Overhead Surf Casting Reels

[daviesa]

I have a Penn Beachmaster 40 years old which I use with a 12 ft fibreglass rod, It is able to cast about 80 meters in surf but with light weight, approx 2 oz. I have recently bought a 14 ft heavier surf rod which will hopefully cast up to 4 oz. What overhead reel without a line guide would suit this and be able to cast say 100m.

[hotbite]

Hi daviesa,....mate I use an old Daiwa 250h when spinning for Jews off the bricks which is only 4: 1. The new Shimano Torium reels are excellent, which are great value.

[antonywardle]

Do you get the same over run issues with this as you would with a baitcaster?

I'm getting better but still get the occasional nest

[Crossfire63]

I use an Akios 757CTM loaded with 30lb braid or if I need to cast 6 to 8oz I use a Shimano TSM Speedmaster IV

Another reel which gets great reviews is a Penn 535 Mag.

Or the new 7000 Blue Yonder from Abu Garcia got a good review.

Can I ask which rod your using

Edited June 17, 2015 by Crossfire63

[daviesa]

Thanks for the help all 3 of you. I'm still finding my way around the site. So I've only just found the replies.

I have a relatively heavy duty ATC Platinum Surf 14ft. & a Silstar Beach 390 (13ft). ATC would be good for up to 6oz and Silstar max 3oz

[daviesa]

Only get birds nests after dark.

[hotbite]

Mate this may seem odd.....go down to the local footy field with some different weight snapper leads & cast away!!!! Set a target, like a bucket or a fish tub at 50, 80, 100 metres. Just practice....thats all it is......like a good golf swing!!!!! Which I don't have.....ha ha !!!!

[Guest no one]

Mate this may seem odd.....go down to the local footy field with some different weight snapper leads & cast away!!!! Set a target, like a bucket or a fish tub at 50, 80, 100 metres. Just practice....thats all it is......like a good golf swing!!!!! Which I don't have.....ha ha !!!!

Just make sure you do this when the juniors aren't training! And if you lose leads go and find them! Nothing worse than slide tackling through hidden stones on a footie field, imagine a pyramid led would hurt much more!

[outdoordan]

There are litterally dozens of reels that will fit the bill your after.

Have a look at the Penn squall 15. It has a mag cast control that can make this reel safe as houses OR lively and capable of good distance. In the right hands this reel is capable of around 200m. I can only squeeze about 160 out of mine, but that is flaws in my technique. Great reel, but small line capacity. A good option is to back with braid, and run a 150m mono topshot. These are a steal at about the $150 mark

Penn Fathoms, Shimano toriums and Daiwa satist BG's are also great little casters. They can be had around the $280 mark. No mag brake but all have decent centrifugal cast controls. Or you can go down the path of fitting a custom fixed or adjustable mag conversion for them. Ive done this to my Saltiga SA30, BG35 and my many ABU's. There is really not much to it.

As Crossfire mentioned, The Akios reels are beautiful, and use alot of the same engineering as the early ABU's. Next on my want list is a 565 shuttle.

I have recently started playing around with an AVET MXL mag cast, and i have been really impressed with it as a castable lever drag. Its capable of distances of around 140m in my hands straight out of the box. Not cheap but a top reel at around $380.

[Twinfisher 4.9]

Hi Daviesa, just wondering why you would go for a 14ft rod? Not sure that rod length equals casting better distance, rather technique. I remember the days when 16ft rods were the norm for beach fishing - if you do the trigs, an extra 2 or 4ft of rod length makes little difference at 100 mts of keeping the line above the swells. And with todays technology in rods, a 10 to 12 ft would I think probably more than suffice. Heaps of great overhead reels on the market and practice will make it work but wouldnt want to hold up a 14ft for very long. Yes, am getting old but love the latest technology. Steve

[outdoordan]

With longer rods, the lead travels in a larger arc. Beacuse of mechanical advantage, or rather lack of. It requires more effort to pull the lead through this larger arc. This is where technique really shines. When you can harness the rotation of the body, and use the larger muscle groups to pull the lead through, rather than just your arms, a huge amount of energy can be transfered to the lead. Potentially more than a shorter rod.

Novice casters may find they are able to cast futher with a shorter rod due to their lack of technique, and not being able to muscle through this bad technique with a larger lever (rod).

I use a 14ft Poseidon gold class a bit for distance work, It is very light for what it is and it can really drive a lead a long way. But long rods hurt on big fish. I wouldn't use this rod for everyday beach work. 12 - 13ft I find a lot more comfortable.

[big Neil]

Is it necessary to cast that far out? Often the fish are in a gutter quite close to the waters edge. What's the advantage in using an overhead reel against a centrepin or eggbeater? You will surely get fewer birdsnests with either of these, wouldn't you?

[Twinfisher 4.9]

Hi Dan, I absolutely agree with the physics of the longer rod and larger arc. All true. But fishing isn't all about casting and as you rightly said, the leverage advantage you had in casting, then works against you with a decent fish on. As with most things in life.......it is a compromise!