Good rod/reel combo for 8-year old

Bass, bream, catfish?
Spinning, baitcaster, spincast?

Stradic spinning reel with a Loomis rod is what every 8 year old wants. Just get it in some fancy looking color.

At 8. a
Any dept store combo for whatever price you are looking for. 15 bucks and up.

Go hit up your local acadamy, you can get a starter rod/reel combo pack with a small tackle box for about $14, let him pick out a few cheap packs of plastic baits and for under $25 your boy can have a good starter kit.

And how many 8 year old sons have you taken fishing with bait casters, dealing with wind, and backlashes on the kiddos reel?
It's different than throwing a bait into a bucket or a hoola hoop in the backyard.
But, I'm guessing that you dont have a clue, Roland.

When I was around that age I was gifted a small 1500 shimano lower tier spinning reel with a trigger that would flip the bail, it was on a berkley rod. I was taught to take care of my pole from the get go. Taught me the appreciation that keeping it in top shape goes a long way to making equipment last. Fished with that combo for many years.

Get him a light pistol grip rod and a classic 33. I did this when my boy was 8 and he could throw a bait caster at 13. With not a lot of practice, thanks to Xbox.

I bought my son just an inexpensive spinning reel and rod for a few years and then stepped him up to a better setup.

The first set up was a 1000 size reel with a 5.5 or 6 ft rod. May have cost $50-60. He still uses it sometimes. And his sister uses it when she goes with us