Advise On A New Beach Rod

[meathead]

Hi All,

I'm getting back into beach fishing after moving back up to the Central Coast after living in Melbourne for the last 10 years. On my first night back I managed an 8 kilo Jew which has reiginited my passion for fishing the beach at night. So it's now time to update my gear as its probably 20 years old. I'm looking for a bit of advise on a new rod which will allow me to have some fun with salmon/tailor but is also capable of handling a big Jew - I like to be a bit sporting with them so will be teaming it up with a new Shimano Baitrunner and 8 to 10 kilo line. Something around 12-13 ft would be adequate. I've been looking at the Wilson Live Fibre Rods - anyone had experience with them? If so would you recommend them considering the above? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[craigtempo]

hi mate

congrates on the 8 kg jewie first trip back .

Now ive been beach fshing for about 30 ish years ive had butterworths ..... daiwa ... and other rods i cant remeber .BUT the best beach rod i have owned is the main one i am using now . it is a silstar [ yes u read corectly] crystal tip 12 ft .its a fibre glass rod with a carbon wrap twisting all the way through it .this blank is used by many different manufacturers

It is sensative enough to feel whiting and bream bites and yet powerfull enough to handle good size fish . my best is a 6 kg jewie which it handled with ease .

they sell for around $120 .if u want something to handle bigger fish ie 10kg and up consistently then probably get something else BUT if u want a rod that can handle all beach species with the odd bigger fish then i can recomend the silstar .

i also run an okuma av 80 and a shimano 4000 on it as well depending on what im chasing .

goodluck

craig

Edited August 23, 2010 by craigtempo

[wannabefisho]

Agree, Silstar make top rods, I have a Crystal PowerTip in 10-12kg overhead and I use it with an ABU 7000, and when I dont feel like using an overhead I use an Okuma Axeon S90 spooled with 20lb mono both are great on this rod, although its a high mount I dont mind so much as you can stick it into a rod holder with ease over a low mount.

I also like any of the UglyStik range they are great value for money, and Shimano make some pretty decent beach rods- I have a Taipan 5-8kg that I use a 6500 Baitrunner on, + an 650C5 Alvey and my Okuma without any troubles.

All my beach rods are integrated tips or full fibreglass I wouldnt use anything else for Taylor, Salmon, Flatties and anything else you can find on a beach- including big Ray's and Sharks all have been taken on them.

my favourite by far though is a PowerRod built back in the 70's by my Dad (you sont see many of these around nor can you get the blanks anymore, lol), has a nice soft tip for finesse fishing for Whiting and Bream with say 10 and 12lb line, yet eneough grunt to haul up a big Eagle Ray or Sharks over 1m, has also lended me numerous Taylor, Salmon and Trevally from Broken Bay, Flatties to 70cm and Jew to 10kg all from the sand, makes for a top rock rod for Drummer and Blackies but I dont chase them from the ocean I have other rods I use for inshore work.

Good luck with the purchase

Tight lines

Anthony

[autocad]

i've got the silstar crystal blue, which is the current model. It is a gaphite composite rod that is really really strong, but light weight at the same time. The best thing that I like about it, is that it doesn't have a very thick butt on it. they come in a 8-12kg in 10-12foot. costs around $170 - $200

cheers autocad

[mazin1978]

I was wondering what surf combo you guys will recommend for chasing salmon, trevs, flatties, bream, etc. Mainly bait fishing, my budget is around 100-150 for the combo, i was looking at a Shimano Catana rod but its only 3-5kg, will this be sufficient? What reel size/brand is good for the beach?

Thanks for the help.

Matt

[wannabefisho]

I was wondering what surf combo you guys will recommend for chasing salmon, trevs, flatties, bream, etc. Mainly bait fishing, my budget is around 100-150 for the combo, i was looking at a Shimano Catana rod but its only 3-5kg, will this be sufficient? What reel size/brand is good for the beach?

Thanks for the help.

