PLUSINNO Kids Fishing Pole Review: a simple starter kit that actually catches fish

I picked up the PLUSINNO Kids Fishing Pole kit in blue (150 cm / 59") for one main reason: I was tired of those cheap kids’ rods that break or snarl up after two casts. I wanted something my 6–7 year old could actually fish with, not just wave around on the dock. This one kept popping up with decent reviews, so I gave it a shot for a few weekend trips.

We used it mainly at a small lake for bluegill and a couple of stocked trout ponds. So this is not some hardcore test on big rivers, but it’s exactly what most people will do with a kids’ setup. I also compared it to a random big-box kids combo we already had, which was shorter and honestly more of a toy.

Right away, the thing that stood out is that this kit is pretty complete: rod, spincast reel, line already on, a little box of tackle, and a carry bag. You basically add bait and go. For a parent who doesn’t fish much, that’s helpful. You’re not hunting for hooks and bobbers the night before.

It’s not perfect, and it still feels like a light-duty setup, but after a few outings it held up better than I expected. The rod didn’t snap, the reel didn’t jam constantly, and my kid actually caught fish with it. So overall, it’s a practical starter kit, not a miracle product, but much better than the super cheap cartoon-branded rods.

For what you pay, the overall value is good. You get a rod, reel, line, tackle, and a carry bag in one package. If you tried to piece all this together separately, you’d probably spend more and end up with mismatched items. Here, you can hand it to a kid, add bait, and be fishing in 10–15 minutes. That convenience is worth something, especially if you’re not a regular angler.

Compared to the really cheap kids rods at big-box stores, this one feels more like actual fishing gear. The telescopic design and the bag make it easy to store in a car trunk or closet. For grandparents or parents who only fish a few times a year with kids, it’s nice to have something compact that you can just grab and go. You’re not buying pro-level gear, but you’re also not stuck with a rod that breaks after one weekend.

On the flip side, if your kid ends up loving fishing and wants to go all the time, you might outgrow this combo in a year or two. At that point, you’d probably move to a slightly better spinning combo with a sturdier rod. So I see this PLUSINNO kit as a starter investment: good to test if your kid actually likes fishing without dropping a lot of money on gear.

Considering the Amazon rating (around 4.3/5) and my own experience, I think the price matches what you get. It’s not the cheapest, not the best, but sits in a nice middle ground: good value for casual family fishing and for giving kids a proper first experience without overcomplicating things.

The design is clearly focused on younger kids, roughly in the 3–10 age range. The rod is short and light, the handle is sized for smaller hands, and the spincast reel is a good choice for beginners. You push a button, swing, release the button, and the line flies out. That’s way easier for kids than an open spinning reel. My kid picked up the basic cast in about 10–15 minutes of practice in the yard.

The telescopic design is convenient: the rod collapses down small enough to fit in the included bag, and it extends in sections. You just pull each section out until it stops. In practice, it’s pretty simple, but you do have to remind kids not to yank too hard or bend it sideways when collapsing it. I did notice that if you get sand or dirt in the joints, it feels sticky, so best to wipe it down before closing it.

The handle has a rubberized grip that feels secure even when wet. My kid didn’t complain about it slipping, which happened a lot with a smooth plastic handle on a previous rod we had. The blue color is bright enough that you can spot the rod easily on the ground or in the boat, which sounds minor but is handy with kids dropping things everywhere.

On the downside, the reel mount can loosen if you don’t screw it down firmly. The first time, I didn’t tighten it enough, and after a few casts the reel wiggled. Once I really cranked it down, it stayed put. Also, the tackle box inserts are a bit cramped; once you open some of the bags of hooks and weights, it gets messy fast. Overall, though, the design is practical and kid-focused, with only a few small annoyances.

The rod is made from lightweight materials (ABS, plastic, some rubber), and you can feel that right away. It doesn’t feel like a high-end graphite rod, obviously, but it also doesn’t feel like the hollow, brittle plastic you get on the cheapest kids rods. There’s a bit of flex in the blank, which is actually good for kids because it forgives rough handling and helps absorb the fight of smaller fish.

The reel body is plastic, but the button and handle feel fairly solid. The line guide and internals are nothing fancy, but after a few trips they didn’t show any obvious damage. I wouldn’t expect this to survive being slammed in a car door or stepped on, but for normal use it held up. The included monofilament line is okay for casual fishing; if you fish a lot, you might eventually re-spool it with a better brand, but for a starter kit it’s fine.

