| Author | Comment | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 gofish60 |
Grandson |
Lead | ||
|
Posts: 1909 01/28/2009 01:24 Registered User |
This year will be my Grandson's baptism into fly fishing. He already loves fishing, so it should be a smooth transition.
I plan to start him on a 7' 6wt, so as to give him an easy casting rod to begin with. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. (Be nice now, Boobie). gofish |
|||
|
|
||||
|
seattlesetters |
#1 | |||
|
Posts: 550 01/28/2009 01:37 |
This is just my opinion but having taught all three of my kids to fly fish, I've found it easier to start with a light line rod ( a 4wt) overlined with a
WF-5. It seems to me that a 6wt or bigger takes too much energy and strength to cast and can quickly tire young arms. The smaller, lighter rods overlined for
"feel" have been just the ticket for me.
My youngest daughter, below, is holding her very own 6'6" 4wt by Rob Hoffhines. Her lavender Abel TR-Light is lined with Rio Mainstream WF-5 (about 15' has been cut off the back end). She also has a 7' 4wt Sweetgrass kid's rod. 
Last Edited By: seattlesetters 01/28/2009 01:40.
Edited 1 time.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
16 pmd |
#2 | |||
|
Posts: 641 01/28/2009 03:31 |
I'd prefer a 4 wt., but the 7' length may make the 6 wt. OK too. Many little kids don't have the hand strength to cast even a short rod with one
hand, but you can get them started with two hands and they can sling the line out 25', no problem. Still have to have a semblance of a stroke and a little
bit of timing, but then they can cast all by themselves.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Eric Peper |
#3 | |||
|
Posts: 113 01/28/2009 09:37 |
I had been giving my grandchildren a 5'9" Orvis bamboo 4-weight to try as their starting rod, thinking the light outfit would help them. Last year, I
gave my 6-year old grandson a 9', 4-weight graphite to try, and I found he could deal with that a lot easier than the short rod. Here he is putting an
elkhair over a nice fish on the Madison last August -- not exacty a tight loop, but still effective.
I'm on the side of a lighter line outfit. If it's to be a 'boo rod, a 7', 4-weight would be my choice. If there's a problem throwing the 4, you could always try overlining. EP
Last Edited By: Eric Peper 01/28/2009 16:37.
Edited 1 time.
|
|||
|
|
||||
 BruceHandley |
#4 | |||
|
Posts: 1121 01/28/2009 10:14 Crusty Old Fart
|
I have nothing to add as to what would be best, equipment wise. However that picture of the young lady, rod in hand is priceless.
Bruce |
|||
|
|
||||
|
cdmoore |
My 7YO daughter's experience... | #5 | ||
|
Posts: 2657 01/28/2009 10:45 Moderator |
I started her out on graphite because a couple of years ago she came along on a trip to visit Robert Gorman at his shop in Southern VT, and he GAVE her a little 2pc 5' 3wt. Sadly, in a moment of boredom with fishing, that rod got between our Labs and a stick she threw and the tip snapped. (I'll probably glue the tip top on somehow and give it my 18MO boy to mess around with.) After hers broke, I let her use my 7' 5pc 3wt Takada glass rod at the end of last season. While it too is a shorter 3wt, being glass and 2ft longer, it was considerably slower and this worked out much better in terms of forming a loop, the rod doing more of the work, her timing, etc. I think it will also be more durable. Consequently, I picked up an inexpensive 6'6" 3pc 3wt glass rod for her to use this year. I may try overlining it if necessary. Last summer on the lawn I also conducted an experiment with some longer rods, mostly 8ft 4wts or thereabouts. I think her casting improved for the same reasons as above, but she quickly tired, even with rods under 3oz. I tried changing out reels to see how that could help. She agreed (!!!) that the balance could be improved with a little more weight in the reel, but the added weight just tired her faster. I suppose the trick is to start with the appropriate line for the flies you'll be using, then work back to the rod for the length and action that best meets the need of the fishing and her strength. For dry flies and brook trout for my almost 8YO girl, I will probably stick with 6'6" to 7'6" in medium or medium slow. Then add a reel that helps balance the rod without adding too much weight so as to tire her out. Hope this helps...
"Occasionally, I hallucinate. About fly fishing. Well, not really. I guess I just forget about everything else."
~Tom Chandler |
|||
|
|
||||
|
kimk |
#6 | |||
|
Posts: 613 01/28/2009 11:05 |
I started both my boys with a basic Zebco spinning outfit when they were 5. When they got to be about 8 or 9 I built them each an 8' 6wt graphite with a
slower action. They had no problem with the weight and in fact it usually took some coaching to get them to stop forcing the rod. The extra length is always an
advantage when you are learning to work a fly line and at that age they start out much closer to the waters surface. At that age, I believe graphite is a good
choice. It is light, and inexpensive. Broken rods can be part of the learning experience and if it is only an inexpensive graphite -- it's no big deal.
