Posted: 11/19/2010 3:43:30 AM EDT
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All my fishing has been done with spincasting reels when I was a kid and spinning reels since my teens. I've used a baitcaster one time and don't remember much about it.
My son has outgrown his Lightning McQueen rod and reel and I want to get him a new rig for his 7th birthday this month. I've been doing a lot of looking around and was wondering if a baitcasting rig is any more difficult for a little kid to use than a spincaster. He's tried my spinning rigs and doesn't quite have the coordination yet. I'm trying to keep it as unfrustrating as possible for him so a push button outfit is still going to be the way to go. Thanks for the help. |
| My son from about 5-10 used this style reel and just started using a spin castinig setup this summer at age 11. |
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That's basically what he's using now on his Lightning McQueen rod and reel. The spincasting reel is permanently attached to the rod.
I'm wondering if a baitcaster is any more difficult to use than a spincaster (which is what he's been using). They're both "push the button and cast" but I don't know if there is more involved with a baitcaster or not. |
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He's old enough to use a good proper spinning reel. And I don't mean a spin caster. My son is 7 and fairly uncoordinated, and he's really god now with his spinning reels no after a bit of patience on my part.
Do yourself a favor and forget the baitcaster, unless you are into the serious bass fishing and just want to teach him. I use em well, but every now and then I'm liable to fuzz one up good. |
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Quoted:
That's basically what he's using now on his Lightning McQueen rod and reel. The spincasting reel is permanently attached to the rod. I'm wondering if a baitcaster is any more difficult to use than a spincaster (which is what he's been using). They're both "push the button and cast" but I don't know if there is more involved with a baitcaster or not. Yes, it's totally different, the bait casters use centrifugal, and/or magnetic braking systems that have to be adjusted according to the weight of the item you are casting, it's not just push and throw. You do it wrong and all the line knots up in a big ball around the reel. It requires practice and maintenance and is for the serious practitioner. Get him a good spinning reel and a decent rod, and ditch that toy stuff, he'll be so much happier with it! EDIT: This guy makes it look easy, but trust me I've seen some major mishaps where cutting line with a pocket knife and much cussing was in order. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDI5kwR5zjc |
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I have been fishing for nearly 30yrs with spinning reels and only decided this year to buy a bait casting setup.
I have never cussed so much while fishing in my life. These reels have a rather large learning curve to them. |
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Thanks, guys! The baitcaster looks like a pain in the ass. I may get him out messing with one of my spinning rigs again before his birthday and see how he does. Depending on the outcome of that I may still end up getting him a spincaster for the time being and then get him a spinning reel in a couple more years. I think I was about 10 or 12 when I started using a spinning reel.
I appreciate the input about the baitcaster. I think that would have been a mistake. |
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Quoted:
Thanks, guys! The baitcaster looks like a pain in the ass. I may get him out messing with one of my spinning rigs again before his birthday and see how he does. Depending on the outcome of that I may still end up getting him a spincaster for the time being and then get him a spinning reel in a couple more years. I think I was about 10 or 12 when I started using a spinning reel. I appreciate the input about the baitcaster. I think that would have been a mistake. The baitcaster is rough. I only fished for a few months (last summer), and got a baitcaster. It's not for a 7 year old with the attention span of a goldfish with the coordination to match (we all remember being that young and easily distracted lol). Hell, I was 20 and had a rough time. But if you've got a fairly large lawn, and no trees (still a lot of line in my yard dangling from trees), then it's attainable. All it takes is practice. Lot's of practice. |
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I have never messed with those baitcasting reels...... when I was young I remember how frustrating it was to even use a spincaster, always getting tangled and knotted.... then one day I was allowed to try my dads spinner reel and never looked back ha ha. I would be happy if I never had to untangle one of those damned things again and if the baitcasting type is anything like it you can count on the fact that I will stay far away.
