If you want to get your kid started on fishing, you should try out reel and rod combinations. They usually take out the guesswork that comes with matching a line, rod or reel. The best fishing poles for kids are available in a range of sizes to accommodate different ages. There are different types of fishing poles as well to suit all your fishing needs.
There are a number of factors you need to consider when looking for the best fishing poles for kids. For starters, ease of use plays a significant role along with the length, durability, ergonomics, budget and weight. Here’s a round-up of some of the best fishing poles on the market.
Best Fishing Pole for Kids
1. Zebco Dock Demon Spincast Reel
BUY ON AMAZON
Product Features
- Reel: Retrieve spin caster with an anti-reverse setting and a 6-pound spooled test line
- Materials: Fiberglass rod is solid for long-lasting durability
- Action and Length: Medium action, overall length – 30 inches
Zebco Dock Demon Spincast Reel features a solid fiberglass rod that compact for ease of transportation. It’s equally sturdy and can withstand even the roughest of use that kids heap on the fishing rod. It comes with a lightweight 6-pound spooled test line that allows the young ones to feel the bites from crappie, trout, bluegill and bass.
Pros
- Comes with a durable and sturdy reel and rod that’s equally dependable
- The solid fiberglass rod design offers both backbone and sensitivity
- It’s reasonably priced saving some money for bait, hooks and bobbers
Cons
- Doesn’t come with bobbers, hooks and bait
- The spooled fishing line is low quality
- It comes with a 30-inch rod that can limit the casting distance
Zebco Dock Demon Spincast Reel is small yet mighty. It comes with a short 30-inch solid fiberglass rod that is virtually unbreakable but can still detect even the lightest of bites since its sensitive. The Zebco Dock Demon rod and reel combination paired with the push button spin cast reel. It’s an excellent choice for all new anglers.
The reel is simple and features a push button with a pre-spooled 6-pound test line that’s easy to use. The grip can accommodate small hands for ease of controlling the rod. It’s ideal to get the young ones started on fishing.
2. Youth Fishing Rod and Reel Combination by Wakeman
BUY ON AMAZON
Product Features
- Reel: Retrieve with an anti-reverse setting and a 6-pound spooled test line
- Materials: Fiberglass fishing rod for long-lasting durability
- Action and Length: Overall length- 4’2” rod with a medium to light action
Youth Fishing Rod and Reel Combination by Wakeman is relatively cheap and has everything a young angler will need for fishing. The entire package comes with three different sinkers, a bobber and three fishing hooks to helps kids get started.
Pros
- Youth Fishing Rod and Reel Combination by Wakeman comes in blue and pink
- The rod and reel combination comes with a plastic casting weight and tackle that help build the little one’s confidence
- The 4’2” inch solid fiberglass rod is ideal for making long casts
Cons
- The rod handle is made of plastic which is not entirely durable
- The two-piece design can be troubling for beginners
- The reel drag design is not effective
Youth Fishing Rod and Reel Combination by Wakeman is ideal for kids and is equally affordable. The rod and reel combination from this brand consists a spin casting reel, a test line, a bobber, weights and a durable fiberglass rod.
This reel has everything kids need for fishing as they only need to drop the bait in water in front of a trout, bluegill, stream, creek, dock or bass. You can use a casting weight for practicing and teaching the young ones the entire process of casting. The best ting about this fishing pole for kids is that it comes in a range of colors.
3. Zebco 33 Micro Spincast Combination
BUY ON AMAZON
Product Features
- Reel: Left and right retrieve, 4-pound spooled test line, and a light graphite frame
- Materials: Solid fiberglass rod
- Action and Length: 4’6”
Zebco 33 Micro Spincast Combination is the best fishing pole for kids on the market. The underspin reels help bridge the gap between spinning reels and spin cast to allow young anglers to transition smoothly to the next level. It’s beautifully designed to help the young one’s work on different casting techniques that they need to spin reels and cover water while at it.
Pros
- Comes with a tackle kit
- This fishing pole for kids has an in-built bite alert
- It teaches the youngsters spinning mechanics with the convenient closed-face reels
- Adjustable smooth drag system
Cons
- Only casts lure up to a maximum of 1/8 ounce
- It’s incredibly lightweight that it can’t handle a huge bass
Zebco 33 Micro Spincast Combination is best suited for fishing in lakes. The underspin reel design helps teach new anglers mechanics behind the spinning reel without tangling the closed-faced reel. The young angler only needs to activate the triggers to send baits sailing across the water body.
The reel makes casting easy allowing the angler to cover a significant amount of water before getting to the next level in the angling journey.
Zebco 33 Micro Spincast Combination allows the kids to tackle stocker trout and panfish with the incredibly lightweight fiberglass rod and moderate action. What’s more, this fishing pole comes with a 9-piece tackle kit with everything new anglers require to target trout and panfish from the box. In addition, the reel has an in-built bite alert to clue the inattentive anglers on strikes.
4. Zebco Rambler Fishing Rod and Reel Combination
BUY ON AMAZON
Product Features
- Length: 5’3’’ when extended and 24.5 inches when collapsed
- Materials: Solid fiberglass rod
- Reel: Left- or right-hand retrieve with metal gears for long-lasting durability and endurance and an 8-pound spooled test line
Zebco Rambler Fishing Rod and Reel Combination is specially designed to be effective when it comes to catching fish and equally packable for ease of transportation. It’s ideal for children between the age of 10 to 14 best suited for road trips and vacations. This is because it easily collapsible to a packable length.
