kantong Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 gday raiders been looking around for a beach rod, going down south to Culburra in July for 2 weeks. I had a chat to the gentleman at the bait and tackle shop on Sunnyholt Rd Blacktown in Kings Park, he was saying maybe have a look at getting an Alvey. He was real nice about it, and gave me a DVD about Alvey and it was real good. Just wanted to know your opinion. The other option is getting a 12 foot rod with an egg beater. I was looking at a 12 foot Penn rod and Penn reel combo, the guy had on special for about 120 dollars. Is that a good buy? Any comments welcome Cheers Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunker_Hunter Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I fished Culburra around this time last year. Nice beach fishing down there & it's a great drive if your from Sydney to there. My brother inlaw uses an Alvey beach outfit, they are good if you teach yourself how to use them, they can be tricky to cast at first & to get use too. The Penn beach outift is great at that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I'm a died in the wool Alvey man for rock & beach bait fishing. If you use a suitable size swivel for your line & change it each session line twist is not a problem. I just purchased a 6500BCV (lightweight) for beach fishing & I'm very happy with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bashir Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 alveys are the go. Learn to use one, it will seem hard at first and you may want to change your mind, but if you stick with it then they are great. Ken with that model can you use it without the drag (like a 650a or 650b)? I know the handles aren't fixed to the spool but in the specs it mentions something about disengaging the anti reverse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 Yes mate you can disengage the anti reverse which as you know is very handy. Another suprise to me was the drag is pretty good straight out of the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 (edited) thanks for the replies guys! ill definitely look into it a bit more. What's your recommendation for a beach outfit? Ken A did get the one with rapid retrieve? whats your thoughts on that? personally i don't think it will do me any difference, because im new to this, but for someone who has used an Alvey before may think differently BTW Lunker Hunter, got any good tips for Culburra? :D Edited May 3, 2006 by kantong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 The model I got is not the fast retreive. No need for that when bait fishing. I can't see the point in a high speed retreive side cast myself , if I want a fast retreive for using lures I'll use an overhead I wasn't happy when I found I could not get a lightweight model with the handles on the spool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 btw how much did it cost? im looking to buy a rod and reel, got any guesses about the cost of the set up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefin Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I too have been an Alvey man for years 650c5 ( I think?) I love the old 7144 rods, have a 7144H Butterworth which I built a very long tine ago. But more recently I bought a Wilson 2 piece 7144L to cary easier in the car. For 6 to 8 kg it's great The H is better for 8 to 10 kg. Buy the thinnest mono line you can get, NOT fireline, it tangles too much!!!!!!!! On the other side of the coin I bought my wife a 10'6'' Wilson live fibre 6 kg rod which now has a 4500 Shimano Baitrunner with 14 lb fireline on it. Talk about casting a country mile! The feel and strike power over that distance is amazing. I want one! The Alvey is almost indestructable, if you drop it in the sand, wash it in the surf! It won't rust! And the ability to winch fish in is great. Compared to the Alvey the Baitrunner is high maintenance. Howard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 Hi Howard, Do Alvey reels have special rods for them because they are side cast or will they fit any rod? I have heard you have to palm the reel when the fish is taking line, does that mean you have to be holding the reel all the time in case the fish strikes and starts taking line? That means you cant put the rod in a holder and sit back and wait right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 For best casting results you need a rod with the guides set up for a sidecast reel. Most models have anti reverse & a drag system & can be fished in a rod holder if that's what you want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bob Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I too love Alveys and have the DVD which explains almost everything you have asked.Ken if line twist is a ptroblem Alvey say that this is because the swivel size is to big.Try going for a smaller swivel. I too love Alveys and have the DVD which explains almost everything you have asked.Ken if line twist is a ptroblem Alvey say that this is because the swivel size is to big.Try going for a smaller swivel. Sorry Ken I didnt read your post correctly.If anyone has a chance of getting a copy of the DVD its well worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 hi Ken ive never seen a rod with the guides set