Light Bream Fishing Setup Dilema

[flattiefisher27]

G'day Raiders,

Ive got a bit of a dilema at the moment. I have a $420 budget and i am looking at purchasing a light bream fishing setup. This is my first time where I am putting a fair bit of money into my setup but as i am moving within walking distance of pittwater id like to buy some good gear. There are two setups that I am looking at:

Option 1: Daiwa Freams 2004 with a Generation Black GB 703LFS. Totalling around $350

Option 2: Daiwa TD Sol ii 2004 with a Shimano Raider Bream. Totalling around $400

What would you guys recommend? I'm open to ideas for other rods and reels aswell.

And keep in mind i still need to buy braid to spool the reel with aswell as leader.

Thanks in advance!!

Edited June 7, 2015 by flattiefisher27

[Guest]

You don't need to go to expensive for bream outfits...go with the cheaper option and you will have plenty to spool up and buy leader

[flattiefisher27]

thanks for that!! im thinking that i will go cheaper option!! thanks!

[nbdshroom]

The Gen Black is hands down the better rod. A better option would be a one piece or two piece. You probably don't need a three piece rod.

[flattiefisher27]

Thanks nbdshroom!! What dos would you recommend?

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[Time28]

I just brought a shimano stradic 2500 FJ reel for my shimano catana 802 rod.

Well within your budget and a great bream and flatty setup.

[brad_tate]

Sorry, not a fan of the Catanas, have had two break for no good reason. I vote for the Shimano Starlo Classix, can pick one up online for $70.

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[nbdshroom]

Thanks nbdshroom!! What dos would you recommend?

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I recommend either the DrunknMonkey (1-2 kg) or the Itchy Twitchy (1.5 -3 kg) in the Gen Black range in 1 piece or the equivalent 2 piece rods. They have crisp light tips but have stiff backbones with way more power than their line ratings suggests.

Imo they are the best rods in the price bracket (< $200), particularly as a plastics rod. They have the HVF carbon blanks which are shared with more expensive rods in the Daiwa range such as the Black Labels (ca. $300) and TD Commanders (rrp $450) which is the most important aspect of a rod.

[flattiefisher27]

Thanks heaps again. Would these rods be heavy enough to handle a big flathead or even a rat king? I was thinking of maybe going up to the wicked weasel which is 2-6kg?

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[flattiefisher27]

Thanks time and taste as well! Will look into those two rods aswell

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[nbdshroom]

Thanks heaps again. Would these rods be heavy enough to handle a big flathead or even a rat king? I was thinking of maybe going up to the wicked weasel which is 2-6kg?

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Flathead would be no problem. You can land the odd king on light gear but you won't be able to dictate to it if that is what you mean. I'm not sure the Wicked Weasel is the rod that could dictate to a legal king either but it would fare much better than the one's I suggested which are more for bream and estuary fishing. As an indication of how the Wicked Weasel fishes, the tip of rod begins to fold away at any weight past 1/4oz.

[Witha]

Between the freams and the sol2 I'd go the freams, other option would be a stradic ci4 from the shimano stable, 2500 size is versatile.

Gen blacks are solid rods, if it's a light bream setup I'd stick to the itchy twitchy or drunk monkey.

Another awesome option is a pflueger patriarch XTR. I picked up the 1-3kg for about 160 awesome rod.

[adamski]

My current set up is an Itchy Twitchy with a Shimano Stradic FJ 2500. It's reasonably well-balanced and handles bream and smaller flatties with no issues, I think I paid about $350, though that was last year and the prices have come down since then. For reels, it might be worth looking at the Ci4, which is a bit lighter. As nbdshroom said though, it's a struggle to bully bigger fish out of structure with that sort of outfit.

[nbdshroom]

There's some great suggestions above by Witha and Adamski. Whatever you decide on, you can't go wrong.

[dilrocks]

Okuma RTX-pro C40X reel $150

Storm pro 6.7ft forgot the model its a 2 piece rode $150

Suffix pro braid 15lb 300m $90

This is my light setup. Landed with ease:

35cm breams

50cm trevally

60cm kinggy (not with ease lol)

45cm tailor

I will get you the rode model number if you interested later tonight

Cheers

Dil

Edited June 11, 2015 by dilrocks

[flattiefisher27]

Thanks so much everyone for the help!