# Fishing handreel, yes or no?



## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

I've been considering dabbling in a bit of fishing when we visit the inlaws, but I don't want to dump a bunch of money into a hobby that I don't know if I will enjoy or not, and don't want to take up a bunch of luggage space with a full size rod, so I was considering getting a handreel. Very compact and would be easy to toss in. However, I've heard they aren't that easy to use effectively.

Any thoughts on using a handreel as a beginner?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

what will you be fishing for and where?

being very invested in fishing with boat , lots of rod and reel combos I would not do a hand reel 

where are you planning to fish ? and what for ? I can give you some ideas.


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

Never tried one. I don't think I'm coordinated enough.
Like GREENCOUNTYPETE said, a lot depends on what you fish for and where you fish.
Any way you can practice on some body of water? Even your backyard.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

what your saying is a little like I want to get into hunting but I don't want to buy any of the right tools so I will build a zip gun out of pipe wear my street cloths with an orange safety vest I bought for 5 dollars and then find I don't like hunting because I was ill equipped. 

you might just want to hire a guide service for your first go at fishing or go with someone who can teach you , anyone who can teach you has a spare pole remember , buy , bait , gas or lunch or all 3 only kids fish for free.


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## Tyler520 (Aug 12, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> what your saying is a little like I want to get into hunting but I don't want to buy any of the right tools so I will build a zip gun out of pipe wear my street cloths with an orange safety vest I bought for 5 dollars and then find I don't like hunting because I was ill equipped.
> 
> you might just want to hire a guide service for your first go at fishing or go with someone who can teach you , anyone who can teach you has a spare pole remember , buy , bait , gas or lunch or all 3 only kids fish for free.


Don't plan on fishing anything but lakes and streams, which are both relatively small here, as are the fish: mostly just trout, and a bit of bass and some catfish


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## ScottOz (Mar 10, 2020)

For that you can buy a cheap spinning combo for cheap.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Tyler520 said:


> Don't plan on fishing anything but lakes and streams, which are both relatively small here, as are the fish: mostly just trout, and a bit of bass and some catfish


You’ll want a real pole, or a boat. The pole will be much cheaper and easier to carry. They make some good ones that either collapse down or come in sections to save space. A small tackle box and a cooler will complete your gear.


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## Wellbuilt (Dec 25, 2020)

I’ve caught some huge fish just using a bud tall boy can . 
Tie some 8 lb line to your can then wrap on 150’ of line . 
Us a 1/2 oz weight or so , swivel and 2’ 6 lb leader and some bait . 
In one hand you throw the rig out as hard as you can , then point the can at the place the line went . I’m sure you can get out 50’ or so . 
Then put some coins in can and drop it in your bucket . When the fish runs the can makes noise and line comes off the can as the fish runs . 
Or you can get some equipment?
You would be busy pull this 10 1/2 lb brown trout in with a hand line 🤩


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## Wellbuilt (Dec 25, 2020)




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## Wellbuilt (Dec 25, 2020)




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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Zebco 33 collapsible rod. $35.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

even if I only fished small ponds the ability to cast and retrieve is huge 

the most universal catch the most species on it is a spinning rod 

a Medium , fast action , 7 foot with a 400 series reel will do just about everything load it with 8 or 10 pound P-line floroclear it is a mono core with a florocarbon coating to make it stronger and more abrasion resistant , I just switched to the p-line this year from Berkly trilene and I wish I had known about this stuff sooner, we fished 2 weeks in June hard every day on the Mississippi and some lakes.

caught walleye , perch , crappie , bowfin , catfish , Northern , blue gill , rock bass , small mouth bass , large mouth bass , drum and bull head all on that pole it handled a 5 pound cat well it could definitely do bigger and what a fight.

if you don't have to travel with it and have a way to transport it a one piece rod gives much greater sensitivity 

a good test is take some one shopping with you you hold out the rod and close your eyes they tap very lightly on the tip of the pole with one finger and you feel how well you feel that , they keep tapping the same and you see how they feel different you want to have it sensitive that its the "fast action" 
you can actually get some faily good feeling rods for 15-25 dollars the description on the pole is more what they intended in the budget poles and less what they actually are that is why you test them at the store and find the one that feels good.

a pole helps you fight the fish , keep line tension and the hook set , it amplifies the feel of the bite and lets you get hook set.

can you catch fish on line and a plastic bottle to wrap it around , yes will someone with a pole have so many more options the ability to flick and cast and jig. pole length gives you the ability to cast further.

your wrist moves at speed X the pole works as an amplifier like a whip , getting that lure going faster gets it farther with the same weight lure , a smooth reel lets the line spool off easier providing less resistance to the line spooling off.

retrieve speed lets you mimic different fish , frogs , worms and other baits better 
especially if your going to use any soft plastic , poppers , spinners , spoons , crank baits or other things.

if you like bass and you find a scum covered pond a frog popper can be a blast you retrieve it over the scum and the bass boil right out of the water to grab that frog lure.

this year for the trip I bough my son and I identical poles and reels 
we were running Diawa Crossfire LT4000-C https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/dai...74_ShYKVoTlOVBSm88BoCxfoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

on a Fenwick Eagle Medium-fast 7 foot 

if you need to transport in a car or go through a lot of doors a 6' or 6' 6" pole might be the compromise to make it easier 

the Fenwick was about 50 dollars and there is a reason they are sold out about everywhere right now , they were a very popular rod this year 

