Perfect Combo for kids! Ugly Stik is unbreakable and should last a lifetime!

This was my first ugly stik, i passed it down to my son, it taught me well and its teaching him well too.

I bought this rod several years ago when I was 17-18 as my first fishing pole not knowing it was a kids pole, but I gotta say it's actually a great rod. As others have said the reel isn't the best, mine broke years ago but just a couple weeks ago I pulled in a 22lbs Flathead Catfish with this rod! I didn't even have someone else to help me net it let alone a net big enough and it still handled me holding the rod in one hand while pulling up the 22lbs Flathead with my other.

I bought this combo and it worked great until the reel stopped working. The reel only goes out now instead of in so it is basically junk.

My two girls have been fishing these rods hard for a couple seasons now and the rods are great. Most short rods seem to have light or ultralight actions and several years ago it was hard to find a rod that small children can use to catch larger species of fish. Thanks to Shakespeare that problem has been solved. The reels are junk however, neither reel lasted more than a single season. If I could purchase the rod without the reel I would give it 5 stars, as is its still the best option out there.