What’s more, both right and left handers stand to benefit from this fishing pole as it can be used either way which makes it easy to use.
Pros
- Specially designed for road trips since its collapsible
- The sturdy construction doesn’t compromise on its sensitivity
- The reversible handle and sturdy reel are made of metal and features a pre-spooled 8-pound test line
Cons
- The plastic handle is uncomfortable for use over an extended period
- The telescoping rods are not quite balanced on the hands compared to its counterparts
Zebco Rambler Fishing Rod and Reel Combination comes with an in-built carabiner, ideal for travel. This fishing pole is collapsible to a packable length to allow users to carry it in their hiking bags to a remote pond or lake. It’s uniquely designed for young anglers between the age of 10 to 14.
The rod is equally sturdy and easy to cast. This makes it the best fishing pole for kids. The spinning reel additionally features a tangle-free patented design allowing anglers to focus on fishing instead of worrying about pulling apart the nests created.
Zebco Reel is 5 foot, 3 inches long when you extend. You can cover more water with this fishing pole since it’s longer for better casting and sturdy to fight a huge bass without compromising on sensitivity. Using it makes reeling fish more fun.
5. Zebco Roam Spinning Reel Combo
BUY ON AMAZON
Product Features
- Length: 6’6”
- Materials: Solid fiberglass rod
- Reel: Right- and left-hand retrieve with an anti-reverse setting, metal gears for long-lasting durability with 10-pound spooled test line
Zebco Roam Spinning Reel Combo paired with a solid fiberglass rod with long-lasting durability is a cheaper way for young anglers to get to the next level of their angling journey. This involves fishing for large fish like walleye or base without digging deeper into your pockets. The entire set comes with a 10-pound spooled test line that can comfortably handle almost anything under water.
Pros
- Features an automatic anti-reverse that provides hook sets
- This fishing pole for kids comes with shock ring guides that can withstand even the roughest of uses
- The durable solid fiberglass rod has a comfort grip handle ideal for tiny delicate hands
Cons
- Is long for young anglers
- The test line is a bit heavy
Zebco Roam Spinning Reel Combo is the best way to get your kid started on fishing. It helps the young angler catch bigger fish like walleye and bass. This spinning reel combo features a solid fiberglass rod that is sturdy enough to handle large fish. The best thing about this fishing pole for kids is that its relatively cheap. It additionally features shock guide rings that can withstand any form of abuse.
The reel comes with an incredibly soft comfort grip handle that conforms to tiny hands for ease of use and efficacy. The reel features an anti-reverse setting to allow the young ones to send home the hook when the bobber dips. What’s more, the spinning reel comes with a 10-pound spooled test line that can comfortably handle almost anything in the lake.
Methodology
If you spend a lot of time fishing with kids then you’ll realize that down sized reel and rod combinations are ideal for starting out new anglers. Our list focuses on the best fishing poles specially designed for young ones along with those than can stand abuse subjected to them during the entire fishing process. Here are some of the most important areas we looked at to draw our conclusions:
- Durable Rods
The young anglers are usually tough on tackles and the reel and rod combinations on our list are designed to withstand that kind of abuse. That’s why we went for those made from solid fiberglass. Fiberglass has an unforgiving nature to handle bruises and bumps those kids tend to dish out since graphite rods are usually more responsive. The rods are equally sturdy so you don’t have to worry about losing inserts when kids drop them.
- Sturdy Reels
Spinning reels usually have different moving parts. Therefore, the best fishing poles for kids should provide long-lasting durability and endurance. We looked for high-quality components such as metal gears where necessary. Drag system isn’t quite important when it comes to catching smaller fish that most of these rod and reel combinations are specially designed for. However, we went for fishing poles that don’t bind especially under pressure that’s why they are best suited for kids.
- Ease of Use
The best fishing poles for kids should be easy to use since the activity itself is meant for fun. Untangling the nests created by mismatched tackle and inappropriate reel mechanisms can be frustrating. We went for reel and rod combinations that pair perfectly well thereby creating a cast package that’s easy to use.
Choosing the Best Fishing Pole for Kids
There are a number of things that you should put into consideration when shopping for the best fishing poles for kids on the market including:
- Pole Length – A two- or three-foot fishing rod is ideal for kids between the age of 3 to 5. Four- or five-feet fishing rods are best suited for those between 6 to 9 years. If the young angler is more than 10 years, then you can go for 5ft rods and beyond.
- Reel Style – Fishing poles with Spincast reels are usually easy to use owing to the push button design which makes it ideal for kids who are starting out.
- Species Pursued – In this case, panfish are usually tailored for new anglers.
- Visual Appeal – As you know, kids are visual creatures. So, when looking for the fishing poles you need to go for looks as well. Ensure the tackle appealing as it functional since fishing is always about fun.
Conclusion
Choosing high-quality fishing poles for kids allows the young anglers to focus on retrieving, casting and reeling in fish instead of worrying about fixing a bent rod. Starters can try out the outstanding Zebco Dock Demon Reel Combo.