I have found some Shimmano salarais rods and diawa rods at shops that were decent also 

your looking for sensitivity but not a noodle 


there are a lot of combos around also 30-50 dollars gets you into a decent budget combo 

if you have an good bait shop around that has a good selection of rods and reels and not just a big box store the owner probably knows their stuff and if you tell them what your looking for as a budget medium-fast with a decent reel they can probably help you out. and load it with line , if they don't have p-line in 8-10 pound , suffix and several others are also good line they can probably recommend you a good line.

they generally want you to succeed because it will mean you will be back to buy more bait and tackle , line wears out you get about a season on line , if you fish a lot or leave your gear in the sun a lot you might get half a season. 

in a reel I am looking for smooth and instant anti revers when every I go to set the hook I want the reel to not back up

there are tons of brands of rods , there are sop many fishing youtube channels if you search for rivers in your area and fishing on youtube your likely to find someone putting out videos 

catfish and carp 



 does some great videos and reviews including some budget rods and reels 

don't let anyone tell you bull heads are garbage they can be very good eating an there is no limit in most places


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I was watching this video and it reminded me that he really likes these little poles for the kids and bait fish but they can bring up good size fish also they just lack the casting distance.






he did a zebco dock daemon vs ugly stick dock runner comparison video and he did break the ugly stick but it did very well Amazon.com: Shakespeare Ugly Stik Dock Runner Spinning Combo Red, 3'6" : Everything Else

and they are not expensive at all 

the reels don't hold up long term but if you were looking for a short easy to travel rod on a real budget I would choose that WAY WAY above the hand line. I would still load it with 8 pound p-line 









Amazon.com : P-Line Floroclear Fluorocarbon Coated Low Memory Copolymer Filler Spool, 8lb-300yd, Clear, 8-Pound, 300-Yard : Fluorocarbon Fishing Line : Sports & Outdoors


Amazon.com : P-Line Floroclear Fluorocarbon Coated Low Memory Copolymer Filler Spool, 8lb-300yd, Clear, 8-Pound, 300-Yard : Fluorocarbon Fishing Line : Sports & Outdoors



www.amazon.com





you only need about 100 yards on those little poles so one spool will get you 3 loads on those little poles


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My daughter once caught a 14 inch largemouth bass on a child's Zebco Mickey Mouse rod and reel combo using a worm as bait. 

You can get an inexpensive spincast combo at Walmart. If you decide you don't like it you can leave it in your inlaws garage.

Check the local regulations to see if you need a license. Those can be expensive, especially if you have to purchase a non-resident license.


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

Before The Pandemic, the wife used to like to spend hours roaming around Walmart shopping. I'd bring my Ron Popeil's Pocket Fisherman and us e it by the tropical fish tanks....IIt was a good way to while away the time, but those things are so small, you gotta catch A LOT of them just for a small snack--and they're so hard to clean, too. Vintage Popeil's Pocket Fisherman (thea.com)


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My sister bought our grandpa one of those pocket fishermans for his birthday one year. It took a few years before he used it. Once he tried it, it held a place of honor in his truck until he passed away because he just never knew when a neighbor would invite him to go fishing.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

you mean everyone's truck doesn't look like this all summer long?

we were waiting in line for a ferry the other day , grab a pole and kill some time fishing , had to wait for 2 boats and got on the third. ended up talking with other people waiting in line , i could have just sat in the ruck and been bored , nahh , only time I am ever bored in my adult life is sitting in the DR office waiting on the doc. they got rid of all the field and stream , with covid they got rid of all the magazines all together. 










got all the essentials , fishing poles , water , lawn chairs , tools, sweat shirt , and rubber boots

I should probably put the travel net in there also

the key to happiness is to live in every season


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> you mean everyone's truck doesn't look like this all summer long?
> 
> we were waiting in line for a ferry the other day , grab a pole and kill some time fishing , had to wait for 2 boats and got on the third. ended up talking with other people waiting in line , i could have just sat in the ruck and been bored , nahh , only time I am ever bored in my adult life is sitting in the DR office waiting on the doc. they got rid of all the field and stream , with covid they got rid of all the magazines all together.
> 
> ...


No cooler?!?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

cooler rides in the back seat so you can get to lunch while driving


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

+1 For just buying an inexpensive spinning combo rod / reel.
You can pick up reasonable stuff at any Walmart. If you don't want to travel with it, buy it when you get there and leave it.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Fishindude said:


> +1 For just buying an inexpensive spinning combo rod / reel.
> You can pick up reasonable stuff at any Walmart. If you don't want to travel with it, buy it when you get there and leave it.


with it being 2021 and the supply and stock issues especially on fishing gear, I would say go pick a combo locally and if you don't want to travel with it go on line and do a ship to store or in store pick up and it will be there when you get there and you can pick it up. check the store policy for how long they hold it.

I did that with Cabelas this summer.
I called customer service the lady told me if I did in store pickup they would hold it for 2 weeks from date of order, they were the only place around and 2 hours away that had the fish finder I wanted. 

I was going to be camping 35 minutes from the cabela's when I started my fishing vacation. I ordered it online for instore pickup on Tuesday, by 4pm that day had the confirmation email that it was held for me , picked it up Saturday and installed it at the camp site.

when they only have a couple in stock there is no guarantee they have it unless you order it

Farm and fleet had exactly 1 combo rod and reel last week when I was there , with so many indoor things closed or restricted in 2020 and early 2021 a lot of people started , went back to or went fishing more.

split shot and really any lead sinkers were sold out at a bunch of box stores that just order the same stuff in every year in the spring.

the independent bait shops did a better job of keeping the tackle you wanted on the shelf they really are great and if you can support them please do.


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