James RickardDon't buy the RocketRod
November 28th 2007 04:00
The last thing this blog is going to become is a consumer forum. However, after I posted last week and suggested a few items for your favorite angler, I thought people may be shopping for the angler to be (niece or nephew) and would appreciate a little guidance.
When it comes to fishing, what appears to be one of the neatest things out there right now is the RocketRod by Fogo Sports. Sadly to say, after seeing the kid next door struggle with his and encounter most of the problems I read about on the Web, I’d have to say, “STAY AWAY!”
The idea behind the RocketRod is that it will eliminate the need to know how to cast because it shoots a Safety Bobber which hides the hook until it hits the water and then it drops the lure or bait down to the desired depth. So, with the RocketRod you don’t have to worry about casting. Instead, what the kid has to do to make this thing work is pump the RocketRod to make it "shoot" and that is where part of the trouble lies.
I have to wonder about the targeted age group for the RocketRod. The packaging says, “8 and up.” Not every 8 year old is going to be able to make this thing work! Worse, when the child gets to around 10 or so, they’re going to be “too big” for the RocketRod and lean toward “real” equipment. Granted, I’ve already said that the child should be your main focus on a fishing trip but, if you fall into the routine of pumping this thing every time the kid wants to “shoot,’” you’re simply trading one problem for another.
Another bugaboo is accuracy with the Rocketrod. Distances of 30 feet are promised. Sometimes that was achieved but, other times we got around 10 feet with 15 being the norm. It seemed like there was always something that needed a little tweak or a little fix every time the kid got ready to “shoot” his line.
The RocketRod retails for around 30 dollars and is available online for around 20 but there are several children’s fishing kits on the market made by reputable companies such as Zebco, Shakespear, and others. My advice is to go with one of these “real” fishing kits and stay away from the gimmicks.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
When it comes to fishing, what appears to be one of the neatest things out there right now is the RocketRod by Fogo Sports. Sadly to say, after seeing the kid next door struggle with his and encounter most of the problems I read about on the Web, I’d have to say, “STAY AWAY!”
The idea behind the RocketRod is that it will eliminate the need to know how to cast because it shoots a Safety Bobber which hides the hook until it hits the water and then it drops the lure or bait down to the desired depth. So, with the RocketRod you don’t have to worry about casting. Instead, what the kid has to do to make this thing work is pump the RocketRod to make it "shoot" and that is where part of the trouble lies.
I have to wonder about the targeted age group for the RocketRod. The packaging says, “8 and up.” Not every 8 year old is going to be able to make this thing work! Worse, when the child gets to around 10 or so, they’re going to be “too big” for the RocketRod and lean toward “real” equipment. Granted, I’ve already said that the child should be your main focus on a fishing trip but, if you fall into the routine of pumping this thing every time the kid wants to “shoot,’” you’re simply trading one problem for another.
Another bugaboo is accuracy with the Rocketrod. Distances of 30 feet are promised. Sometimes that was achieved but, other times we got around 10 feet with 15 being the norm. It seemed like there was always something that needed a little tweak or a little fix every time the kid got ready to “shoot” his line.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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Comment by James Rickard
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When I was on the Web, I'd say I must have read four or five bad reports for every good one!