Grandson #1 is 3 now and I am already looking at medium weight spin blanks in the 6' to 6 1/2 ' range. He already has a life time license. Grandson #2 is due on opening day. AgMD |
|||
|
|
||||
|
ShenRods |
#7 | |||
|
Posts: 179 01/28/2009 12:19 |
You had to do it - make me show pictures of grandson fishing with grandpa too. Last Aug at my son-in-laws place on Lake Charlevoix, MI - he has a pond in the back yard and it just happen to be chuck full of fiesty smallmouths. I had made my grandson a "fly rod" from an extra rod tip I had around with a small grip - line with a colorful streamer (hook cut at bend) so he could go fishing with grandpa. The one thing with starting kids out is to catch fish - doesn't matter how big or how small - blue gils or trout - just go to a place where they will most likely catch something. Their attention span is a bit short - so you need to provide some instant gratification. BTW the fly used to catch that nice bronzeback was a size 4 wet skunk - good Michigan pattern for smallmouth's even in VA. Looking forward to next August and helping him improve this casting skills and catching more fish with him - soon his younger brother will be indoctrinated. Now for a story - Mary Dette has this photo of this little girl holding a 22" brown trout on opening day. There was a big newspaper article about her. So she was in the shop when a customer came in. They talked and it was pointed out she was the girl that caught the big brown. The customer being condensending asked "What color Wolly Bugger did you use little girl?" The reply from her was "Oh no, it was a size 18 Griffiths Nat!" You could have bought him for a plugged nickel. So start them early and teach them well. Next time you go into the Dette's shop - look for the picture it is still there - Mary loves telling the story. 
Chris
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Trouter2.thebasspond |
#8 | |||
|
Posts: 47 01/28/2009 13:17 |
My grandson Max is 7, just the right attention span to start to appreciate fly fishing. He now has a 6'6 Cane 3 wt that that he really handles well. I tied
a length of wool to the tip of the rod and he walks around the backyard practicing making loops. I took him to a Trout farm and let him tie into some sizable
fish and he is now definitly into flyfishing. He surprised me when I let him cast a 7.5 5 weight, I think the heavier rod helped him out, slows him down a
bunch. I take him out to lakes and ponds for Panfish and he really enjoys himself, but like any 7 year old ya gotta keep them amused...Paul
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
gofish60 |
#9 | |||
|
Posts: 1910 01/29/2009 11:06 Registered User |
Thanks guys.
I have a bunch of glass and plastic rods that will fit any and all of the suggestions here, so I guess I'll get a few ready this winter and let him have at it in the spring. gofish |
|||
|
|
||||
|
PflighFission |
#10 | |||
|
Posts: 61 01/29/2009 16:21 |
Hi gofish!
My grandson does well with my SB290, lined with a DT5F "Peach". If you can pick one up at a decent price, it might be just the ticket. Cap'n Bob
Of all the liars among mankind the fisherman is the most trustworthy"
- William Sherwood Fox |
|||
|
|
||||
|
joaniebo |
#11 | |||
|
Posts: 1762 01/29/2009 17:29 |
Eddie
I (we !) know the exact place where to take the lad ! Heck, if a couple of old f _ _ _ s like us can catch the local Spotted Dace at the "new spot", then a young lad full of "what-we-used-to-have" will surely do well ..... I have a box full of CBs and PSs for him (us) to use. Best BHBoobie PS - Don't expect me to be this nice again ... it's only because of his GRANDMOTHER'S genes that he's a good lad ! |
|||
|
|
||||
|
hookjaw23 |
#12 | |||
|
Posts: 112 01/29/2009 18:39 |
Love this thread. I have a daughter due, literally, any day now... hope to add her picture holding a rod and reel in a few years.
-matt |
|||
|
|
||||
|
seattlesetters |
#13 | |||
|
Posts: 553 01/29/2009 18:49 |
hookjaw23 wrote:Congratulations, Matt! Be sure and pick her up one of these: 
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Cane Rods and Harleys |
Priceless moments | #14 | ||
|
Posts: 121 01/29/2009 20:09 |
My daughter took this rainbow using an Orvis 7' 4wt 1 oz. She now uses my 7/4 Orvis 3 piece bamboo & loves it.. Folks....Are these moments not
priceless?????
Last Edited By: Cane Rods and Harleys 02/02/2009 10:03.
Edited 1 time.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
poolhopping |
my niece | #15 | ||
|
Posts: 111 02/02/2009 10:41 |
my niece had her first child this past summer and i made up a banty from an old monty mid and tip. wrapped in two toned pink jasper silk (sorry bob) but she is
a girl. took it out in the back yard and it throws a 4 wt line quite nicely. if it doesn't survive all those chidhood mishaps it doesn't really matter
because it didn't cost a lot. we expect our first grandchild this summer and i will be doing the same for (him/her)
|
|||
|
|
||||
