Choosing the Best Kids Fishing Rod and Reel Setup for 10-14 year olds
Fishing with kids is a fun, wholesome, and inexpensive way to create quality family memories. Even Fortnite addicted 10 year old boys will jump at the chance to go out fishing with Mom and Dad!
No matter where you live, there’s sure to be a lake or a pond nearby where you can spend an hour or two fishing from the bank (no boat required).
All you need is some inexpensive gear, a bit of extra time, and a sense of adventure. If you’re not sure how to choose the best fishing rod and reel for your kids, never fear! We’re here to help.
The biggest piece of advice we have is: Kids toy fishing rods, like the superhero sets sold at big box stores, are AWFUL! Don’t buy them! They usually have spincast reels, which combine the worst qualities of both spinning reels and baitcasting reels; the rods are usually just plastic and will break instantly; and they are almost always pre-spooled with cheap, old line that breaks off.
Avoid kids toy fishing rods! Instead, go for a “real” set up in light weight or ultra light weight. It will grow with your child, and you may find that you also have a blast fishing for panfish and small bass with it yourself.
If you’re new to fishing, or it’s been a while since you fished, you may not feel confident matching up a rod and reel to make a balanced setup. The good news is, there are tons of combos out there that will take the guesswork out of it!
Some of our favorite combos for kids (or for adults wanting to fish lightweight setups) include:
The Overall Winner: UglyStik GX2 Ultra Light Combo
This setup offers a short 4 foot 8 inch rod that’s easy for small hands to handle and cast, along with a super lightweight reel that will hold plenty of line for anything a pond or small lake can hold. The EVA foam handle on the rod gives a great non-slip grip for kids, and means you won’t be as likely to have to go wading in the muck to retrieve a dropped rod!
UglyStik rods are nearly indestructible, and offer fantastic value for the money. The Shakespeare reel that comes in this combo isn’t the smoothest thing in the world, but it’s built well and it’s more than sufficient for a child who’s learning to fish. Plus, you can always upgrade to a different reel as your child’s skills grow.
At just about $48, this combo is not the cheapest option out there, but it will last for years and bring hours of enjoyment to your whole family. It’s perfect for catching sunfish, pumpkin seeds, small bass, and even the occasional perch, crappie or other pond fish! There’s also a 5’ rod version that is Light (instead of Ultra Light), which is almost the same price (actually, it’s currently selling for $47).
This is definitely a top contender for a good quality, long-lasting rod and reel combo to help teach your kids to fish!
Most Budget-Friendly Option: UglyStik Spinning Fishing Combo Kit (Freshwater)
This $15.99 setup is about the same price as most of the cartoon Kids Toy Fishing Rods, but this is the real deal. It’s a lightweight, two piece 5’ rod, which comes complete with a simple spinning reel (pre-spooled!) and a bit of assorted tackle. For about $16, it’s got everything you need to get out on the water and start catching some bluegills, crappie or bass with your little one.
This Kids Spinning rod and reel combo offers a ton of features, including:
Two-piece spinning rod
Graphite spinning reel with ball bearing
Pre-spooled with line
Assorted tackle included
Rod length is 5 ft.
7-year rod warranty
Two piece spinning rod
Prespooled with 6 lb monofilament
Best Beginner Baitcasting Setup For Kids
If you’re a more experienced bass angler, you’re more adventurous and you are a patient fishing enthusiast, or if you have access to a boat, you may wish to start your kids off with a baitcaster instead of spinning gear. Full disclosure: we at The Fishing Family have pretty limited experienced with baitcasters, and we have not tried to teach our kids to use baitcasters yet. This is mostly because of the constant risk of backlash. With kids, it’s all about maximizing the time spent on the water, and we just did not want to test their patience while we inevitably had to untangle backlash!
That said, baitcasters have a lot of great features for the serious bass fisherman, and if you’d like to try a baitcast setup with your child, there are some great options. The best-reviewed yet budget friendly setup available seems to be yet another Shakespeare Ugly Stik product! (I promise we are not sponsored by Shakespeare or UglyStik!!)
Shakespeare AGLPCBO Agility Low Profile Baitcast Rod and Reel Combo, 6.6 Feet, Medium Power
Best Beginner Fly Rod & Reel Setup
For those who would like to take their kids fly fishing, you probably already know there are a million setups out there that cost, well, a million dollars! But you don’t have to spend a fortune to get your kids started in fly fishing (or to try it out for yourself).
Here’s a great beginner-friendly and budget-friendly rod that will meet the needs of any beginner fly fisher, whether they’re 6 or 60.
The biggest key is to choose either a 3 weight or a 5 weight, for the most versatility and the easiest casting. Anything heavier or lighter will be either too tiring, or too technically difficult for a beginner to handle.
Piscifun Sword ‖ Light Weight Fly Fishing Reel with CNC-machined Aluminum Alloy Body 5/6 Green
And don’t forget you’ll need fly line and backing!
Piscifun Sword Fly Fishing Line with Welded Loop Weight Forward Floating Fly Line WF1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8… $26.98
Piscifun Braided Fly Line Backing with Orange White Fluorescent Yellow Color 20lb 30lb 100yd 300yd $9.45
To sum it all up, getting out on the water with your kids, enjoying nature, and teaching them a new skill, can be incredibly rewarding and fun. You’ll make new memories that will last a lifetime, and it does not have to cost a fortune to get started!
Please leave a comment below and let us know if you’ve got questions, need some help or advice, or want more information on any of these products! Also, don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, where we take our kids fishing for a variety of settings including freshwater spin fishing, freshwater fly fishing, and saltwater spin & conventional fishing!
