advise on a good kids reel please

[Boar]

I have bought two abumatic spincasting reels for my kids and have come across a problem I have always incounterd with these types of reels and thats the line leaving the spool. You know when you cast and its flowing nicely then catches abruptly on the retrieving pin or the line just stubornly pulls out of the reel. I have on stren 6lb and just get frustrated trying to get them to work right. What might be the problem or what kind of reel would work good for kids. I had good luck with zebco 66 at times. Open face spinning reels are out of the question for now A very child user freindly reel is what we need andy info would be great. Thanks boar

[Dragonsm]

I originally purchased a Daiwa Silvercast to put on my fiance's pole to help her shake the rust off of her fishing talent a bit. The first thing I did was stripped the line off of the reel since it had "memory" of the reel into it. Made for casting a lot tougher when it would curly-q up. I put 6lb fireline on there and it has worked flawlessly on the reel. I even had to use it one afternoon when she finally got tired of the ease of casting with it and wanted to move back into the good ol' open face reel. You could always try respooling with some line first. My soon to be mother in law swears by Zebco's and that is all she ever used walleye fishing.....so, that's always a fail safe reel too.

Good luck with the kids!

Steve

[Boar]

Thanks steve, I even tried 2lb diameter 8lb test power pro with the same results. mabey i'll try that diawa. thanks later boar

[SteveWilson]

The little Diawa and Quantums work well. My 6 & 7 year olds both started with a Quantum combo's nice rod and a good little reel. My son broke the Quantum and we bought a Diawa reel to replace - it's worked well. After one year of fishing both are using regular Shimano spinning reels and rods I built for them.

[HawgTide]

The Omega by Zebco is their best, but it cost $50. I bought one for my wife and it works better than any spincast I've seen.

[BillP]

I have always thought push button spin cast reels with a pin pickup are the best for kids. The old Zebco 33 has always been a good choise and I hear it's been upgraded. Weighted slip bobbers and jigs rather than just hooks help to keep things untangled and assure easy casting.

[Surface Tension]

I say give what you'd use. I had Zebco 202s and Johnson Skippers when I was a kid. Sure I was happen to receive my own rod and reel but quite frankly, I would've rather had my ol'man's Mitchel 300 thats fursure. Can't tell you how many nice fish I snapped off because I was using the kiddy stuff.

My kids get my spinning rods & reels. Its the best of both worlds, I get a new reel and the kids get an outfit that isn't a toy. Although a Barbie rod and reel is tempting to my 7 year old daughter, she'll grab my spinning outfit when she wants to fish. Its surprising how fast kids learn and when given the choice, they'll pick the quality outfit.

[riverrat56]

Dad started me on a Zebco, but after a few months of fishing he got sick of all the problems and just handed me his Open face reel and showed me how to cast it, i sure felt special using Dads rod and reel, and knowing how to cast it. Unless your kids are really young, I would just start them with a cheaper openface reel on a 5 ft bargin bin rod, that way when they break something your not out much money, but it will save them some hassels and save you some also. Buy some practice plugs and go out to a feild and let them learn to cast it. When fishing, don't expect them to be able to cast as far as you or to be able to throw light jigs, but with a weighted bobber and a jig they should be fine. I taught my sister how to cast with an open face in the backyard when she was 5. It on took an hour at tops, more like 45 mins and she had the hang of it.

[united jigsticker]

To be blunt and honest, Stren will cause problems regardless of what reel it is on.

I have TRIED to use that birdnest material they call fishing line, and just end up frusterated.

I agree on Quantum reels as the best brand for userability for youngsters.