The handle grip is a mix of plastic and rubber. The rubber parts help with comfort and grip, especially when wet. My kid dropped it in shallow water once; we rinsed it and wiped it, and it was fine. The telescopic sections are thin, so you do need to teach kids not to high-stick (lifting the tip straight up at a sharp angle when they have a fish on). If they treat it like a lightsaber, you might have issues.

Overall, the materials are light but decent for the price. This is not something I’d hand to a teenager who wants to fish every weekend all summer, but for younger kids going a few times a year, it feels good enough. It’s clearly better than the super flimsy $10 combos, but obviously below adult entry-level rods in stiffness and finish.

Durability-wise, I’d say this kit is better than toy-grade, but not indestructible. We used it on several outings: a couple of lakeside afternoons, some dock fishing, and some backyard casting practice. The rod has been dropped, lightly stepped on (not full weight), and banged against a railing. So far, no cracks, no broken guides, and the telescopic sections still extend and collapse properly.

The reel has handled light freshwater use without obvious wear. The button still works, and the retrieve feels about the same as day one. We did get it splashed a few times; I just let it dry and didn’t notice any rust or grinding. I wouldn’t leave it soaked or dunk it fully in muddy water, though. It’s still a budget plastic reel at the end of the day.

The telescopic joints are probably the main weak point long-term. If sand or grit gets in there and kids force it, you could have problems. I made a habit of wiping the rod before collapsing it, and that seemed to help. Also, teaching kids not to jam the sections closed like they’re collapsing a toy lightsaber goes a long way.

After several uses, the kit still looks decent. The bag zipper works, the Velcro straps that hold the rod in place haven’t worn out, and the tackle box hasn’t snapped. I wouldn’t expect this to last for many years of heavy use, but for a couple of seasons of casual family fishing, it seems reasonable. For the price, the durability is acceptable, as long as there’s at least a bit of adult supervision and you’re not throwing it around.

In actual use, the performance is pretty solid for a kids combo. The spincast reel makes casting simple. My kid could do 20–30 ft casts without much effort after a short learning period. We practiced first on grass with a rubber weight, then moved to the lake. The line flowed out smoothly as long as we checked that it wasn’t tangled at the tip. We had a couple of “bird’s nests” when the button was released too late, but that’s normal with beginners.

Reeling in is straightforward. The handle turns smoothly enough; it’s not buttery, but it’s not grinding or jerky. My kid landed several bluegill and a small trout without any issues. The drag on a spincast like this is basic, but for small fish it’s fine. If you try to hook into something big (like a large bass), you’ll be pushing the limits of the 4–6 lb line and light rod power.

One thing to note: the included tackle is usable but not amazing. The small hooks work fine for worms and basic bobber fishing. The fake lures are more of a bonus; we got a few nibbles but most of our success came from simple worm-on-a-hook setups. There are no clear instructions on how to rig everything, so if you’re new to fishing, you’ll want to look up a basic bobber rig and a simple knot like the improved clinch knot.

Compared to a cheap store-brand kids combo we already owned, this PLUSINNO setup tangles less and casts a bit further. It’s still a light-duty rod and reel, but for pond and lake fishing with kids, it gets the job done. Don’t expect pro-level performance, but for what it is, it works and actually catches fish, which is what matters to a kid.

Out of the box, the PLUSINNO kit is pretty straightforward. You get: a telescopic rod (about 4–5 ft when extended), a pre-spooled spincast reel, a small tackle box with assorted bits (lures, hooks, swivels, weights, bobbers), and a zippered carry bag that fits everything. The color is a bright blue that kids generally like. Nothing fancy, but it looks like real gear, not a toy.

The rod comes collapsed inside the bag, and the reel is usually already attached or easy to attach with a simple screw clamp. The line is monofilament, light stuff (4–6 lb), which is fine for panfish and small trout. The tackle selection is a bit random: a couple of plastic lures, some hooks, a few sinkers, and bobbers. It’s enough to start, but you might want to buy a small pack of extra hooks and bobbers if you plan to fish often.

What I liked is that everything fits into one compact bag. For kids, that matters: they like carrying “their” gear. My kid could sling it over their shoulder without complaining. Compared to the loose rod + separate tackle box we used before, this is way easier to store in the car or closet. No loose hooks rolling around.

On the downside, there are basically no real instructions for beginners. If you’ve never fished, you’ll have to watch a YouTube video on how to tie a hook or rig a bobber. The kit kind of assumes there’s at least one adult who has a basic idea of what they’re doing. But as a starter set, the overall presentation is clean, simple, and not intimidating.