Recommended rod/reel for 7 and 9 yr brothers

[captpierre]

Looking to buy a decent rod/reel for my nephews for Christmas.

 

Want a solid open face spinning reel and a bombproof rod likely no more than 6 ft.

 

I'm a Shimano guy so likely will buy one of them but not necessarily..

 

I hear the Ugly Sticks are pretty tough

 

Trying to stay under $100 for combo

 

Any suggestions?

Edited December 1, 2013 by captpierre

[manitoubass2]

Cant really go wrong with an ugly stick. Cheap and " bombproof". Very low cost too, for $100 you could add a decent spinning real

[bigugli]

For young fellows like that you need to go a little shorter. A 5' rod would do fine. If you are looking for near indestructible and taking a lot of abuse, (they are young lads after all) you want an ugli stik. Stick to a simpler reel.

I actually have a 5' ugli stik lite action that I use for drifting harnesses, and for bush fishing. Still more than capable of handling 30-36" pike without trouble some 10 years after.

[Handlebarz]

I bought the ugly stik with the blue thread wrapping they are alot more sensitive then the orange thread ones. I really like them they work awesome and are just as strong.

 

I bought the okuma 15 avenger reels they have also been great. I got the reels from eBay $20 shipped and the rods were $35-$40

[manitoubass2]

I bought the ugly stik with the blue thread wrapping they are alot more sensitive then the orange thread ones. I really like them they work awesome and are just as strong.

 

I bought the okuma 15 avenger reels they have also been great. I got the reels from eBay $20 shipped and the rods were $35-$40

all our shore fishing rods have okuma avengers. 3 years now, no issues. Handle fish great, best reel imo for such low cost Edited December 1, 2013 by manitoubass2

[Gnote]

I agree with the ugly stiks for rods

I might recommend the shimano 2000 for a cheap and effective reel. I used one for years when i was a kid and i have a cheap buddy who uses the shimano 4000 to this day and has boated multiple 15-20 lb pike with it.

[GBW]

I got my nephews combo's like these and they held up very well. In fact I a few years later I got another for my son (daughter already had a mid-sized combo). @ CTC a Shakespeare Amphibian 5-ft Spinning Rod and Reel Combo http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/shakespeare-amphibian-5-ft-spinning-rod-and-reel-combo-0781021p.html and by not spending a TON on the combo, that you don't know how much use it's really going to get, you can load them each up with a tackle box and lures. I spent 1/2 the cash on the combo and the other of the much needed hardware. Makes it that MUCH easier when they do want to go out fishing that they have some options.

[grizzlybri]

I own three ugly sticks myself, one is a spinning combo, I use a Ugly stick ice rod combo and the other was just the rod that I put a Abu reel onto. But I have nothing bad to say about ugly stick

[limeyangler]

Definitely the ugly stick for toughness, add any of the shimano spinning reels at $40 range to that and you would have fantastic starter combos.