Personal shopper needed

An Abu Garcia 5500 is a good reel. Won't break the bank and are pretty tough I think.

Rob,

I really enjoyed meeting your grandson at last year's PIF paddle!!

All the recommendations so far are great!

For sure a VHF is key. Strapped onto his PFD, and make sure he knows how to use it to call for help for him or you...I made Valentina practice a lot...told her it was just like calling 911.

Also a safety whistle on his PFD to get the attention of people near by.

Also a net and some lip grippers and a hawg trough with the diff size limits written in sharpie on the back.

Besides that a rod/reel and some pre-tied rigs (shrimp fly on top and swim bait or lingbar on bottom) in his PFD pocket or in a tackle box that is easily accessible.

Keep it simple and easy and fun for him and if he gets bored or tired etc let him come in...

If you guys have time bring him down to PIF again...or let me know in advance and we can take him and Valentina out of Stillwater together one day...you and I can scout underwater and find the fish for them!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Rob,

I'm planning on taking my two boys 11 and 12 to Albion this year too.
We will be fishing and diving if you want some company.

I will also have extra gear both safety and fishing if you forget something you are more than welcome to borrow.

Antonio

An Abu Garcia 5500 is a good reel. Won't break the bank and are pretty tough I think.

+1.  For a starter reel, the Abu's are great and should last few seasons at least. 

Looks like everyone else here gave some good advice as to what is required before getting your grandson out there.  Its really cool what you're doing for him to get him otw...big cudos.  Most kids these days are glued to the their phones and computers, its a good thing to get him interested in something else.  I am sure he will thank you later when he's teaching his kids to fish one day. 

Good luck and see you otw sometime.

If he were standing infront of me I would take hot to fredmayer get him a trout rod for $20 load it with 15 lbs mono grab a handful of different jigs and if there legal to use prepackaged shrimp flies. Then get him OTW at least two days before giving him the tackle and gear take him on a lake to get use to the ride before trying to fish. And if it's a beach launch get him a snowboarding helmet and let him play in the surf just in his safety gear and only a paddle in his hand. Best way to learn to surf a sot is playing in the waves till you get the leans learned. 
My 4-1/2 yr old grand son has a little sparky with an adult seat on it to learn the ins and outs of paddling for 3-4 years before we do the Tillamook bay (unless he's in my big tuna with me) for multiple trips before he gets to play in the surf I'm hoping at somewhere in the 10-12 yrs old area to have him in the pacific solo. But not till I'm comfortable with his skill the ocean isn't discriminative it can kill anyone that's not experienced or ready. 

I want to thank you guys for all the help and advice. It really got me thinking. I have done a ton of trout, striper and salmon fishing with my dad, and he's been taking my grandson since he was old enough to go.  Last year we lost dad to cancer, so I'm the old man in the family now I guess. 

Anyway, after all this research on rods and reels, it struck me to go get dads salmon gear. Mom opened the garage and told me to take it all, if she wants to fish she'll she knows where to find the gear. Well, I took home his salmon and striper gear. 3 tackle boxes, 13 rods and 8 reels (4 of them Penn level winders). I even have my dads grandfathers salmon rod, a 6' spring steel square stock rod. I bet it's over 100 years old.

Tonight and tomorrow I'll be cleaning everything up so I can see just what I have here.

I want to thank you guys for all the help and advice. It really got me thinking. I have done a ton of trout, striper and salmon fishing with my dad, and he's been taking my grandson since he was old enough to go.  Last year we lost dad to cancer, so I'm the old man in the family now I guess. 

Anyway, after all this research on rods and reels, it struck me to go get dads salmon gear. Mom opened the garage and told me to take it all, if she wants to fish she'll she knows where to find the gear. Well, I took home his salmon and striper gear. 3 tackle boxes, 13 rods and 8 reels (4 of them Penn level winders). I even have my dads grandfathers salmon rod, a 6' spring steel square stock rod. I bet it's over 100 years old.

Tonight and tomorrow I'll be cleaning everything up so I can see just what I have here.

Freaking sweet score I got all my grandfathers old fishing gear 8 years after he died because my grandmother gave it all to my uncle ... The no fishing uncle that don't fish... Once he retired I was helping him clear out his hacienda to go full time rving and he said if  I wanted to garage sell it all we could split the profits I said how much you want for your share I'm fishing with it!!!! He said nothing if I'll use it..... Why in the hello didn't you say that 8 freaking years ago. I have an old 100 hook trout line that is wrapped on a piece of cedar shingle and a ton of trout and Kokanee gear. Keep it all there is no feel any better then to quietly sit holding s piece of your heritage in a kayak on the water especially if your grandpa's rod you used as a kid is in YOUR grandsons hand. Just my $0.02

That's awesome Rob....I know your Dad would be stoked you guys will be putting his gear to good use.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim