If you fish and have young children, it is almost certain that you want to introduce your children to the sport. You will have the chance to spend time on the water with your son or daughter, and if they play the sport, you will end up having a fishing partner for life. And it’s a gift you can’t buy.

But you can buy whatever gear your child will use… and the rod and reel you choose will have a big impact on whether those first trips are fun or not. Here are three tips to make sure you choose the right outfit:

Some children start fishing on the first cast. Others need time. To increase the chances that your child enjoys sports, choose a rod that is fun on its own. You already know which cartoon or movie character your kid likes, and there’s a good chance there’s a youth model fishing rod adorned with that character’s likeness. Even if you might think that it is wrong to merge an outdoor sport with an animated character or a popular doll line, the child won’t think so. The cane itself is automatically designed for your child’s enjoyment, and he will turn to you to learn how to use it.

All the shebang

Lures, hooks and other terminal gear tell your little one that they are old enough to be trusted with “mature” equipment. Plussino

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Your child has probably seen all of the fishing gear you own: tackle boxes and bags, lures and hooks, sinkers, swivels and pliers. By giving equipment to the child, you are signaling that he is also an angler. This gives the child something to wear and be responsible for, just like you are with your gear. What if your child caught a fish with their own fishing rod and with their own equipment? It’s an adult achievement that he or she will brag about all week. Some youth rods and reels come pre-packaged with material, which makes selection easier.

Perfect for little fingers

This is a reduced version of the adult model. Plussino

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It is easy for a child to learn to use a spincasting rod. But that kid will grow up quickly and eventually claim an “adult” rod like yours, which is probably a spinning rod. You can make this transition easier – or skip this push-button step altogether – by giving the child a small rod and reel, bigger than a typical kid’s spincaster but still easy to hold and handle. Such outfits are ideal for learning how to throw a spinning rod because the child won’t feel physically overwhelmed by it … and when he or she gets past this scaled-down version, you can get an adult-sized rod with the confidence that your child will know how to use it.

Bonus tip: Buy an emergency outfit. These first few fishing trips will determine whether or not a child will engage in the sport, so it is important to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Even the most responsible child can accidentally jam a reel, break a rod, or knock everything overboard, all of which can quickly generate tears and ruin a trip. Kids’ fishing rods are inexpensive and keeping a backup handy will allow you to continue fishing if the first rod breaks or goes missing. If it never gets used to it, you can always give it to another adult to give it to their child.