Begining Sister

[njcol]

My sister want's to start bass fishing but would like to know what rod, reel, tackle, ect. she should get. Oh, by the way she is 8 years old but is serious about starting.

[TW_Staff]

Keep it simple. You want to have properly functioning tackle. A lot of young anglers are started out with a spin cast reel(push button). These reels are easy to cast and are perfect for any beginner. Try to purchase a quality model such as a Daiwa. If you feel she would be comfortable using a spinning reel start her out with a smaller reel such as a 1500 sized Shimano or Daiwa. Some young anglers are very coordinated and can be taught to use a casting reel at a young age. If you feel she may be ready for a casting reel start her out with either a Shimano Citica 100 or a Daiwa pro caster. As for a rod try a 6 and 1/2 foot medium action rod. This rod is well rounded and can handle many baits. I would recommend starting her out with a spinner bait. Keep the bait on the lighter side 1/4 to 3/8 ounce and use standard colors. White, white chartreuse and chartreuse.
Once she has begun to acquire accuracy with her casts move her onto some other reaction baits such as a rattle trap or crank bait also in natural patterns. These baits keep kids exited as they look real and keep them confident.
Then I would recommend the almighty plastic worm. This has to be the most versatile bait in the world. I feel that once a kid gains confidence in a reaction bait they will then want to learn how to fish different baits, especially if they see you catching bigger fish on them. A standard Texas rigged 4 inch worm would be a good choice http://talktackle.com/images/icons/icon14.gif. They still may get a lot of small fish, but these baits catch some real big ones too. Then maybe move to a split shot or drop shot rig. She will begin to surprise you as she remembers the areas she caught fish on different baits. And she is tying those baits on herself. I hope this bit of information can help you out.
Take care.

[njcol]

Thank you very much!