up for side casting (maybe i didnt recognise it ahaha) Most models have anti reverse & a drag system & can be fished in a rod holder if that's what you want to do Thats exactly what i want to do! Thanks for that.Big Bob wats this DVD called? wouldnt mind researching into this a bit more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bung Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 The Alvey is almost indestructable, if you drop it in the sand, wash it in the surf! It won't rust! i'd say they would corrode, no worries washing it in the surf during the session but best practice to give it a good freshwater rinse after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Kantong - in my opinion the answer depends on how much you're looking to spend. The Alveys are certainly indestructible, but they are a bugger to use and they don't cast as far or as well as a good quality eggbeater. I use a Shimano Ultegra and a Shimano Baitrunner 6500 off the beach and both are just too easy. I don't burn my hands with line when I get the cast wrong, I don't need a special rod with an oversized bottom guide, and I don't knock my knuckles when a big fish makes a solid run. On the other hand, both reels cost more than $200 new which, when combined with the rod, makes for an expensive beach fishing outfit. They also need to be carefully looked after - if you drop em in the sand or the salt water you need to open them up and clean and oil them thoroughly when you get home. I wouldn't bother with a cheap eggbeater off the beach - it will crap itself within a year or so - so if you're not looking to spend a lot then an Alvey will be a better option. It won't perform as well as a good quality long-cast eggbeater, but it will outperform the cheapies (plus there is all that indestructible stuff which is definitely a bonus). Mondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Oversized stripping guides for Alveys are a thing of the past & as far as not throwing as far as an eggbeater & being hard to use I could not disagree more. We'll have to agree to diagree on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bashir Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 ken is right, nowadays a high framed #40 guide works fine with an alvey and in the right hands they cast as good. I fish all the time with my cousin, I use an alvey/7144 combo and he uses a penn 8500ss/7144 combo and we both cast the same everytime. Your rod is the main casting tool that will ultimately govern how far you will cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Saqa Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Oversized stripping guides for Alveys are a thing of the past & as far as not throwing as far as an eggbeater & being hard to use I could not disagree more. We'll have to agree to diagree on this one. Absolutly correct Ken Hi kantong Alveys are regarded as one of the longest casting reels. Todays rod building concepts have done away with old fashioned hula hoop guides. Call me on 0422 315 058 between 10:00pm and midnight and I will help you sort out the sidecast issue. There are too many variables in surf fishing tackle and I need to know what it is that you are aiming for and then I can help you sort something out. If you dont want to go to the expense of a custom built rod I can still point you in the right direction in regards to rod selection and reel matching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefin Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Alvey rods have the reel seat a lot lower than an eggbeater, which in turn have it lower than an overhead, The overhead also has more runners. All are purpose built. Sand is the reel killer on the beach, thats why the Alvey rules. You do have to lay the line back on the Alvey as you do on most overheads and the Alvey is a lot easier to learn how to use than an overhead. Casting distance between the two, both with mono, the Alvey wins. But fireline on the eggbeater, and it's a different story. I also have a few overhead reels which on occasions I use off the beach, my favorite is a 2/0 Polly leverdrag and a Sabre 220s rod. But the Alvey gets the most use! Bung, Yes I do rinse it out when I get home, most of the time. It cops a huge amount of abuse. Have worn out a couple of handles and replaced a few worn parts, but there cheep and easy to fit, so I don't mind. Howard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted May 4, 2006 Author Share Posted May 4, 2006 Absolutly correct Ken Hi kantong Alveys are regarded as one of the longest casting reels. Todays rod building concepts have done away with old fashioned hula hoop guides. Call me on 0422 315 058 between 10:00pm and midnight and I will help you sort out the sidecast issue. There are too many variables in surf fishing tackle and I need to know what it is that you are aiming for and then I can help you sort something out. If you dont want to go to the expense of a custom built rod I can still point you in the right direction in regards to rod selection and reel matching Thanks for the offer Saqa. You can be expecting a call next week. cheers! cheers for the info all, and keep it coming if there is any left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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