Coleman Fishpen Makes Great Starter Set

Fishing is a popular pastime, but fishing poles and fishing equipment take up a lot of room in your home or your car. The new Coleman Fishpen is a compact fishing pole that is, as the name implies, the size of an inkpen. Can such a small device actually be as strong as a full sized pole?

The Fishpen itself is a telescoping pole that extends as long as a full-sized rod. It felt a little flimsy. Clearly it's made for large game fish, but Coleman doesn't market this as an all-purpose rod. The included instructions say that the Fishpen is only able to support a two pound fish.

The Coleman Fishpen comes with the telescoping fishing rod, a reel with fishing line, 3 hooks, 3 line weights, a bobber, a practice casting weight, a carrying case and a tackle storage case. It has everything you need to get started fishing, and at around $40, it is a good bargain for the casual or beginning fisher.

The Fishpen extended easily, but you should make sure that the line guide holes are lined up before you thread your fishing line. After attaching the reel, which goes on easily, and threading your line, you are ready to attach a hook or the practice casting weight. I attached the hook and cast the line into the water. Casting was smooth with no problems.

The first fish that was caught was small, under one pound, and was easily reeled in. The rod did bend quite a bit, but it didn't affect the performance of the pole. The next fish was larger, and it was then that the pole displayed some weakness. The pole bowed severely, making it difficult to reel in the fish. With some effort, I was able to reel in the fish.

After the second fish, I attempted to disassemble the pole. The line wound back easily, but it took some work to get the rod to collapse. Each segment had to be twisted and prodded gently to collapse. The weight of the second fish may have tightened the segments.

Everything went back into the carrying case and it closed easily. It's easy to carry and fits under the front seat of the car. While this isn't a solution for a serious fisher, it is great for recreational fishing or spur of the moment trips. It would make a great set for children, and except for bait, you have everything you need to get started.