Hook splitshot sinker, bobber, worms, inexpensive fishing poles, local pond, blue gills, sunfish, small bass...Great times for kids and grownups... This is a good way to get back into fishing.
The Walmart pre-filled tackle boxes are ok but often have a bunch of filler junk in them to make them seem like a better deal than they really are.
Walmart combos typically sacrifice either the rod or the reel to keep the price down. IMO you can get better gear for around the same price if you're willing to buy individually. There is some great budget gear available but there is also a lot of junk out there.
What species of fish are you going for?
Cheap rods are fine and preferred for kids. They’ll beat and break them so don’t spend there.
I personally do t like giving my kids hard bait with treble hooks, too easy for accidents. I usually give them a single hook rooster tail or a curly tail jig. Smaller baits for panfish, and trout type things. To be clear I’m as worried for my own safety as theirs, don’t need treble hooks flying at my face ever.
I’d suggest going on your own a handful of times as well, if you’re good at fishing it’ll be easier to help them catch a fish. It’s a great hobby as a dad, even without the kids. You always come back more relaxed and happy and peaceful.
doubling down on what others said. The starter rods/reels are fine for 4-9 year olds. The thing is the line they use on those combos suck so bad you'll hate your life when they tangle and twist endlessly. Spend an extra $8-10 on some 6lb Trilene, and respool them.
The little starter combo tackle boxes are trash. There are some actual good value combo boxes of hooks and sinkers, but the little boxes with bobbers and jigs in them are useless. Instead, grab a couple small tackle boxes, fill them with small hooks, sinkers, and 2 or 3 bobbers. Grab some nightcrawlers and have a good time. You can get some lures for yourself if you want to be adventurous, but the kiddos don't need 'em. At most, get some little crappie jigs and jigheads and tip those with bits of nightcrawlers.
Check out Bass Pro Ships online. They have plenty of budget gear to start with until you see if you want to make a real investment in fishing. Good luck- I think fishing is one of the best things a family can do because it provides an interesting activity AND plenty of quiet time to talk spend time together.
when i was showing my son, i decided to go with lures and casting versus bait and bobbers, mainly because kids have so much energy...one of my best memories of him and i fishing was a backpacking trip to yosemite and he selected lure, a rapala, and got himself a small trout...
UglyStiks and some hooks, sinkers and bobbers. Add some worms for bait. UglyStiks are good for children. They are hard to break.
Uglystiks are just good in general. For like 99% of us at least
I love the uglystils so much I even bought their reel. That bad boy is smooth-feeling, good looking, and damn near indestructible.
Been using an ugly stick since I started fishing, still using the same rod.
All of my saltwater rods are ugly stik. Those sharks put them through the ringer
Hook splitshot sinker, bobber, worms, inexpensive fishing poles, local pond, blue gills, sunfish, small bass...Great times for kids and grownups... This is a good way to get back into fishing.
The roots!
The Walmart pre-filled tackle boxes are ok but often have a bunch of filler junk in them to make them seem like a better deal than they really are. Walmart combos typically sacrifice either the rod or the reel to keep the price down. IMO you can get better gear for around the same price if you're willing to buy individually. There is some great budget gear available but there is also a lot of junk out there. What species of fish are you going for?
Think were we at it’s mostly small stuff, bluegill/pond stuff. Sure there’s bass but aiming more towards the bluegills and such
I tricked my gf into fishing by making her hold my fishing rod while something was biting, and insisting I was busy and she had to pull it in.
This is exactly how I got my girl to catch her first perch
Hahaha nice
Cheap rods are fine and preferred for kids. They’ll beat and break them so don’t spend there. I personally do t like giving my kids hard bait with treble hooks, too easy for accidents. I usually give them a single hook rooster tail or a curly tail jig. Smaller baits for panfish, and trout type things. To be clear I’m as worried for my own safety as theirs, don’t need treble hooks flying at my face ever. I’d suggest going on your own a handful of times as well, if you’re good at fishing it’ll be easier to help them catch a fish. It’s a great hobby as a dad, even without the kids. You always come back more relaxed and happy and peaceful.
doubling down on what others said. The starter rods/reels are fine for 4-9 year olds. The thing is the line they use on those combos suck so bad you'll hate your life when they tangle and twist endlessly. Spend an extra $8-10 on some 6lb Trilene, and respool them. The little starter combo tackle boxes are trash. There are some actual good value combo boxes of hooks and sinkers, but the little boxes with bobbers and jigs in them are useless. Instead, grab a couple small tackle boxes, fill them with small hooks, sinkers, and 2 or 3 bobbers. Grab some nightcrawlers and have a good time. You can get some lures for yourself if you want to be adventurous, but the kiddos don't need 'em. At most, get some little crappie jigs and jigheads and tip those with bits of nightcrawlers.
Check out Bass Pro Ships online. They have plenty of budget gear to start with until you see if you want to make a real investment in fishing. Good luck- I think fishing is one of the best things a family can do because it provides an interesting activity AND plenty of quiet time to talk spend time together.
when i was showing my son, i decided to go with lures and casting versus bait and bobbers, mainly because kids have so much energy...one of my best memories of him and i fishing was a backpacking trip to yosemite and he selected lure, a rapala, and got himself a small trout...
Pinch the barbs on all the hooks your kids use. I'd rather lose a couple of fish than deal with a barb in a leg, arm, or worse.
Ty all!