Here’s a couple of our favorite anglers, Siena and Lucy. They come all the way from New Hampshire every summer to fish the Missouri with guide Jared Edens. They listen to their guide, watch the indicator and stick fish. Jared claims these young ladies have the skills to become great ones. Looks like they are all smiles, having fun and catching fish. Nice. Can’t everyone have that look on their face when they catch a fish?
The Missouri River is a great place to introduce youngsters to the sport. The slow and even flows make fishing a nymph rig from the drift boat relatively easy. Kids can easily make the 15-30 foot cast required. Just teach them to mend it and set it. Looks like Jared has taught these girls both of those things.
Lucy and Siena used our shop Gecko last year, but this season Mom got them each a Gecko outfit. I don’t think there is a rod made that helps the angler succeed more than the Echo Gecko. The small diameter, two handed assist grip allows smaller anglers to use two hands to get it out there. Using both hands is a natural tendency for young anglers. And some older ones.
The blank the Gecko is built on is a full flexing 7’9″ 5 weight, reminiscent of fiberglass. It takes very little effort to cast, throws weighted nymph rigs with ease, and is light enough to reduce fatigue. Most important, it absorbs over zealous hook sets and quick bursts from big Missouri River Rainbows. It’s pretty hard to break a fish off on the Gecko.
Fact: The Ecko Gecko is a top 3 selling individual rod model at Headhunters.
Yes, we love introducing youngsters to the sport, and the Missouri River is a great place for it. The only problem is where do you take them from there? Bristol Bay? Kamchatka? New Zealand?
No. If your going to take someone to those places, you should take me. But that’s a topic for another blog post.
If you want to get an Ecko Gecko setup, Headhunters sells the rod by itself, or an entire package with an Echo Ion reel and Echo Sphere line. Give us a call at 406-235-3447. Dozens of happy parents cannot be wrong!
Next year you should teach them how to row.
Why, looks like they got Jared perfectly trained!