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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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 Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:16 pm Post subject: Looking into new Surf Rod |
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I currently have a Medium Action 8' 6" St Croix Premium Surf spinning rod which I have had for a long time now. One thing I've never liked about it is that it doesn't get good casting distance.
The reel I always put on it is a classic Penn 5500SS with 14 lb mono and try casting with heavier 3/4 ounce to 2 ounce wooden and plastic plugs and topwaters, but still don't get good distance.
3 main qualities I'm looking for are casting distance, rod strength, and handle length. I find it hard to cast with the rods that have the longer handles like my current one does.
I like to look around on Amazon, Cabela's, Bass Pro, and Ebay to try and find something. I'm willing to go as high as $150 as for price.
Recommendations would be helpful. |
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fishfinder
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
Posts: 1672
Location: Naugatuck, Ct.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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If I were you Id buy Crest Daddy's Tica. I absolutely love mine and it casts a mile and his would cast further as his is a lighter action but I like tossing a few bigger plugs sometimes. I believe his is up to 3 ounces where as mine is up to 6.
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:11 am Post subject: |
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I also haven't been successful yet with trying to get the right medium light surf rod.
The 6' 6" St Croix Triumph I got is staying but as a freshwater rod. I enjoy my MH 8' 6" Wild River and am gonna hang onto it, but would like something shorter and long casting.
The reel I always use is a classic Penn 4500SS with 10 pound mono on it. Lures I cast with range from 3/8 ounce to 1 ounce
3 qualities I'm looking for are casting distance, shorter rod length, and rod strength.
Rod lengths I'm looking for range from 6' 6" to 8'. |
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:12 am Post subject: |
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| Rods that are grabbing my attention online are the higher end Okuma and Tsunami. |
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getthosestripes
Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 69
Location: anywere were theres salt
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:38 am Post subject: |
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you probly want a lonnger handle for surfcasting. and 30-50 lb braid is always the way to go if your casting hevier lures. with that braid you can whip the poppers, swimmers, tins etc. as hard as u want and they will haul ass out there. i personaly have a 10 ft surfcaster specifically for the surf in NJ and it works amazing. but you definetly should switch up to braid. put a barrel swivel on the main line. and bout 3 feet of flourocarbon leader.
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getthosestripes
Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 69
Location: anywere were theres salt
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:42 am Post subject: |
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reels, van staal. damn lot of money but are very duable. one i have is vs200. anothe ris the penn slammer. very nice reels
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Last edited by getthosestripes on Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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fishfinder
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
Posts: 1672
Location: Naugatuck, Ct.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:12 am Post subject: |
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Longer casting on a shorter rod isnt really gonna happen. You may find 1 that casts better then what you have but going shorter will most likely just get you to whete you are with your longer rod. The braid definitely gets you a much better cast. The Superslick Powerpro is what I use and it casts better then the standard powerpro and is better on your rods and stuff as its non abradive unlike the standard. Line your spool with a little mono or electrical first tjough as the brais will slip on your reel if your reel isnt designed for braid with a thin rubber dleeve on it. The Tica rods do a real nice job of getting your line out there and for a nice price.
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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Replied to Crest Daddy's ad telling him I'll go for it if it suits 3 things I mentioned on the reply.
My old Penns don't have any sort of rubber material special for braid.
I was looking around on company websites to see what they have. One I saw was the Okuma 7' 6" SST Salmon Spinning rod. It was a 2 piece made of one of the better graphites and lure weight ranged from 3/8 ounce to 1 ounce. It's a medium heavy salmon/steelhead freshwater rod very much like my current St Croix 8' 6" Wild River.
Tica didn't have the right rod as for lure weight and most were 1 piece.
I measured the rod handle on my current St Croix Premium Surf. It was 15 1/2" long from bottom to where it meets the plastic area below the reel seat. I find a 15 1/2" rod handle annoying while casting. |
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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| BTW- My total arm length from left to right is just over 4 feet vs my ice fishing buddy's 5 feet. Consider short arms when casting. |
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fishfinder
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
Posts: 1672
Location: Naugatuck, Ct.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:16 am Post subject: |
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Im pretty sure only the new reels are designed for braid. I learned the electrical tape lining method by watching Jose Wejebe's fishing show and it works great! I tried braid eithout doing it once and learned thr hard way not to. Even though I spooled it nice and tight ig slipped on thr reel eith a nice striper on and had to.hold my reel while reeling and respool it on the river bank with 300 yards!!!! What a freakin nightmare that was!
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Redneckangler
Joined: 05 May 2012
Posts: 851
Location: Meriden, CT
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:28 am Post subject: |
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Fishfinder is dead on with the electrical tape. Works wonders. Going shorter is not going to yield further casts. When you are talking about distance, what do you mean? Are you planning on throwing lighter stuff like you typically fish, or heavier plugs or weight? If you're casting big pencils, metal lips, tins or chunking, a rod in the 10-12' range is far better. For casting distance, you can't come close to a conventional reel with a spinner. I'm talking about a difference in going from a few hundred feet, to being able to put a chunk out a few hundred yards. Google distance casting and you can really see. I just don't see a big increase in casting distance in a 6'-6" to 8' rod.
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SeaDog1
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 2629
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:53 am Post subject: |
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Hi RNA & fishfinder,
Yes! ... The electrical tape trick does work and gives braided line a base to bite into so as not to slip ! 
SeaDog1  |
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fishfinder
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
Posts: 1672
Location: Naugatuck, Ct.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Just switching to braid may be enough to give you that extra distance your trying to achieve.
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There's a fine line between fishing....
and standing on the shore like an idiot!
Last edited by fishfinder on Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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getthosestripes
Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 69
Location: anywere were theres salt
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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sorry meant rod insead of handle
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fishfinder
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
Posts: 1672
Location: Naugatuck, Ct.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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The new avatar cracks me up!!!!!!!
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