Gear Advice for A Rookie

[Jay88]

Hi All,

As I begin my life of learning the fishing artform…the first question I ask myself is “what rod and reel to buy”?

I know very little about fishing gear…I would like to have a rod/reel which can take on decent size fish (not like marlin), as I am NEW to the game.

I would like to try both beach fishing and of an wharf if needs be. I was advised by a friend to go for a 4-5KG rod and a 4000-5000 REEL? My budget is around the $100-$200 mark.

Im confused whether I want a spin, or an overhead type rod (they just look awesome). I want to be able to fight decent quality fish of the beach even if required.

Any brands? Or models you guys can recommend? I am in Sydney. Cheers!

[amkr]

I think you're after 2 different things really.

I don't own a beach rod (not my cup of tea), but I would hate to lug one around to a wharf.

[Crossfire63]

Hi there and welcome to the world of fishing

Your posts raises a number of question before it can be answered.

Firstly, a beach rod wouldn't be suitable for the wharf and vice versa. A beach rod needs to be 10 to 12 feet ideally for a beginner. This would prove cumbersome on a wharf.

What species are you hoping to catch. Theres an old saying in fishing Target everything and you'll catch nothing. To be succesful you should target the specific species of fish and rig your tackle accordingly.

I dont take a whiting rod when Im chasing Jew fish

So if you give us a better idea of what your after we'll be better able to answer your question rather than just a general type of question

Edited August 7, 2015 by Crossfire63

[Crossfire63]

if your just learning I'd forget about using an overhead for a while.

They take a bit of mastering and a lot of practice to get it right

[luderick -angler]

A Good general purpose 10ft medium to fast taper 2-5kg outfit in two piece would cover most species teamed up with a suitable size spin reel should see you catching salmon tailor bream luderick whiting it will allow you versatility and if you get addicted then start to get specific rods for specific purposes! Example I have over 10 blackfish rods all built for different blackfishing situations. It can get that involved

[Vendee]

Agree on a 10 ft being good to cover most situations but if you are spinning lures, I can tell you a medium action rod becomes a pain. Great for bait though. I would suggest a graphite or composite if you aren't used to heavy duty long fibreglass rods. If you plan on throwing small baits and pieces and hold the rod this should suffice. If you want to throw a large slab or a live bait out and put in a holder then plenty of heavier options available. As a newbie, I think better to go light and fish for bread and butter species rather than wait for larger fish as you might get disheartened. Plus you can move around a lot and the bites feel fun.

[Jay88]

wow, thank you all for so much support and responses! Such a great place to learn!

Well to be a bit more informative. I want to go to places like cogee beach (NSW), Manly, or other beaches you guys can recommend around the Sydney, NSW area.

I wish to aim for decent size fish that often bite, not fish that is RARE to see on a hook. I would like to be going for maybe, travely, jew fish, snapper? Not sure if they even hang out in the same water areas. And will be fishing mostly during the afternoon and into the night.

I will be using bait such as squid, shrimp, pilchard, mullet etc... (so whatever fish comes with these in reference to the fish I mentioned above)

I will also be getting a rod stand as well? Thanks again!

[Vendee]

Mulloway - patience and skill and mullets should be fine for the silver ghost but be prepared for a long wait.

Snapper - off rocks yes but off beaches most probably difficult.

Trevally - when a school comes in, each fishy will fight like mad and is my favourite.

I think maroubra is a good beach to try. search for surf rods online . Will give you a better idea of prices and types. Come back with some selectionsin your price range and we could guide you. Just don't mention store name

[GreyNurse]

A good starter combo for can be found at the big stores like Kmart, BCF and the like. Also have a look at your local tackle store to get a comparison. For a simple rod stand, just go to a hardware store and buy a 3M length of orange 60mm PVC pipe. Cut it into 1M lengths and cut one end of each at a 45 degree angle to drive into the sand. Measure the distance between the butt end of the rod and the leg of the reel. Drill a hole about 2-4cm less than that measurement through each pipe from the top. Whack a brass bolt and nut through the holes to stop the leg of the reel resting on the top of the pipe.You now have three functional rod stands reasonably cheap.

Edited August 7, 2015 by GreyNurse

[ambrose607]

That's a great idea about the brass bolt and nut Nursie. So simple but very practical. I'm gonna steal that and do it to mine. Thanks

[Jay88]

Mulloway - patience and skill and mullets should be fine for the silver ghost but be prepared for a long wait.

Snapper - off rocks yes but off beaches most probably difficult.

Trevally - when a school comes in, each fishy will fight like mad and is my favourite.

I think maroubra is a good beach to try. search for surf rods online . Will give you a better idea of prices and types. Come back with some selectionsin your price range and we could guide you. Just don't mention store name

Hi mate, what makes beach fishing and fishing of the rocks that difficult in terms of species? I believe the beach rod I will get will be able to be used for rock fishing also?

[Vendee]

You most probably will catch fish of the rocks and beach but the targets you mentioned above aren't the easiest. Rock fishing and beach fishing may share same rod and reel but rigs are quite different and with rock you usually burley them close to your feet and you will normally get some fish like drummer , luderick or sweep. Beach fishing is normally finding gutters and dart, whiting in addition to your target species may be there. You most probably will catch other species first until you refine your techniques(doesn't mean changing rod and reel but just the way you go about targeting them) and learn to specifically chase fish you want. Not everyone fishes only for target and no matter how hard you try , other species will take your bait unless you are marlin fishing but that's a topic for another day.

Most snapper reports I see are off boats and some times off rocks. I've caught snapper on lures but they were just about legal and am sure you are looking for some 2kg, soon to be fried in butter, specimens. If you want to target species, read articles related to rigs and bait and type of locations (structure, kelp, gutters etc).

All of us here have gone through a process of refining our methods even those who have been fishing for ages so it will take time but end of the day you just have to enjoy the spectacular views and a screaming reel.

[luderick -angler]

Jay88 if you have never fished the east coast rocks before I recommend joining a club and learning from hardened rock hoppers the sydney ledges are some of the most unforgiving ledges known!

[Crossfire63]

Jay88 if you have never fished the east coast rocks before I recommend joining a club and learning from hardened rock hoppers the sydney ledges are some of the most unforgiving ledges known!

Plus 1.......Sydney rocks are no place for novices.

Beaches are pretty safe but fishing off rock ledges is a whole different world

[Guest Guest123456789]

Make it a priority to find someone close who knows what they are doing and learn from them. This includes tackle. There is soo much to fishing you really need a mentor. Whilst you can works things out through trial and error this approach is costly and time consuming (but also challenging and rewarding). There is a section on fishraider where you can find a mentor.

[Twinfisher 4.9]

I agree when it come to rock fishing, join a club, you will learn so much, so quickly. I didn't do that - started rock-fishing in my early teens. Never really got into trouble other than the embarrassment of having my mother picking broken oyster shells out of my backside after I took a ride over the rocks on my rear end! Just take time to watch the ocean before you start fishing and always keep watching the swells and fish with other people.

[big Neil]

Jay 88. Have a look on the internet for the types of fish which are commonly caught from beaches, wharves, etc. You will find out about the species ...things like what bait to use, what rigs to use and what gear to use. This would be a good starting point for you. Then it's a matter of getting out there and having a go. TIP If you go beach fishing try to find "gutters". These are areas where there is a bit of deeper water and can be identified by a break in the waves coming into the beach. Use berley and you will almost certainly improve your chances of a catch. Outside of that try to team up with somebody who has experience...ask what you don't know. Good luck mate. Neil.