Jackson: Simply put, young anglers deserve better gear

I say if a child expresses any desire to try out fishing, it's then up to a parent to purchase a rod and reel that won't bankrupt the household budget - but also a setup that will allow that budding angler the opportunity to cast a bit more than 2 feet.

I've had scores of parents write a and contact me about those cheesy cartoonlike rod combos that aren't even worth the few bucks laid on the counter. I have told friends and some acquaintances that I am addicted to fishing and love the sport, but when it comes to appreciating the industry itself, the best I can do muster up disdain, simply because many manufacturers fail to examine their future buying market.

That market includes the kids just starting out now.

For well over 25 years I have soap-boxed the issue of how the major rod and reel manufacturers talk a good game when it came to getting young kids involved in fishing.

The results don't measure up, though. Push-button reels loaded with 10-, 15- and 20-pound mono? Even some parents have trouble making a cast with that kind of setup.

Count me among the skeptics. Likewise, include antique lure collector and professional bass fisherman Dan Basore, along with custom rod designer and manufacturer Jim Grandt. We all just shake our heads with disbelief over why the tackle industry seems to always sing the blues when it comes to sales but rarely does something other than come out with new products to flood an already oversaturated market.

It seems the tackle industry cares solely about immediate gratification to fight declining sales, all the while ignoring the kids who would in 10 or more years be their customers.

Here is part of Basore's email describing his frustration in trying to get a number of major tackle big shots to get on board and make fishing tackle for kids, instead of raking in the dough while making big profits from the sale of brightly colored, nicely packaged but utterly unusable stuff.

"Why in the fishing tackle industry's biggest show of the year, called ICAST, do the big boys continue to introduce new fishing items for the next selling year, whereby there were only two entrants in the kid's fishing category last year?" Basore wondered. "Both were inappropriate. One was a rod and reel with the line threaded through the rod to save tangles from the guides. Let's see a kid rethread that. But the worst feature was an envelope tied on the end. It dissolved when wet. The kid cast it in the water several times and a sponge fish came out of the melted envelope.

"When the vendors were asked, 'Now what do the kids tie on to actually catch fish?' they seemed shocked by the question. This company did buy the endorsements of big-name pros who didn't have a clue or seemed to not care about what a great kid's fishing kit should be.

"The other entry by a major manufacturer were sizes of combo spincast outfits more appropriate for adults, though we know they make kid-sized tackle as well. Reviewing kids fishing kits recently we see cartoon characters as the main attraction. Why not build effective kits that could guarantee good times that will hook kids on fishing?"

Well stated, Mr. Basore.

The fishing tackle industry continues to focus on new mega-multi-bearing, super-reels with enough backbone to haul in a new Buick.

Still, a few companies like Pure Fishing (Berkley, Abu and Shakespeare) successfully dip their toes in the kid pond to create a slight jiggle of excitement, which will likely pay off some years down the line.

I know there are parents out there who fall for the nonsense in the big-box store displays, especially when a child sees his favorite cartoon-like visual staring down on him or her from the shelf. I contend a parent is bushwhacked and then proceeds to waste money.

But I also believe once a young person gets turned on to fishing, that kid would ultimately want a downsized rod and reel similar to what dad or mom uses.

Fishing report:

Fox Chain: Inclement weather didn't keep the walleye anglers away. Decent catches came from trollers working 5-8 feet on Lake Marie.

Deep Lake: Crappie and bluegills still holding their own on both east and west shorelines..

Bangs Lake: Largemouth bass very good on north shoreline and right off east-end weeds.

• Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, catch his radio show 7-9 a.m. Sundays on WGCO 1590-AM (live-streamed at www.1590WCGO.com) and get more content at www.mikejacksonoutdoors.com.