My wife had never fished in her life until I got a hold of her, I got her a spinning reel and rod and taught her how to use it somewhat effectively in less than 20 minutes, and she is not the most coordinated gal out there. Eventually your son is going to want to use a spinner and in your situation I would probably just teach him now. I had to learn to tie my own knots before I was eight and before long I had a rod all my own that only I touched. Learned it all early and I'm better for it. |
| Picked up a Abu Garcia Silver Max last year for my birthday. Took it out twice after some practice in the yard. Get a couple of casts out and whiplash while fishing. Was not happy. Tried again after spending an hour tearing the line out and putting on new and the same thing happened. Lucky for me I had my Pflueger to back me up. I will stick with it and my Shakespeare from now on. No more baitcasters for me. |
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I am a very avid fisherman and switched to spinning about age 5 and got my first baitcaster at age 12. The baitcaster is a very time consuming learning experience but once you figure out your setup, they are amazing. Not recommended unless you are a pretty hardcore fisherman. There are a few tips though for getting out backlashes which I wish somebody showed me when I started out. If anyone is interested in this technique just search on it for youtube. You basically tighten the drag and crank the reel 2-3 times, then release the spool and start pulling out line again until you hit the next knot. Basically when you crank, it reverses the backlash. Hard to explain in words but its really easy to do.
Anyone who doesnt like their new baitcaster that gives them so much trouble, I will be happy to take donations! |
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Quoted:
I am a very avid fisherman and switched to spinning about age 5 and got my first baitcaster at age 12. The baitcaster is a very time consuming learning experience but once you figure out your setup, they are amazing. Not recommended unless you are a pretty hardcore fisherman. There are a few tips though for getting out backlashes which I wish somebody showed me when I started out. If anyone is interested in this technique just search on it for youtube. You basically tighten the drag and crank the reel 2-3 times, then release the spool and start pulling out line again until you hit the next knot. Basically when you crank, it reverses the backlash. Hard to explain in words but its really easy to do. Anyone who doesnt like their new baitcaster that gives them so much trouble, I will be happy to take donations! This. I own 6 baitcast reels and I love them, mind you I started using them when I was 12 or 13 years old. There are some baits like deep cranks and spinnerbaits you just cant fish on spinning gear, you need a winching reel for them. |
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Picked up a Abu Garcia Silver Max last year for my birthday. Took it out twice after some practice in the yard. Get a couple of casts out and whiplash while fishing. Was not happy. Tried again after spending an hour tearing the line out and putting on new and the same thing happened. Lucky for me I had my Pflueger to back me up. I will stick with it and my Shakespeare from now on. No more baitcasters for me. Don't sweat it. After a while with the Baitcaster, you either get good at putting on new line, or casting. It's one or the other. Both are good traits to have. |
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Picked up a Abu Garcia Silver Max last year for my birthday. Took it out twice after some practice in the yard. Get a couple of casts out and whiplash while fishing. Was not happy. Tried again after spending an hour tearing the line out and putting on new and the same thing happened. Lucky for me I had my Pflueger to back me up. I will stick with it and my Shakespeare from now on. No more baitcasters for me. Don't sweat it. After a while with the Baitcaster, you either get good at putting on new line, or casting. It's one or the other. Both are good traits to have. Yep. I must have gone through 3,000 yards of line when I got my first baitcaster around age 13. But, once you figure it out, you'll really really like it. |
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I wouldn't recommend a baitcaster for someone that young either. Cheaper models are the absolute worst as well. Most of my reels are abu garcia Revo's ranging from the s to the premier. You can cast them all day with no backlash and then switch to a Shakespeare combo from Wal-Mart and in 15 minutes be ready to throw it off your boat.
Reels are like guns, buy quality and you'll spend less time cussing and more time fishing. |
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at 7, unless hes already really into it, you want him to focus on catching fish, not casting. With coordination not developed, a baitcaster may be very hard to pick up. A spinning reel will take a little time, but should be easy enough for him to use and get good with pretty quick. Just make sure you get a decent one, and good line, and make sure you spool it correctly. Getting birdnests in the line is from bad spooling/line.
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| having been a guide get the boy an open face spinning reel . it is the most forgiving and teach him in the back yard not on the water the casting stroke on a bait caster is very hard to master but once you do you will never go back my wife is a bait caster girl after much cussing if she can anybody can |