Bill Lenehan is a long term friend of our blog as both a reader and a contributor. We’re happy to say that he’s now also a guests of ours, having joined us at Alaska West for some king fishing this summer.
After seeing our post last week asking (more like telling) you to take a kid fishing, Bill send in this write up on a tool that helps make that easier – the new ECHO Gecko kids’ rod. Thanks Bill!
ECHO Gecko Review
The good folks at Echo recently launched a new rod to the market which is purpose built for introducing young folks to fly-fishing. 7 feet 9 inches of playfully bright yellow fiberglass, a slim-line technicolor foam grip, and even an extension butt which doubles as a lower handle for two handed casting. Everything is scaled down for the average 5 to 12 year old, including the price at under a hundred bucks.
Made with quality components that will withstand a beating, the rod is even covered by a lifetime warranty in case Junior decides it’s a neon yellow life-saber. Listed as a 5 wt, it will send a popping bug half way across the bluegill pond. The fun factor is off the charts – I defy you to cast this rod and not break into an ear-to-ear smile.
While introducing young ones is reward enough, I also think of the ECHO Gecko
as a covert conservation tool. Get kids out there fishing, replace the joystick or iPhone with a fly rod, and good things will happen both for the kids and the environment.
The Echo Gecko in action.
My local fly shop the Caddis fly in Eugene put on a biggest fish on the Echo Gecko 4wt. Well it so happened I had got my son that rod last Christmas.
Well I won the contest with this 9 pound hen.
The prize was any Echo rod in the line up. Wow!
I Chose the Echo 3 11ft 6wt switch. Awesome rod!
Thanks Caddis fly
Thanks Tim Rajeff and Echo rods.
Check out the video below
http://vimeo.com/46200978
That is awesome, Rick – nice work! You certainly put a bend in that thing.
Oh, and I like your hat…