# Well I think the kids are finally hooked on fishing...



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

My youngest son is 8 yrs old and he asked for a fishing rod/reel like I have for Xmas. After looking at everything from $29 combos up to $99 combos, I didn't see anything that was quality. Yeah, I know he is just a kid, but I wanted him to have quality equipment. I ended up buying him a 6ft St. Croix Triumph UL rod with a Shimano Sahara 750 class reel. 

Well after hours of testing out the reel and having numerous wind knots and wasting hundreds of yards of line, I decided the problem was a design error relating to the angle on the lip of the spool. So I returned the reel and got him a Sahara 1500 class instead. Took it home and tested it out and it works perfect. The kid loves his rod. So I took him and my 9 year old son both fishing. Since I wanted them to be equally matched, I let the 9 year old use my St. Croix Avid 7ft with a Sahara 4000 class on it. 

Well lets just say that I've had some banner fishing days lately, catching 31 bass in 2.5 hours one day, and 18 bass in 2 hours another day. However, none of those days could stack up to the past few trips I've had fishing with my boys. It is soooooo rewarding to see them threading their Senko worms onto the hooks and walking the shoreline, catching Bass, all on their own accord. They are hooked and I am too. Here are some of the pics:

My 2 Hillbilly's fishin':










9 year old with some of his Bass:




























8 year old with some of his Bass:














































Me with a couple of mine:










Not sure what I was thinking in this pic, but I don't look to thrilled:


----------



## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

Great job Zack! Nice to see them enjoying fishing and spending quality time with Dad! I think you did the right thing getting the quality gear. If they're gonna be hooked then they need good equipment. Congrats!:fishing:


----------



## IrishManHoe (Jun 6, 2006)

awesome!! the only thing the kids need now are some red sox shirts


----------



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Awesome. Nice pictures. Kids are fantastic!! 

Mine are 8 (boy) and 10 (girl). They both quickly outgrew the Zebco push buttons and were using casting reels at age 4. My son took to the hobby very well, being able to tie his own line, sinkers and all as well as bait up...at the age of 5. He's especially fun when we go on the headboats because he does the "oohh YEAHHH, this is a monster," and the "hey hey I caught bubba."

She's still a girl when it comes to live bait but everything else is good. (Except for if she catches a bigger one or more than him....then ...)

Be careful with the hooks. He got me once and knows now to be more careful. 

Kids are, IMO, the best part of my life.

Oh, one other experience to share. We were on the beach summer before last. I had my 14 footer set up and in the spike. My son was standing by, keeping an eye on it. I had my other rod and nailed a striper. 

While working the striper in the wash the 14 foot rod was nailed. I told my son to start working it while the rod was in the spike and to make sure the rod/reel didn't get pulled out/lost. He reeled and reeled and worked the rod. You should have heard him, you'd have thought he had a 10 foot striper. He was absolutely amazing (and quite entertaining) as he worked the rod in the spike, the rod in the spike being more than 4 times taller than him! 

After I was available (having landed a nice keeper striper) I went over to help him. He had his almost to shore so I told him to finish and he pulled in a keeper spanish makeral. This is a visual memory I'll keep forever.


----------



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

saltandsand said:


> This is a visual memory I'll keep forever.



LOL! I hear ya, Great story Saltandsand. 

In the pic below, my youngest hadn't caught a fish yet that day and had been trying for hours... all the while his brother was reeling them in. Well, when he finally hooked this one and was reeling it in, he was so excited and he says "I got one finally, YAY ME! YAY ME!!" and I about fell over laughing and that moment will forever be etched in my mind as well. Kids are great!


----------



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Good job dude! I'll have to hit Sunglow with you next time I get out there.


----------



## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

KZ--Nice work, they'll be fishermen for life.


----------



## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

I know the feeling well Zach...Good for you,and your boyz! ...You look confused on the big one though


----------



## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Right there*

Now that's what fishin is all about. Great report and pics Zach.


----------



## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

KZ -- that is so great! takes me back to when mine were young & had a great time catchin' em -- son, when about 10 (now 25) brought home a chain pickerel once from a nearby pond -- didn't have a stringer with him...he carried it home on a stick - i thought he looked like huckleberry finn! both kids, son & daughter (22) still fish with us.
funny anecdote - when daughter was little we were looking thru pictures & when we came to one that was a family portrait type thing...she looked up at me & very seriously asked "but, Mom, where are the fish?" -- she thought every picture should have a fish in it, just because, i guess, most of em did!


----------



## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Nice work! Those Saharas are great reels for the money. Ive caught anything from mountain trout to flounder on mine and everything in between


----------



## Yazfish (Jan 14, 2008)

I like the stories!

Salt -- I wonder about pushbutton reels for beginners, but I have to admit I've never seen a kid figure out spinning reels on their first trip. (Or adults) 
They just have to re-learn it again with spinning reels...

this says pushbuttons first:
http://beginnerfish.blogspot.com/2007/11/reel.html


----------

