

Go for a cardiff in the 300-400 style the only differance is the 400 hold more line and it has a bait alarm, I LOVE my 400A has landed many bigguns and still running strong

[ole matty]

Plfuenger the president WPL. I like the old style better. My mother fished with this reel for hours and still no fatigues. Great for burning showgirls and smaller bucktails.

[Shorelunch]

Thanks for the replies so far. He's really excited about muskies and smallmouth this year.

CBrooks, that's a very nice offer, thank you! I'll PM next time I'm in GF (or vice versa). I may be in GF as soon as this Sunday.

[cbrooks]

Shorelunch i was gonna PM, Your over your limit for PMing... so it says. Sunday will be good. I'll put together a some tackle. I was gonna give you a extra rod so you could try some fishing for yourself. I have so much extra rods and tackle I'm willing to give it to somene who just wants to try it out. If it doesn't work out give it to someone else who would like to try it out. Let me know where to meet you, Cabelas or where ever. If you don't make it to GF I should/will be in Bemidji in the next few weeks.

[Shorelunch]

PM sent!

[Asandir]

If you still need a reel let me know. I have a abu 6500 that u can have. Would be good to have it gone through, but good reel to start out with. Might even still have line on it.

[401TE]

do your son a favor and teach him to use the foregrip rather than palm the reel. a 10 year old is going to have problems palming any musky reel at this point. also, don't go with anything under 80 pound test...what if the fish of his lifetime bites this summer, you want to risk him losing it with inadequate line?

i think most bigger bass reels would work fine for an intro, just make sure they hold enough line and have a good drag system and you'll be fine.

[SmellEsox]

I agree on the heavier line. Fewer backlashes with 80 lb. test. I started my kids with a 5500 C3. Handles smaller muskie lures well and is lighter so less fatigue. They get tired quick, trust me.

[Esox_Magnum]

My daugter started at about 13, she uses my Curado, as does my wife. Now that I run Revo Toros they use them to. Wife's 5'2 daughters 5'6 both have no problems with my 9' rods.

[Shorelunch]

CBrooks, it was great meeting you yesterday. Thank you so much for the gear - and please take me up on the offer. Let's keep in touch and hit the water this Summer (if there is one!).

Thanks for the replies. I picked up a Abu C3 which fir his hands really well and spooled it with the heavy duty Tough Test line.

[cbrooks]

Shorelunch you are welcome and great meeting you and your kids. glad to know some of those lures will have a chance of seeing some water. I was floored when you told me your son caught a 50 incher already. I was the one asking for advice after hearing that . Will definately have to hit the water sometime. I'm in Bemidji almost every weekend in the summertime.

[Jmeyers]

This kind of trails away from the performance side of reels for your son, but I've found it's nice to use cheaper reels such as an ambassador to start off and then when it breaks you can use it as a learning tool on how a reel works. After my cheap reels have had enough I started taking them apart just to see how they work and learn how to put them back together. That way when a more expensive reel breaks you have some sort of knowledge about what may have happened...

[slipperybob]

Or buy second hand equipment for a fraction of the cost of new. Sometimes this gives you a higher performance reel rather going straight out with cheap new equipment. I know I started with cheap stuff like $25 reels and they were difficult from the beginning. Still the benefit of learning the innards of a reel from the cheap stuff did it's job. Wish I would've started middle of the road with reels in the $100-150 range.