Beach Rods and Reels

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:30 am

How do all, I'm in the process of changing codes. Totally fed up with every puddle for miles being stocked with carp, and water extraction leaving my local river a weed infested swamp. Have found that beach fishing hits the nail on the head - unpredictable, challenging, addictive. I just have one problem (which i'm willing to admit to anyway), I'm a little under-gunned. The carp/pike rods I'm using are really not up to the job, and basically no-one enjoys the sound of splintering carbon at dawn. So looking to invest in a pair of rods and reels. My local tackle shop is no use what-so-ever, not much call for sea fishing gear in Slough and will not touch ebay - sure it's a way that lots of stolen gear gets recycled. So help, please, any suggestions for decent 'mid-range' rods and reels, as the opinions of users holds much more weight than the glossy brochures.

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:24 pm

How do Fosma.

I'm guessing lots of people will want to tell you of their personal preferences about rods and reels, but it's probably true to say that most have arrived at their choices through trying different rods over the years. I'm the same of course, so my recommendation is that you have a look at either Greys or Abu 13ft beachcasters - they both have fixed spool and multiplier rods in their range that can cope with a wide variety of venues well, are built with a quality that will last and won't embarrass you on the beach or pier if you're a "tackle tart" (no offence meant there, just that some people are LOL). As for reels, well I would suggest you'd not go wrong with one of Penn's 525 multipliers, while for fixed spool I personally love my Penn Captiva 8000... Others might disagree with these recommendations I know, but they are in the mid-range bracket and I feel they'll give you a good start.

My best advice would be to try and fish with someone who can lend you a rod or two to try so you can learn your casting style and rod requirements, but failing that visit a good tackle shop and ask for advice - I know that can be hit or miss, but if you went to more than one or two you might well see a pattern emerging.

Best of luck - and welcome to the addiction
Tim

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:30 pm

Cheers Tim for the suggestions, desparately trying not to become a tackle tart, but i only have diposable income for a short while as getting married soon. Feel the opportunity to buy shiney toys will be suddenly be halted and replaced with buying the other half additions to her extensive shoe collection. Thanks again, will check them out.

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:22 pm

You'd better get buying quickly then! either that or change the wedding present list - tell them you already have a toaster/sandwich maker/fondue set etc.... big grin

Don't talk to me about shoes........

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:57 pm

You're an absolute genius...... big grin

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:35 pm

As Tim knows, I do not agree with the need to buy the relatively expensive kit that he suggests. My last sizeable bass was taken with 10 ft Abu carbon which cost me £30 using an ancient Shakespeare Contender fixed spool which cost £25. I asked the bass whether he knew about my cheap kit and he said no , he was only interested the lump of squid and mackerel which he found on the sea bed! As bass are usually caught fairly close to shore I only need a 50 yd cast to find them. Having said that I went for plaice today and did use a sightly different set up: This time I need to get out there so I used my 12' chinese carbon surf rod with a somewhat similar fixed spool to chuck my 4 oz weight about 150 yds. DO NOT start out with a multiplier my friend it can take hours of practice to hurl a lead 200 yds out even with a 13 or 14ft rod and you want to catch fish I presume rather than spend hours sorting out the massive tangles you can get with a multiplier while you are learning to use the bloody thing. Yes, I do have a multiplier but only use it for boat fishing where it's massive strength and rapid lever drag system really pays off. So to sum up, 1. Get a carbon rod which will cast up to 6 ozs of lead but don't pay the earth - you don't need to - my mate just bought a Ron Thompson jobbie for £70. 2. Get a fixed spool which will hold at least 250 yds of 20lb mono and has at least three ball bearings, it should also have a relatively long coned spool because that will give you at least another 20 yds when casting. You should be able to find one which looks respectable for between £30 and £50. I know an old boy who regularly catches fish on Hayling beaches with very similar kit , I quote "The fish don't know about your kit so why pay more?"

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:53 pm

this is true that the fish dont know how expensive your gear is but and its a big but!

if you buy a cheap reel it wont last long at all, especially if you go fishing alot, the cheap gears will break and get really stiff. same for multipliers.
and as for rods, oh dear, for one a cheap rod is very flexible and it will bounce about in the tide and either break out your lead or make it IMPOSSIBLE to see bites and if you fish in strong winds it will look like a boomerang!.plus if you get good at casting(loading the rod) you may snap it! also if you drop it on the beach or pier you will definately have the problem i had when i first started.

the top two rod rings, the inner guide popped out, so making the metal ring cut the line or take chunks out of it, not good as i found out! you go to reel in thinking nothing of it and SNAP!! the line breaks and your left thinking, WHY???

so to recap i totally agree with tim, for those in the know you do need half decent gear or mid range gear.
find either a daiwa or greys rod for about 100 quid and a reel of about 70 quid for fixed spool.
i would go for(if i had to start from scratch) a daiwa sandstorm fs retail about 99 quid i think. and a daiwa emblem z fixed spool reel i think reatail around 60 quid. DONT QUOTE ME! im not a tackle shop.
so you can get a good enough set up for around 200 quid thats everything!! rod,reel,rigs,light,rod rest etc.
really sorry but thats fishing

cheers
phildalt(captain imax)

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:52 pm

Eccles, thanks for the heads up on multipliers and fixed spools, have grown up on the Birmingham and Worcester canal fishing fixed spools for gudgeon, so multipliers seem a different world and if there's a birds nest to be had then I'll find the mother of all birds nests. Totally agree with the thickness of fish, if a bait is presented well, then they'll feed and you'll get results. (sometimes, often needs intervention of lucky pants and sole selling too).

