It seems like Spring time brings out many questions as far as, what is the best rod and reel combo for me to use in the surf. You first have to ask yourself and be truthful about this, how confident am I that I can handle a conventional outfit of today’s quality. I say quality because the reels of today are not the same as your fathers or grandfathers reels of over 20 years ago. These things are like screaming jet racers compared to the dirt track models back then. But to make things a lot easier many manufacturers have installed little mechanisms that will help keep your line from birds nesting for the most part.
Little magnets have been installed to stop over spin of the spool which gives you that dreaded jumble of line that is a pain to get out sometimes. Yes I still get my share of them but not like I used to. It is all about using the proper tools to get your lure or bait of choice out onto the water as far as you would like it to go. Many things have to come into play here but the two most important ones is the marriage of the best rod and reel combo you can afford.
To start off you have to try and figure out what type of fish you will be targeting as this will make a big difference in the choice of rod. Let’s say you will be targeting Striped Bass and Bluefish. Many times these fish will be elusive and hang out on the outside of the last sand bar and for many out of reach for many anglers. I would choose something in the 11’ to 13’ range to sling your offerings out. Something that will handle the weight of the lure with no problem and get you to that sweet spot. How do you know what rod to choose? Each rod has a set of specifications that will help you figure out what the rod will handle in lure weight and line weight.
Let’s look at a Tica rod, say the 12’ UE-HA836502C. This is a 2 piece rod that will handle line weight from 15-40#, and lures from 4-10oz. When looking for a new reel for this rod these 2 set of figures is all I need to see. The line weight will give me the target for line weight and amount to fill the reel with. The lure weight will give me an idea on what weight will be the average the rod will handle to get me out the distance I will be targeting.
In my case I chose the Penn GS Performance Model 525Mag. This reel is rated at 15#/275 yards of mono line. As I like to use braid I chose the 40# Power Pro braided line simply because the rod is rated at the top end at 40# and this Power Pro line has the same diameter as 10# mono so I was able to get a bit more than 300 yards on the spool.
This match up was a good choice for me as I feel comfortable slinging 8oz weights plus the bait with no problems. There might be a learning curve but I think if you like to throw bait this combo will be an ideal choice. If you like to throw plugs and metal you will have to target a lighter action rod with lighter line. Plugs are much lighter and need a totally different set of parameters.
Let’s say you are going to target the same fish, the striped bass ands bluefish. I would choose a 9’ Tica UE-HA527402C. It is rated at 12-30# mono line and will throw plugs from 2 – 6oz. The Penn GS Performance Model 525Mag will still be a good choice as all you have to do is load it with 30# Power Pro and you will be good to go for the lighter offerings.
I have used Tica and Penn as examples as that is what I use and the thinking behind choosing a different outfit will hold true. Just by knowing these little things to look for will allow you to choose that perfect outfit.
Just remember there might be a learning curve if you have not used a conventional reel before but if you choose a reel that has the use of magnet technology your learning curve will be much shorter. I hope this short article will help you in choosing that perfect outfit.
BTW if you are thinking about looking for a spinning outfit the same holds true. Just look at the specs of both rod and reel and go from there. Today’s manufacturers all have high quality products that will last for years, it will be up to you to choose the price range you feel comfortable with.
Happy Catching
Paul
