Kids Starter kits

[Mat Hillman]

Over the last few years kids starter kits have been slated a little on AN and other forums, so I thought I'd mention this

 

Middy "ready to fish" power whip

 

Bought one of these yesterday for my 7 year old, and got to say I'm quite impressed. For £16.99 he got a 4.5m whip, with a standard flick tip, plus two spare tip sections both pre-elasticated with different strengths of elastic.

 

Also in the pack was a ready tied pole rig that also seemed of decent quality, and fairly well selected and a plastic disgorger.

 

Packaging claims it's rated for rigs with up to 10lb mainline, and while I don't think I'd want to be playing a double figure carp on it, the whip did feel robust enough to use at a typical commerical. Would have been nice if they'd also supplied a plummet and a few spare hooks, not a big problem when the youngster has dads tacklebag to dip into, but a kid with a non fishing parents might have been disapointed to buy it and then loose thier only hook early in the session!

 

We used it on a silver fish venue yesterday using the lighter elasticated tip section, (and a lighter ready tied rig than the one supplied) which it also performed well with, and William went home a happy chap after a nice bag of roach rudd and perch. He's hoping to try it out on a carp pool at the weekend

 

Would recomend this kit to anyone who is getting a youngster started this summer! William was pretty much fishing unaided after a couple of hours with the whip, I was only helping with unhooking and advice, whereas on previous trips he got quite frustrated that he couldn't master the co-ordination needed to cast a rod/fixed spool setup.

 

Mat

[FishyFraser]

I think anything that works is great...I started my 11 year old (two years ago) on a basic match rod and fixed reel setup. It was a bit tortuous to begin with but now tangles and re rigging are few and far between - and he deals with most issues himself. Most of the whips/short poles I looked at were not up to much. Had the kit you describe been around I might have bought it - for your seven year old it sound perfect.