Customer Reviews

Coleman Deluxe FishPen Retractable Fishing Pole & Reel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I am happy with the rod for the most part. I wanted something small and light, but that still qualified as an actual fishing rod/reel to keep in my backpack for occasional fishing in the ponds we come across while hiking. I could find relatively few products that fit the bill, and this item looked to be the best balance of price, quality, and size. I ordered through Amazon.com from Taylor Gifts and received my order promptly (3 or four days). I was sent a confirmation notice immediately via e-mail which contained a link to UPS which allowed me to track my order across the country. This was very useful. Upon initial inspection The structural quality appears to be quite good. It looks and feels solidly built, and functionally it seems sound. The reel holds a fair amount of line; Easily enough for a day of fishing, even if you get a few birds-nests or have to cut the line, but When I tried it out for the first time last week, I found that the line had retained the shape of the reel and played out in coils. I was still able to fish with it but it definately needs a different kind of line than plain old stren monofilament. I didn't catch anything (probably not the rods' fault), so I don't know how it will handle an actual fish but just from handling it I am pretty confident it could hold its' own against anything under 5 pounds, maybe even bigger. The reel turns smoothly but because of the design you have to guide the line across the reelface with your finger to get it to wind in an even fashion (this is not really a big hindrance or anything, but I thought I should mention it). the big issue is the casting system (We were fishing through the ice so I didn't get to cast). There is a screw-type mechanism on the side of the reel which puts tension on the reel, sort of like a drag setting on a conventionally sized rod. Apparently (directions for use were nonexistant) you turn this all the way out to let the reel spin freely and use the weight of the tackle to spin the reel (whole unit must spin to play out line) when you cast. There is a rubber stop button on top of the reel which acts as a brake to keep the reel from spinning if a fish bites. The price was good, but I would gladly have paid a little more for a reel with better ease of use; a miniature version of the standard open-face reel would be perfect, and I can't believe the manufacturer didn't put a screw cap on the end of the rod, it would be absolutely perfect to keep tackle in if they did. in conclusion: Size/weight - excellent. Quality - good. Ease of use - fair. Value/price - good. For the price, this is worth keeping in your pack/glovebox/kayak. If you don't try to reel in a lake trout with it, it should stand up pretty well.

Ok, reading most of these reviews i thought this was going to suck but i wanted to try it anyway. So far i have caught some sunfish and a decent sized perch. It hasnt broke yet and seems reliable. I dont know why other people write how theirs broke in a minutes.Its common sense, this thing is cool but its not meant for deep sea fishing. I use it to lake fish and it has been great and reliable. And again, this isn't a heavy duty fishing rod, use your brain, its great for recreational lake fishing.

As much as I REALLY wanted to enjoy the Coleman Fish Pen, it turned out to be a complete disappointment. Despite some features that at first appear to demonstrate surprising quality -- like a very solid-feeling reel (considering its compact size) and more metal parts than plastic -- I was unable to try it out because I realized the last inch of the rod was snapped off. Before I could even tie the rubber testing weight to the end of the line, it was broken without any pressure applied at all.

Insult punctuated injury when I referenced the included 30 warranty, which informed me of an opportunity to receive a second shoddy disappointment for only $7.99 for shipping. For less than $3 more I could just buy another one from Walgreens without the added hassle and expense of a trip to UPS! If your experience is anything like mine, you won't need that 30 warranty because the Coleman Fish Pen won't last 30 minutes.

Pen Fishing Rod Fish Pen
The pen came as stated, quick and perfect! Easy to assemble. Caught a Rainbow Trout a little bigger than the fishing rod BEFORE extending, so it didnt change my luck, I still "suck" at fishing. Ordering a few more for GREAT gifts!!

I purchased 2 of these...one for myself...the other as a gift. I was thrilled at the thought of a compact pole that I can always keep in my trunk for those unexpected fishing opportunities. But as they say, you get what you pay for. The construction of the combo is not designed for fishing or to last.

Upon taking it out of the box, I extended the rod. After pretend casting it a few times, I attempted to retract the rod. The tip section was stuck and I could not get it back in. I used as much force as I could without risk of snapping the rod. So, I left it partially retracted which left the tip protruding from the "pen" housing.

I took it out the the river to test it out. Surprisingly, it casted amazingly far. The casting button on the bottom is very shoddy though. Becareful not to press hard or else the reel will pop open. During my fishing trip, I caught a small catfish that weighed less than a pound. While reeling it in, the rod snapped. The tip then slid down the line into the water. I had to be extra careful reeling in the fish. If the line snaps, the tip would be lost in the river. I managed to reel in the fish by using one hand to create an eye loop guide for the string and pushing the base of the rod into my stomach while my other hand reeled in slowly.

I ended up reeling in the catfish, but at the cost of a broken rod. The Coleman combo costs $9.99 with $7.99 shipping. According to the Coleman warranty, they will replace the rod if I pay for shipping to them along with an enclosed payment of $7.99 for the return shipping. For that price, I might as well purchase another one(not wasting my money). Now my 3-piece combo(used to be 2-piece) is sitting inside the plastic housing it came in and sitting in the garage. Eventually, it will make its way into the trash along with $18 of my money.

If you are considering this combo, make sure it is only for childrens use and for catching tiny bream. Otherwise, you will be at a loss like myself. I have never written a review on Amazon until now. I feel as though the consumers should be aware of the potential disappointment and loss if purchasing this item.

I bought this,as soon as i took it out of the box,I sprayed the inside of the reel with wd-40 as well as the whole pole itself.,Have caught a 4 1/2 pound bass and actually used it catfishing,reeled in a 6 lb. channel cat no problem!Since then i have bought 2 more,did the same thing to those as the first and have had not one problem with all 3.Found that it will hold 8lb line,I actually used 8lb line with the diameter of 6lb and they are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,Will be buying 3 more today after this comment.Thanks Amazon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the product and let me say it is a little bigger then the picture shows but not enormous. One of the guides was already broken, but evrything else was in good shape. I have not fished with it althgough my confiednce level in this product is a tad shakn, I will know when I actually try it out. My main point of buying this was for a small compact system to use in my survival pack, which technically does fit what I was looking for.

I got a good 3 weeks of everyday 2 pound bass fishing with this. it is overpriced for what you get, but is surprisingly sturdy for a pen. it finally gave way when i lifted a 1.5 pound bass up on the rod. oh also, the reel only holds about 60 feet of line, and it comes with 2 pound line on it- the diameter of 6 pound though.

I Do Not recommend this product to anybody.
the reel can not reel in the string and the telescoping effect jammed up a lot. DO NOT BUY THIS!!!

This rod has no drag, it doesn't work and the quality is terrible. it broke before i could even use it.