I've been spending more and more time with a local youth. He is 16 and has only been bass fishing a dozen times or so...mostly with me. He uses my spinning equipment. I want to buy him his own rod and reel. But I don't know what to buy him or how much to spend...I mean I know what my preferences are but I don't want to spend 300 bucks on a combo like the ones I use. On the chance that he loses intrest or something. Oh and his mom is single and can barely keep food on the table...

Money isnt an issue with me.. but I don't know how much I should spend... Opinions

My reservations on buy super cheap stuff. Was I want him to have something nice / decent that will last him a while and will preform at high level....with out breaking the bank.

I would think a combo setup in the 40-60$ range should suffice. Also with the season starting up Gander,BPS, Dicks etc. all have really good sales going on. So you could possibly scoop up a $100+ setup for that 40-60$ range.

You buy a pretty decent rod and reel. Id go with a pro qualifier and a carbonlite rod(so youre in under $125) in a mh action. You tell him, the rod stays in your boat till you see hes gonna keep up with it. If he quits, you add it as a technique specific rod. Its no $300 setup but will be nice and if he quits you just use it yourself.

Buy him what you consider decent equipment.

If you go cheap it could turn him off of fishing with bait casting equipment.

A pro qualifier and a $100 rod maybe?

Never give anything that you aren't willing to write off...........I mean you don't want to have any bad feelings about giving something that if they don't like it or drop out will bother you. Every time I give a gift.....you can do what with it....won't bother me or keep me from giving again down the road.

You're a nice guy ~

 

I guess first thing I'd do out of respect for his Mom,  would be to ask if it would be OK to give him the gear.

 

Then, before I purchased a rig, I'd consider "handing down" something I might not use as much any more.

 

You'd be passing on some good mojo. 

 

Otherwise, most any quality entry level set up should do it.

 

A-Jay

You buy a pretty decent rod and reel. Id go with a pro qualifier and a carbonlite rod(so youre in under $125) in a mh action. You tell him, the rod stays in your boat till you see hes gonna keep up with it. If he quits, you add it as a technique specific rod. Its no $300 setup but will be nice and if he quits you just use it yourself.

This whole idea came up because he called me and asked to borrow two of my spinning rods, both are Powell Endurance 712 with Stradic 2500s, just so he could go down to the river with his friends... I'm sorry but he isn't taking those rods without me....

This whole idea came up because he called me and asked to borrow two of my spinning rods, both are Powell Endurance 712 with Stradic 2500s, just so he could go down to the river with his friends... I'm sorry but he isn't taking those rods without me....

 

I hear that -

 

I'd have no problem hooking up the young lad while he's fishing with me but I'm not going to set up the local neighborhood with tackle.    Junior will have to save up his dimes and get is own gear. 

 

A-Jay

Yeah... I thought so too. I'm thinking about trying to find one of the Vendetta rods for cheap. Some say thay some wally world's have them for 30 bucks again. And then I can pair it up with one of the 50 dollar Abu or Shimano spinning reels.

My buddy thinks its absurd to spend 80-100 bucks on a combo for a kid that isn't mine.... But the kid doesn't have a father figure or a man in his life that is willing to take up time with him.

A jay, all of my old gear like the old ugly sticks and cardinal reels were given away last year in my attempt to appease the wife.

Start him off right, NRX/antares dc

I guess it partly depends on his attitude toward other people and other things.  I wouldn't lend an old beat up Zebco 202 to some ADULTS-let alone teenagers but for others I'd be considerably more generous.  I guess to me there are two considerations:  First, would he take care of it? Second, would he actually use it?  But IMHO, young people don't need the best of the best right away-for the issues I listed above AND because most young people generally don't value good things if they're just handed them.  Or, perhaps more charitably spoken, they appreciate things a lot more if there is some deferred gratification.

 

My advice: lend him some hand-me-down items and see how he treats it.

A Shimano Clarus and a Shimano Sedona, around 120 bucks

Start him off right, NRX/antares dc

Ok will do.. as soon as you mail them to me. Hahaha

Yeah... I thought so too. I'm thinking about trying to find one of the Vendetta rods for cheap. Some say thay some wally world's have them for 30 bucks again. And then I can pair it up with one of the 50 dollar Abu or Shimano spinning reels.

