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Beach rod setup


locodave

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So went beach fishing over the weekend and realised my reel has died. This setup was over 12yrs so thought its time to upgrade.

Going to buy a 12ft rod and reel combo. Just want to know what is the best line to use to spool the reel? Should I use braid for beach fishing or stick to mono? Will just be targeting Sambos and whatever comes across.

Thanks :)

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Haven't considered an Alvey setup. What are the advantages?

Advantages

-can take sand/saltwater no prob

-will outlive both of us

I'll suggest this combo

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Or you could spend a little more and get a better quality low mount rod ( must be low mount )

They take a little getting used to ie casting and winding in, but after a couple of practice sessions you'll get the idea.

You will also need a low stretch mono, platypus lo stretch is a popular option.

I bought my first one a couple of years ago, now I have this many

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Harry

If it's to good to be true, it usually is...

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Alveys take abit of getting used to if you havent used one before, If your sticking with spin i would be looking at around the 20lb ( or less ), you dont need as much abbrasion resistance of the beach. Also you could use braid however usual beach conditions (wind & current) usually result in some nice tangles/ knots that you would not even believe possible unless you see it.

If you do use braid though i would be tying a a few meters of mono onto it with an FG knot ( to allow castability) before adding swivels hooks etc.

Also if you get a spin reel make sure it has a high shallowish spool "if that makes sense" helps with the casting.

Good luck

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G'day locodave,

If you choose spin I'd recomend braid for sure. A 4-6000 sized spin reel loaded with a stiffer line like Fireline in 12 to 15lb. Choose a nice bright fluro colour that's easy to see. Advantages are a thinner line than mono that casts a mile & is less affected by wind & wave action. You will wonder why you ever considered mono.

Kings

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Go braid for sure if going spin. Mono will give you less hassles maybe but there are some real advantages of braid. Can cast further, wave action has slightly less affect on your line and is more sensitive for feeling bites. Best part I like though especially for sambos and tailor is being able to put on a nice strike to set the hooks when your bait is 40m away. No stretch in braid has to help that. I do run about a 8' FC leader though. Connect with a bimini and a reverse albright.

Cheers, Bart

Edited by Bartdude
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A lot depends on how your going to fish. If you want to throw metal slugs for them a light 10' rod with a 4000 size high speed reel loaded with braid is fine.

If your bait fishing you'll need something a little longer and stronger. Typical rods are a MT4144 or 6144. I'd go glass or glass composite rods. They cast heavier weights, needed for rough conditions, better than graphite rods.

As for line, braid does have an advantage of being thinner in diameter increasing spool capacity. The down sides or braid are:

1) it is visible under water so you'll need to use a leader.

2) It floats

3) It has no stretch and will pull the sinker off the bottom in heavy surf.

As for casting, we've been unable to find a great deal of difference in the casting distance of braid and mono. Same rod, same reel, same bloke casting the same weight and the difference in distance is only 3 or 4 meters averaged over a 100m cast.

Alveys are good, they hold up well against sand and salt, however, they don't cast as well, unless you're really good with them. Also no gears so its a 1:1 retrieve if you hook up to something big.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Dave, I started using Alveys 45 something years ago and I still love them. In those days there were not a lot of alternatives - some basic overheads or pretty average threadlines suitable for beach fishing. Today, while I still use my Alvey, my preference is for a threadline - for balance, ease of use and retrieve rate and you can stick it in a length of PVC tube - not going to happen with an Alvey. As for line, braid is the only way to go in my opinion - casting distance which I honestly think I get 20% further with braid (though not always an issue) and the "feel" - in the surf it can hard to feel bites and braid gives you much more contact with your bait. Hope this helps to confuse you further :-)

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