Rod for my kid?

mike5097 · 12-14-2001, 07:21 AM

I want to get a halfway decent rod for my 9 year old to start steelheading with.
While I am a proponent of "fish with the best you can afford", I have visions of the kid breaking a hundred dollar rod and my wife saying I told you so!
I have looked at the Ugly Stick Lite 8'5" steelhead rods, and they seem like a decent rod.
I like hype about them being "almost unbreakable".
Has anyone ever used these?
Are they a decent rod?
Would you use one?
Should I pass them up?
Any alternatives?
Thanks,
Mike

Tanner · 12-14-2001, 07:40 AM

Go to Fishermans Marine and look at the Berkley Buzz Ramsey series rods. Good rods for a good price. That is what my 10 year old uses for a drift rod. Also look at the North River Rods. I bought him a 9' North River spinning rod for bobber and jig fishing. He has caught many steelhead on that North River and my wife landed a 19 - 20 lb native on it last year. I believe both rods are under a $100.00

cureless · 12-14-2001, 07:47 AM

I have two boys 11yrs and 6yrs old and find that if you start them with quality gear and teach them how to use and care for it they can do just fine.

I have them using Lamiglas 500 series and North river and a Buzz Ramsey Luhr Jensen rod.

As far as reels just use the best ABU Garcia 5500 series are good for small hands and good quality spinning reels.

When your kid hooks into a hot 30lb Nook or one of those leaping steelhead you dont want to handicap them with junk gear. you want them to land those fish.

Thumper · 12-14-2001, 07:51 AM

The folks at Fisherman's Marine offer a heck of a guarantee on their proprietary North River rods. You break it, they replace it. Simple. Great for a kid's rod.

[ 12-14-2001: Message edited by: Thumper ]</p>

mike5097 · 12-14-2001, 08:55 AM

OK, you guys convinced me!
A North River with my venerable old 5500 is what he'll get for Christmas!
But I'm still curious.
What is it about an Ugly Stick that makes them an inferior rod?
Is it the quality?
Is it the sensitivity?
Is it an image thing?
How about some specifics!
Mike

Fishing freak · 12-14-2001, 09:14 AM

Mike, never tried the ugly stick but I concurr with Tanner and Cureless. I bought my son the Berkly "Buzz Ramsey" series for my son at a ma and pa tackle store on the Rogue for $65. It is a good drift rod for the buck ( I have been known to use it myself). :smile:

Fishen Fool · 12-14-2001, 09:21 AM

Mike, it is mostly a image thing, they are definitly almost unbreakable. They are a little on the heavy side thought, something to consider with a kid.

BigSpinner · 12-14-2001, 09:24 AM

hey mike the ugly stick is an ok rod in a few ways. It is strong as anything but the sensitivity is not their. I had a ugly stick trout rod for a long time then changed to a g-loomis GL2 what a change, well worth the extra
mony. As long as your kids are having a good time with their dad they dont care that much on their rod. Good luck.
FISH HARD WORK EASY!

cureless · 12-14-2001, 12:19 PM

What is a good rod for B-10 silvers also ocean.
When you have diver and flasher it is heavy and can bend the rods I use a little much. I was wondering about an ugly stick? Do they make a short one for this fishery?

Tanner · 12-14-2001, 02:32 PM

Cureless,
I was using the Berkley Buzz Ramsey Series 15 - 50
chinook rod out there this fall and it worked pretty good for hauling around all that gear.

Snapshot · 12-14-2001, 09:27 PM

I have been looking for a rod for a first year fisherman and ended up considering a Wright McGill or the Ugly stick. The ugly stick has the best warrenty and would be a good started for a kid, graphite rods will get stepped on, caught in a door or something bad. How many beginner rods do you want to buy. Take a look at the 7 to 8 foot for the young fry.

You cannot catch fish with a dry hook, go fish.