My buddy thinks its absurd to spend 80-100 bucks on a combo for a kid that isn't mine.... But the kid doesn't have a father figure or a man in his life that is willing to take up time with him.

A jay, all of my old gear like the old ugly sticks and cardinal reels were given away last year in my attempt to appease the wife.

 

 

I guess it partly depends on his attitude toward other people and other things.  I wouldn't lend an old beat up Zebco 202 to some ADULTS-let alone teenagers but for others I'd be considerably more generous.  I guess to me there are two considerations:  First, would he take care of it? Second, would he actually use it?  But IMHO, young people don't need the best of the best right away-for the issues I listed above AND because most young people generally don't value good things if they're just handed them.  Or, perhaps more charitably spoken, they appreciate things a lot more if there is some deferred gratification.

 

My advice: lend him some hand-me-down items and see how he treats it.

 

 Good Stuff right there ~

 

Perhaps the fact that the lad is interested enough to go fishing without you is a good sign.

 

Sounds like you're fairly set on getting him a rig. 

I guess you could go two ways - spend some money on one rod & reel for him or split that same $$ into purchasing 2 set ups so that he can take (or Bring when with you) a friend -

 That sounds like a job for the type of gear that comes in plastic / bubble wrap and hangs on a hook.

 

A-Jay

What about the Pfleuger Trion combo? 

I think I saw the cardinal combos over at wallymat for around $40, good starter and cheap. The real is a cardinal sx30 I believe

^^ This.  Pick up a Trion and pair it with a Berkley Lightning rod if you can't find one in a combo, you'll spend about $80, and could then consider maybe a small backpack, a couple of left over plano boxes, and even a couple tried and true lures that he'll have fun catching fish on. Nothing better than getting another young person involved in the sport, and that is stuff that could be used for years

I would say get him a combo less than $80 and go with him to Bass Pro and let him pick out $30-$50 worth of tackle. It would sure make me happy if someone took me on a shopping spree to BPS. But first make sure to tell him he need to take care of it and it's his responsibility now.

Teal i was looking at some spinning and looking at rods last week at dicks and saw some nice combos for 79 price range I need a spinning set up and picked up an Abu cardinal combo check out dicks if ya have one nearby.. By the way I commend you on what you have been doing..

I'm a firm believer in if I give a gift, it's none of my business what they do with it... perhaps he may have an attachment to it, he may break it. Either way, it is his. I bought my older son a Zebco spinner combo at Wal-Mart for 28 bucks and he still has it. Caught a bunch of fish with it.

A Shimano Clarus and a Shimano Sedona, around 120 bucks

Good combination at a reasonable price, however.....you need to let the teen earn this so he has some skin in the game. Talk to his mon and figure out a allowance plan to help payback a few bucks toward this rod/reel, line, etc.

Tom

I have a Shimano Sedona and I think it's great for a starter setup. The rod isn't as important in my opinion, you can get by with a fairly cheap one. And as a 16 year old I know how us kids think, so I'll tell you what I think about getting free stuff. If I am just handed something I don't take care of it as well as if I pay for it with my own money. I'm not saying that you shouldn't give him a setup, I think you should if he's interested and can't afford his own, but just make sure he takes care of it.

I think it is so awesome you are doing this!

Many Kudos to you Teal, you are good people.

Some real good ideas here. I do completely agree with Fish Murderer that whatever you decide to give him will be his, and what happens after is out of your control. Knowing kids, I would not spend too much for an entry level set-up or two.

 

Talking to his mom first and letting him get, "some skin in the game' are also good suggestions I believe. Making sure he understands that is important I think. I help coach a local high school fishing team. I will sometimes provide terminal tackle for kids who can't afford it. One of the kids on the team is the son of my friend who drowned while fishing a couple of years ago. I have had to really work on teaching him responsibility when it comes to other peoples stuff, or his own for that matter because he doesn't really have any skin invested. I expect him to treat our boats and gear with respect. My position is if you lose or break something while fishing, that is just part of the deal-I expect it to happen. I do not expect to find tackle supplied by me laying in the bottom of the boat at the end of the day. Kids will challenge you Teal, but what you are doing can make a real difference in that young man's life. Good for you.

Teal - sent you a pm

 

A-Jay