This really works and my 4 year is able to use it for the most part. I have to release the safety. We had a little problem at first getting the bobber to open and the hook to fall out but realized our weight had come off.

We used it today for the first time and really enjoyed it.

I bought two for my sons for Christmas 2007. One of them broke on the first try of cocking the gun!!! I tried to fix it but realized that the mechanism was made of cheap plactic which had snapped in half. The other gun has continued to work fine after several outings, however, we still have not caught any fish with these. Mainly because the bullet which holds the hook has a hard time opening, and then doesnt allow the hook, bait, and weight to sink low enough to attract any fish. Dont waste your money - we pulled out a cheap rod from when I was a kid, and my kids actually preferred that!!!

My daughter was SO excited to get this, but the first time we tried to reel in the casting bullet (EXACTLY as per directions), the line broke and was lost in the reel which I had no choice but to take apart, thinking the line would be fairly easy to recover and put back together. NO. I'm a relatively mechanically inclined individual, and rarely do I give up on a project because I can't fix it, but this was a serious pain in the - neck. I suppose I could replace the reel or spend a few hours messing with it...oh yeah, I don't actually have a few hours to dedicate to that, so...to the garbage it goes. Very disappointing.

The rod itself feels cheaply made, all plastic, but I guess that's to be expected with a TOY like this. And yes, the safety button is an issue for smaller kids. But the biggest problem comes when the line tangles inside the reel, and believe me, it will happen. Incredibly time consuming to try and resolve the issue to get your child fishing again, and that's IF you can figure out how to make it work. Good/fun concept, horrible execution. You've been warned...

Bought this for 5-yr-old for a vacation at the lake. It casts and it's fun to see how far it might go, but that's where all smiles ended. It constantly tangled and the reel kept falling apart. It was a pain to keep fixing and trying to put back together. We spent more time fixing than fishing. We returned it to the store immediately upon return from our vacation. Do yourself a favor and go pick up a $10 theme fishing rod from Walmart that comes with a little tackle box. It will be more enjoyable for everyone.