Fly Rod Suggestion for the Kiddo

Oldest son is going to be 6 in March and has expressed interest in getting a fly rod because, well, dad has a few and they gotta be like dad, right?

Have looked online a bit but everything I'm finding is a 8' 5wt, thinking this is overkill given his size. All these combos are around $80. So my thought is instead of doing that I'd like to build him a 6'6" 3wt for a couple of different reasons:
- sentimental value since it's his first rod, make it colors he likes and maybe script something near the cork
- can get a blank for ~$40
- easier length/ flex to manage as a little guy
- get a decent reel and then when he moves onto something beefier, keep the reel for myself and a new fiberglass 3wt

We live down in TX for now and frequent trips back home to MN and CO so would be used for small panfish and in beaver ponds mostly.

So, does anyone have any advice or experience with this? I just feel after seeing him on a spin Rod that anything bigger than the suggested Rod would be tough when he hooks into something in terms of line management and then the flex of that long of a Rod.

Thanks in advance.

He's going to break it. If you build him a rod will you be ok with that?

Get a cheap old fiberglass something, or if you want to splurge get an Echo Gecko.

Also, why did you ever give him a spinning rod?

I put my 8y/o stepson onto a spinning reel because he doesn't speak English and he really only had ever used a hand line. It was a bit humiliating, because I didn't know how to use a spinning rod. Gotta say, the damn thing was fun. Also, probably saved my marriage, because my wife got fed up with translating just with the spinning rod. Fly = divorce for sure. I'd say when he turns 10, I'll get him the afore-mentioned Gecko. Everyone stresses casting with a fly rod over "fishing". Bottom line is, catching fish is more fun than casting. The way I got my wife into fly was casting in an area where I knew small mouth were biting. I cast for her, handed her the rod, then told her to strip the line. She got her first fish on (my) first cast. I think if she'd had to learn like I did, maybe 40-50 hours before the first fish, she would have given up in the first ten hours. Days where my step son won't listen to me, I catch fish and he doesn't, he gives up after about two hours and mopes around. I think a fly rod would complicate that at this age.

Diff'rent strokes, I guess...

If the kid is done after 2 hrs, it's time to go home. Your fishing is done, it's all about him. I've had plenty of outings that lasted 20 minutes. My kid's not even two yrs old, though, so I'm in a different boat. But he does know the difference between the gear. He's got a few fly rods and ice fishing spinning rods he plays with in the house. He usually asks for his "real" rod. I'm glad he knows which one that is. He also calls them ski poles, though, so...

It's similar to the way I'm teaching him to ski. I refuse to do the leash. Let's do it the hard way right off the bat and he'll be better off in the end.

I also taught my wife to fish, sans monofilament. Toughest client I've ever had.

Dtown, you're in TX. Find a park or farm pond filled with bream and have at it. He only has to cast 15 feet and he'll catch 'em. Gotta find the right spot, though.

Just send it, you pussies.

Ross makes a 7' 3wt combo for kids that's actually not bad. About $150. Got that for my 7 y/o daughter who wanted to learn to fly fish. We used that to get the basics of casting down and to get comfortable around the water. Now that she's 10, she's using one of my rods (8' 4wt). In retrospect, I probably would've started with a better rod/reel out of the gate. I also took her out with a guide once or twice. Sometimes hearing things from someone other than a parent can make a difference.

Unless you know exactly what you are doing dont build a rod, let alone a glass rod.... Glass is a whole nother ball game, you dont want your kid getting frustrated after a few casts. I recommend getting him a nice starter outfit I know a few that are under 200 bucks, and include all the odds and ends he might need in a any fly fishing situation. A fly rod makes a great present! trust me haha... the next step is casting. Casting can be the hardest thing to wrap your mind around, so another recomendation is take a csating lesson it might just help you too who knows?
Good Luck

Anyone have suggestions for a 6 or 7 weight rod for kids (4 year old)? 7'6" would be ideal. I'm thinking a Ross FlyStick from several years ago would work if I can find one, but I'm open to suggestions. If Echo made their Gecko in a 6/7 I'd go for that, but the 4/5 is way to light and I'm not stoked on the plastic reel seat.

Might not be popular but I think he could spend a year with a spinning rod. Think he's a little young for the flyrod stroke...just my $.01.
I think most of us actually began with one...however my St.Croix 8' #5wt Ultra(~ "IV" strain of graphite = one rung down from their fastest/stiffest..heavier). Think an older Winston "LT" rod will be great as he grows.
$.01