NORTHWEST TERRITORY: Youngsters test, critique four spinning combos

LITTLE ROCK — A milestone in the fishing careers of many youngsters comes when they step up to their first “real” fishing rig capable of taking their developing skills to the proverbial next level.

I’m talking about graduating from those “toy” outfits with 3-foot rods and pink spin-cast reels that tykes are seen using at kids’ fishing derbies to modestly priced spinning combos suitable for pursuing panfish, trout, white bass and black bass.

The problem for youngsters and parents alike is making a logical choice from the wide array of spinning outfits available from tackle manufacturers.

One good source of information for the purchase of any type of fishing rig is current and past issues of outdoor magazines, particularly editions including tackle tests. Featured regularly during spring and summer, the comparisontests are usually done by a panel of experts including well-known professional fishermen.

A test of spinning combos in Field & Stream magazine in July, however, was different for featuring the novel concept of having youngsters be the experts. That’s right, kids testing tackle for kids.

For the article titled “We’re Not Kidding Around,” the editors selected fourboys ages 8-12 who had graduated from spincast combos and fished at least 20 times a year. They were picked from different parts of the country, where they fished a variety of waters.

They included a 12-year-old who averaged fishing 30 days a year in the vicinity of the Perdido River in south Alabama, another 12-year-old who averaged 25 days annually on waters in eastern Missouri, a 10-year-old who fished 40 days a year in central Texas and a very busy 8-year-old who averaged 55 days fishing lakes and streams in southeastern New York.

The four spinning combos picked for the test were all light models ideal for panfish and medium-size trout and bass. One was priced at $20 and the other three around $50.

“Anything cheaper might not hold up to abuse and accidents; anything more expensive might be too refinedfor young anglers,” the editors said.

The youngsters were asked to judge which reels were easiest, smoothest and most trouble-free. The rods were judged for castability, sensitivity and handling comfort. Other factors included value and durability.

As the test turned, the youngsters proved to be about as discriminating as adult anglers, but they also generally found three of the four combos to their liking, giving them close scores.

The top-rated outfit was the Pflueger Echelon spinning combo priced at $50. The shiny, silver reel featured six ball bearings, antireverse and an oversize rubber-grip handle. The IM6 graphite rod featured stainless steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts and a high-grade cork handle.

Of the four rods, the Pflueger had thefastest action and was praised for sensitivity. Comments included:

“A very, very smooth reel.”

“This rod felt the best out of the four when you had a big bass on.”

A close second was the L.L. Bean Jarvis Walker spinning combo priced at $54. The reel was the heaviest of the four but featured 10 ball bearings and came prespooled with line. The high-modulus graphite rod had a medium-fast action and a cork handle.

One youngster gave the combo top honors, and the other three rated it second. They all liked the reel’s smoothness, easy bail, fast gear ratio and pre-spooled line.

“With the other three [reels], I got more bird’s nests,” one tester said.

The slightly heavier rig alsowon praise for durability.

“I can break anything, but this should last me a long time,” the 10-year-old tester said.

Just a point behind in third place was the Zebco Pro-Staff 10/20 priced at $20. The combowas described as being designed with simple features, with a reel easy for novice anglers to use.

The reel featured three ball bearings and came pre-spooled with a capacity to hold 140 yards of 6-pound-test line, the most among the reels tested. The 6-foot rod with a comfortable foam handle had a lighter action than the others, but it lacked the sensitivity of the ones with higher modulus graphite.

The combo, however, scored off the charts in the value category.

“An awesome value. You can’t go wrong for the price,” one tester said.

Comparing the Zebco combo to the $50 outfits, another tester noted, “For $50, I would rather buy two Zebcos.”

Judging from the youngsters’ critique of the of the combos, parents planning to upgrade their kids’ tackle just might consider letting them pick their own.