Matt

Any rod in 5-8kg with a 4000 or 5000 series reel would be more than adequate for hauling in Taylor, Salmon, Flatties and Jew off the sand- load the reel up with 20lb braid and a good 30lb flouro leader around 1.5m long.

I reckon a top combo in your budget would have to be the Penn Spinfisher 850ss combo - comes in just over $150- but well worth the extra coin when you are taking on big Sambo's and taylor off the beaches, the reel can also be matched to a good 8-10kg boat rod for any offshore work you might do- say if you go on a few charters.

Another combo well worth the $$$ is an Alvey 650 combo- I think they come in around the $200- mark and again well worth the coin- easy to use, easy to clean and will last a lifetime- you can drop them in sand and just wash off with salt water and they just keep going and going and going- a spin outfit couldnt take that punishment so this might be a more suitable option.

... Most tackle shops and even department stores will stock Alvey and Penn combo's go take a look @ one and see what you think.

Hope this helps and good luck with the purchase

Anthony

[mazin1978]

Any rod in 5-8kg with a 4000 or 5000 series reel would be more than adequate for hauling in Taylor, Salmon, Flatties and Jew off the sand- load the reel up with 20lb braid and a good 30lb flouro leader around 1.5m long.

I reckon a top combo in your budget would have to be the Penn Spinfisher 850ss combo - comes in just over $150- but well worth the extra coin when you are taking on big Sambo's and taylor off the beaches, the reel can also be matched to a good 8-10kg boat rod for any offshore work you might do- say if you go on a few charters.

Another combo well worth the $$$ is an Alvey 650 combo- I think they come in around the $200- mark and again well worth the coin- easy to use, easy to clean and will last a lifetime- you can drop them in sand and just wash off with salt water and they just keep going and going and going- a spin outfit couldnt take that punishment so this might be a more suitable option.

... Most tackle shops and even department stores will stock Alvey and Penn combo's go take a look @ one and see what you think.

Hope this helps and good luck with the purchase

Anthony

Thanks mate, will check out the Penn outfit, haven't used a Alvey before so i think ill stick with a spin outfit. Any experience with the Ugly Stik Balance combos?

Matt

[stricko4]

Yes mate I have a Wilson Live Fibre 12ft rod. It's actually the one in my hands in my pic. I run a Shimano 4500 baitrunner on it & find it very light & easy to handle. I've not hooked anything larger than a salmon of 2 or 3kg which it handled easily. If your going to specificly target jews though I'd go for something heavier like some of the rods mentioned in other responses.

Kingys

Edited August 25, 2010 by kingys what kingys?

[spaners]

Hi All,

I'm getting back into beach fishing after moving back up to the Central Coast after living in Melbourne for the last 10 years. On my first night back I managed an 8 kilo Jew which has reiginited my passion for fishing the beach at night. So it's now time to update my gear as its probably 20 years old. I'm looking for a bit of advise on a new rod which will allow me to have some fun with salmon/tailor but is also capable of handling a big Jew - I like to be a bit sporting with them so will be teaming it up with a new Shimano Baitrunner and 8 to 10 kilo line. Something around 12-13 ft would be adequate. I've been looking at the Wilson Live Fibre Rods - anyone had experience with them? If so would you recommend them considering the above? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Mate check out A Penn big game surf rod or they re badge it as a Rovex Bario RBA 6812 TL, this thing casts a mile,thats what I got acouple months back,I looked at the Ugly stick but its way heavier and I dont like the sand spike.Price is good as well,around $160 in tackle shops or $120 at Moes on line.

[meathead]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. A few of those rods hadn't come up on my radar previously so will be sue to check them out.

[mazin1978]

Thanks for the tips guys, ended up getting a great deal on a 11' Penn spinfisher big game surf rod and Rovex Duren 5500 reel. The reel probably isn't the best but got 2 for the price of 1 because my brother wanted a new reel aswell.

Cheers Matt