What rod & reel to start with...

[VinnyH]

Dominic (UnionBass) mentioned this in another post, keep it simple to begin with.

Most beginners can get a decent spinning reel and rod combo at a sporting goods store or a WalMart. They are pretty easy to get used to after a couple of casts. Take your time and relax, become one with your reel. (sorry, I watched CaddyShack  the other night)


You can practice at a local pond or in your backyard. Just take off any hooks if you cast around the house. I have an old lure that I clipped the hooks off of to practice in my driveway with new setups.

My wife likes to use a "spincast" reel which is enclosed and uses a push button trigger. They are easy for beginners and catch just as many fish as an open reel.


That's a little info for now. Feel free to ask about more.

Best Always,
Vinny

[jamesstock]

Wal-Mart has a perfectly usable Shakespeare starter set-up, with a good weight/action rod and reel for $12! It comes in blue or red, with spinning or closed-face reel (i bought three of the cloesd-face ones).

I haven't exactly been killing 'em in Kensico this year. But, like golf, i know enough not to blame it on the equipment!

In fact--i am quite confident that i have better odds fishing three presentations off $12 combos than one presentation off a more expensive one!

[joel137]

when i started out many many moons ago i used a rubber sinker to practice casting.I would also sugest for beginers to target panfish with a bobber and worm setup.these fish are plentiful and bite readily.Nothing like seeing that bobber go under to get you hooked on fishing

[unionbass3]

when i started out many many moons ago i used a rubber sinker to practice casting.I would also sugest for beginers to target panfish with a bobber and worm setup.these fish are plentiful and bite readily.Nothing like seeing that bobber go under to get you hooked on fishing

They key here is practice casting if you can't cast you can't fish.  It don't matter what rod or reel you start out with just be sure you practice casting.  Then you can work on the hookset!