Custom rod for a 5-year old
What would be a suitable blank length and weight for a 5 year old? I was thinking of building my daughter a rod that she can play or practice with, but it must also be able to catch fish when she gets the hang of it.
I bought her one of those Redington Form practice rods a while back (impulse buy). I think its about a 4- or 5 foot rod…
http://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-gear/form-game-rod
She enjoys it as a toy or practice rod, but there is no reel seat, only a handle (so its not like dad’s :p, and the line storage is a 'problem'). Now either I could try and remove the Redington’s handle and replace it with a new handle and reel seat, or I could build her an actual custom rod that she could use for a few years. I thought it would be a nice little project to present her with her very own custom made first rod – whether she actually later takes up fly fishing or not…
If I replace the Redington's standard handle with a handle and reel seat, I need to know if it is actually possible to remove the handle without damaging the blank.
If I do go for a new blank, it will have to be very entry level. Or even an older rod made new...
Any suggestions?