Rod/Reel for Daughter

[radm]

I'm heading to LOW - Sioux Narrows end o' the month for our annual 2 week fam. vacation. We fish Walters for some table fare but I'm primarily targeting toothy creatures for serious fun. My 8 yo daughter is pretty good fisherperson for walters & bass with a jig or bobber but I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on an outfit I can rig her up with to throw some small/medium bucktales & spoons while I'm casting for said muskys. Thinking I'd frustrate her trying to teach her how to throw with a baitcaster but don't know if the old Zebco closed face will handle a potential large fish. Any thoughts?

[Master Chief]

well I have an older (maybe 10 years??) shimano 4000 sized spinning reel, it seems to hold up well and is easy to cast without the backlash headaches. I have fished northerns, muskie and even some catfish with that reel on a ugly-stik rod with no problems. Inexpensive and strong.

[SteveWilson]

Any decent 2500 size spinning reel with the right line should work well on a medium-heavy rod. You might want to pick a rod a bit on the short side (say 6'). When my familly goes out we'll often mix it up, casting for awhile and then trolling. When we set out the trolling rods my son (8) and daughter (7) both set the line and bring it in to clear weeds, I drive, and my wife watches for bites and catches the fish. While my wife was reeling in a pike on one line, and I was using the net, my daughter saw a small tap and reeled in another line that had a nice size walleye on it. A few hours later she reeled in a nice 23" pike, thinking the line was a bit "heavy". So she managed a 9' trolling rod with a Diawa trolling reel and 10lb line. Your daughter should be able to handle a rod, reel, and line setup for pike. She just needs a bit of practice casting. I figure next year my son and daughter will want to try casting with a bait casting reel.

[delmuts]

a good mid size + spinning reel on a 6'-6'6" rod, and say 20# PP should be something she could manage and not get tired . don't count her out thou next year wanting to learn/use a baitcaster! i think my twins were 9 when they started with them.

[Andrew Erickson]

im 14 now and i learned when i was 7

[delmuts]

i have to share this story! back when the twins were 9-10. i had my archery shop in a bait shop here in town. an older guy came in looking for a rod and reel. for what he wanted to use it for a bait caster would be perfect, but he said they were to hard to use! my daughter was standing there. the guy behind the counter,( bob!! truely ) said that ashley could/would teach him how to adjust and cast it!! sooooo! she went outside with the guy. showed him how to adjust the tension,drag, and the braking sys., and then how to make a simple over hand cast. it didn't take long the guy had it under control. came in and bought the rod and reel.then stuck his finger in bobs' face and told him to NEVER embarrass him like that again!!!