Your Child’s
First Rod and Reel Really is a Big Deal
A child’s
first rod and reel is an important milestone on life’s journey say
the people who run the Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby.
Here are some tips to help parents get it right.
KETCHUM,
Okla. Some gifts children receive are more than gifts; they are
milestones, proud installments in life’s journey that say—with
feeling “You’re a big person now.”
A child’s
first pair of lace-up shoes or a bicycle without training wheels
are those kinds of milestones. In many families, the milestone
gift that remains a fond memory for the giver and the givee is a
youngster’s first rod and reel.
So, don’t
blow it.
To help
parents make the right call on this all-important decision are
these gems of advice from the people who run the Wal-Mart Kids
All-American Fishing Derby, the world’s largest youth fishing
program. Every year Hooked on Fishing International of Ketchum,
Okla. produces close to 2,000 events for over 300,000 young
anglers from ages 5 to 16.
Buy a short
rod, about the same height as the young angler.
A short rod
is not only easier for the young angler to cast, it’s easier to
carry and, therefore, less likely to break. Dear parent, expect
that from time to time the rod tip will be dragged through the
gravel of a parking lot. “Kids don’t comprehend that rods and
reels can break. Rough treatment is the rule, not the exception,”
says M. Scott Smith, director of marketing for Zebco, the fishing
tackle company. His other job parent and “proud father of three
case studies,” underscores this all-important tip.
Equip the
rod with a push-button reel.
Line tangles
may be frustrating for a parent but they can be tragic for a kid
and could even end a life of fishing enjoyment before it starts.
Head off that kind of trouble by equipping the rod with a
closed-face spin-cast reel, about as trouble-free as they come.
”The closed cover keeps the line in check and doesn’t expose it to
curious hands like a spinning reel would,” said Smith.
The rod
handle should be designed for two-handed casting.
Zebco
studied the casting actions of kids as they learned to cast and
noted that those from four to six were more likely to use both
hands when casting the rod. This information led them to design
beginner combo rods so that the young consumers could grip the
handle with both hands. It’s not a coincidence that these
two-handed beginner combos also sport the image of cartoon
characters admired by four to six year old anglers, characters
like Mickey Mouse, Sponge Bob and Tigger. Smith notes that if
your child accidentally drops his Zebco Character combo into the
water, the rod does not sink. Zebco’s Character combos have a
patented system that allow them to float and to be retrieved.
Practice
makes a difference.
Practice
doesn’t always make perfect at this stage in an angler’s life but
practice with a patient parent can make the difference between a
tearful episode and big fun on the bayou. Casting is not easy for
little persons but a good cast is immensely satisfying to two
people parent and child who work together from start to
satisfaction.
Some young
people may dream about sugarplums but young anglers with a rod and
reel combo have visions of fish dancing on the end of the line.
Give them that opportunity by taking them fishing and helping them
achieve another milestone—their first fish. Many communities
participate in the Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing Derby, a
structured half-day of free fishing with grown up supervision and
fun contests. Parents can go to the official website,
www.kids-fishing.com,
and search the “Derby Locator” sponsored by Fisher Boy for the
location and date of the derby nearest to you.
Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc. is the title sponsor of Hooked on Fishing
International’s very successful program, which includes contests,
giveaways, prizes and even a hot dog roast. It is supported
financially and otherwise by a growing list of corporate partners
such as DMF Bait Co., Edy’s Grand Ice Cream, PURELL® Instant Hand
Sanitizer from GOJO Industries, Repel Insect Repellent from
Spectrum Brands and Nestle Waters North America, which markets the
natural spring water brands of Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ice Mountain,
Ozarka, Poland Spring, Zephyrhills, and Nestle Pure Life,
BAND-AID® BRAND ADHESIVE BANDAGES, Bar-S Foods Co., Berkley
PowerBait, Berkley Trilene, Dubble Bubble Bubble Gum, Eagle Claw,
EverStart Batteries, Fisher Boy, FishingWorld.com, Fujifilm, Kraft
Foods, Laker Fishing Tackle, and Zebco.
A FISHING
TIP FOR KIDS FROM SEBASTIAN T. BOBBER
To catch
more fish, fish with a bobber. That way you’ll be able to see when
a fish is nibbling at your bait. But be patient. Wait for the fish
to take the bobber completely under the water before you start to
reel it in. I’ve got more fishing tips for you on the Internet.
Visit me at Sebastian’s Corner at
www.kids-fishing.com.
WHAT IS
9,000,000, ALEX?
Nine-million: that’s the number of young anglers, family members
and volunteers who have participated in the Wal-Mart Kids
All-American Fishing Derby program since it began in 1986. These
factoids are courtesy of Hooked on Fishing International, Ketchum,
Okla., the company that started and has managed the successful
program since the beginning.
