Boat is gone now so looking to repurpose my ABU 6500cs Rocket. Its too good of a reel to mothball. Never done any beach fishing but staying at Sunshine Beach for a few days soon and wondering if I can get a suitable rod to fit. Most seem to be 8kg and above - I reckon 8kg is max for me as I am not chasing sharks or big jewies. Open to edumacation. Cheers.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
I got myself a fairly stiff graphite 12 ft rod for casting big poppers, it was rated to 10-15kg and teamed it up with a Okuma Soltera SLR-10CS. However the rod I bought was way too stiff for my liking, The poppers I cast out were about 180gm-200gm and about 220mm long but just didn't like the action of the rod nor could I get any more significant distance out of it than when I used my 9ft overhead rod, but it had more height to keep the line out of the surf better, since then I haven't done any more surf fishing so I have mothballed it and if I do any more surf fishing I will go back to using the 9ft.
Granted it was a cheapy rod I picked on E-Bay so bought it sight unseen, it was for a quick trip for a few days down at Kirra beach, I rarely go surf fishing so didn't want to spend decent money on a rod that I might only use once every ten years or so, my advice would be if you do a lot of that style of fishing then get a decent rod, go to a tackle shop, get their advice and put one in your hand to get a feel for it.
If you don't want to spend decent money on a rod then I can lend this one to you for your holiday duration, I live near Caboolture. Just PM me for details.
Cheers
Ed.
Thanks for the advice and the kind offer Ed. I won't take the offer though. ..looks like I can spend $200 or so and with the boat gone I'll probably get use out of it. The Missus loves the beach so it'll give me something to do. Cheers.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Another option is to find a spin rod you like the action of and modify it into a wrap around if you can't find a dedicated overhead set up you like. I have a nibble tip that I use for whiting fishing that I have done this to. Works a treat.
Thanks Scottar, are spinning rods doable in the surf? It's a black art to me so no idea. I have a great 8ft 4kg outfit that I've caught more on than any other. Wouldn't want to look like a clueless Briso tho....
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
The beach can be very tough and unforgiving on an overhead or spin reel.......no chance of talking you into an Alvey for sand work?
I've fished spin, overhead and Alvey reels in the surf. Just need to be very mindful of keeping spin and overhead gear out of the sand. The Alvey is without a doubt the easiest to sort in regards to this - if it gets sand in, give it a dunk and just make sure it gets a proper clean at home. If you treat spin and overhead gear the same way, you will be at the tackle shop reasonably regularly.Originally Posted by TheRealPoMo
Looks like I'll have to up my targeting. Apparently overhead rods have the spine on the runner side and others on the opposite, plus different runner spacings. I assume that's what Scottar meant by modification. Only readily available OH rod I can find up here is a 15 to 24 kg Penn. Hate cleaning small fish anyway. ..not that I catch many big ones...
Still, fishing for me is always about an excuse to be somewhere nice rather than get a feed.
Oh and Banshee - my Dad bought me a small Alvey on a Little Jim rod when I was about 6. Couldn't wait to get a spinnner and a Black Queen. Just not my cup of tea. They are thin on the ground now anyway...
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Pretty much. By modifying the rod into a spiral configuration allows you to have a lighter tip and still run the overhead if the only rod you can find is a spin set up. Other option is to talk to a custom builder or have a crack yourself.
Sorted. Got a 13 ft Nitro 8-15 kg from Jones's in Chermside. Was way over budget but they heavily discounted it given it had been there a while. Got some good advice too - big plug for Jones's.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
I use to use 6000 6500 abus a lot on 10ft spin rods
my all rounder now is a 9ft 6kg spin stick with a 4500 sized dawai reel, salmon flathead bream whatever
its light and can spin metals and plastics and bait fish as well
also when night fishing don't have to be so on the ball watching overruns
Thanks for the reply.
So I caught no fish but nothing special there. No terminal birds nests even with pretty big surf and a 15 to 20 kn onshore blowing. Throws 1oz very well but 3 seems a tad heavy. No distance records either but with wind behind me it'll be more than adequate.
Got a few wierd looks tho...dunno if it was the weather, the location or the gear. Wife reckons it was the hat. Lol.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote