Children's Fishing Kits
CPSC Recall #05-199 — June 16, 2005
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 05-199 |
| Recall Date | June 16, 2005 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 438,000 |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Discount department |
| sporting good and toy stores nationwide from August 2001 through June 2005 for between $9 and $13. |
Product
Children's Fishing Kits
Description
The recalled Shakespeare® brand fishing kits feature the following characters: TAZ® (Tazmanian Devil®), Tweety®, Mucha Lucha® and Spider-Man®. Other fishing kits feature Fishing Heroes™, sold with a silver-colored badge; Kids Kits™, sold with tackle boxes; and Shark™ and Dolphin™ Kits, which have reels in the shape of a shark or dolphin. The fishing kits have brightly colored red and yellow fishing rods, and "Shakespeare" is written on the reels. Fishing kits with purple, blue and pink rods are not included in this recall. Certain translucent red and yellow and metallic-colored red rods also are not included in this recall.
Hazard
The paint on the rods of these fishing poles contains lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.
Incidents & Injuries
The firm has not received any reports of complaints related to this product. This voluntary recall is being conducted to prevent any possibility of injury or illness.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the recalled fishing poles and contact Shakespeare Fishing Tackle for information on receiving a free replacement fishing kit.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.