Phildalt - were you watching me at Brighton marina last week? My 'stiffest' pike rods bounced around in the breeze like teenagers at a take that concert and I could have had a bite a minute, but I'd still be none the wiser. It was that session that convinced me to start taking this 'seriously' and stop doing things half arsed. From course experience, quality does count but it is a case of deminishing returns, is a £200 rod that much better than a £100 one? Bugger it, this is my true hobby, and as you say, and from experience, quality lasts which is my major concern.

Again, thanks for your advise, genuinely refreshing after years of 'undisclosed still-waters' and 'secret bait' that embodies course angling.

ps. Blanked at Brighton, but was a top day. big grin

Seriously, thanks for your advise

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:10 am

Eccles, did you really talk to that bass? Are you the Jonny Morris of the angling world? :?:

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:56 am

Ha ha ha, I talk to every fish I take mate they are always very interested in the human world. There is much to learn I am afraid my friend, I have been at it for 12 years now and still learning - got 'hooked' on a charter boat trip in 1996 when I took about 60lbs of fish, including a 20 lb cod. Although I use relatively cheap gear, I must say that I have never broken a rod or a reel and my 'cheap' FS reel is now 8 years old, mainly because I look after it rather than just 'chucking it down on the beach'. Anyway, enough of that, here is quite good link which I often go to: http://www.mikeladle.com/osa.html My only other advice, which you probably don't need, is to learn where there are likely to be fish and put up with a fair few blanks. I think this is why so many blokes have a fishing buddy (I do) because you can spend a few hours putting the world to rights if they aint biting much that day. Oh and by the way, with one or two exceptions, such as plaice, you will nearly always get more bites at night.

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:18 pm

Hi Eccles, as ever I do know where you're coming from and you know I do respect your views, but you'll also know I'm not a tackle tart either and my advice was based on experience and given in the certain knowledge that a lady's shoes will always take priority over fishing gear etc. - we have to remember that fosma will have years of "you bought what? how much? why? " ahead of him.... big grin

I am worried about your talking to fish though, Dotty the ringtailed lemur and I are getting quite concerned you know big grin

Tim

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:51 pm

Hey Tim, this will get yer going: Just up the road from us is a mini-marina/boatyard where my buddy reckons there are some whopper mullet cruising around in the summer. We have decided we are gonna get one some how or other in a few weeks time AND my mate is telling me to get a telescopic so we can wander around the jetties, etc. without having to lug a dam great rod all over the place. Even I gave up telescopic's a few years ago when I busted one trying to get it to cast more than 80 yds. However, buddy reckons the relatively new better made carbon tele's are a serious option and are to be had for £40 if you know where to go. So, I may just put my hand in my pocket and get one of these pieces of crap soon (he he). BTW I am well aware that we will probably need to ground bait and use v light tackle to catch mr mullet but they give a dam good fight so I am told.
Cyers

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:40 pm

Hi fosma

phildalt was describing how my cheap £15 12' beach caster rod reacts on the beach when there is a slight wind.... like you said about your trip to Brighton with your rod, eventually you learn to ignore the constant tip waving in the sky.... but it may have been a bit.... :wink:

i would say, get something better than the cheap budget range rods but unless you know your casting ability you may not need £400 worth of rod that can cast to the shores of France.... phildalt on the other hand regularly casts over there 8O

i guess as for a reel is concerned the fixed spool would be your first choice assuming that this is what you know from your previous fishing experience...

it is a hard choice to make when you are just kitting out for the first time.... you need to make the decision are you going to mould your equipment to your ability or make your ability suit your equipment.... i guess that depends on how serious you are about fishing

hope you make the right choices all the best

Tight lines
HoOkEd

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:50 am

just had a thought(its a miricle!!) you should try the supercast range not stupidly expensive and they are very good rods.
plus they have a different range of rods to cover rough ground, clean beach or tidal
cheers
phildalt(captain imax)
ps
hooked, its just jealousy mate!! and i occasionally reel in garlic!!.

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:10 am

Gee thanks Phil, where do yer get 'em? By the way, what you rich sods don't realise is that it's not easy living on a £15k pension, one of these days, you may have to do the same then you will think twice about buying a £100 rod or reel as I have to do.