Help me choose My first surf set up !

[KingCrab004]

Sounds good BigAl13 keep me posted.

[ChrisL]

The old Penns (704, 706, etc) weren't designed for braid.  But neither was the Slammer and a lot of other reels. 
I use Power Pro on all my reels with no real problems.
I do get wind knots, but that usually related to conditions or user error. 

[IrishAyes]

Close the bail manually instead of by cranking the handle and that should eliminate most, if not all, wind knots.

When you flip the bail manually give a slight tug on the line (going away from the spool toward your rod tip) to remove any slack in the line. It will become second nature after a little practice. From my experiences it is the slack in the line or a twist in the line put in by cranking the bail closed that causes the so called 'wind knot'.

[Bucktail]

 

[FishOn]

Close the bail manually instead of by cranking the handle and that should eliminate most, if not all, wind knots.

When you flip the bail manually give a slight tug on the line (going away from the spool toward your rod tip) to remove any slack in the line. It will become second nature after a little practice. From my experiences it is the slack in the line or a twist in the line put in by cranking the bail closed that causes the so called 'wind knot'.

This is true for bailed reels. But old penns and VSs dont wrap line properly for use with braid IMO. I had occasional knots even with my bailless reels until I switched over to fire line.  If you can see a gap at either end of the spool between the line and the spool lip which you will the penn Zs, slammers, and VSs, then you are better off with fireline or mono. Doesn't mean braid won't work, just unnecessary hassle

[ChrisL]

I had a bunch of wind knots this fall that were pretty much unpreventable.  With the sandeels around, we were fishing AVAs almost exclusively.  Many days there was a had left-right or right-left sweep in the surf.  That meant the AVA was rolling with the sweep and creating a lot of line twist.  Any slack or loop in the line would twist up and knot. 

[Noworries2009]

Interesting comments on power pro and wind knots as I am pretty much an expert in this area. I've gotten plenty of them  .20,30,40# doesn't matter.Also have used Suffix braids with similar results. Fishing pre-dawn and always manually flipping the bail. My old Penn SS were re-tired this year from plugging for this but had plenty of problems with the new Penn Battles. I'll be fishing mostly Fire line for plugging in 2012 !!!!! More room for operator error especially in the dark.

[BigAl13]

Wind knots suck. Ive had them with multiple reels and multiple braids. Chris one way that helps me with the line twist while fishing avas is using a short 3' top shop connected via swivel. It doesnt completely eliminate it but sure helps a little.

[ChrisL]

I use a swivel between my main line and leader.  I honestly don't believe swivel actually swivel unless there is serious tension on them (a fish). 

Another point of reference.  With the Penn Spinfishers (704z) you cannot manually close the bail, you have to turn the handle.  Or...convert it to bailless. 

[Bucktail]

I get a lot less line twist with braid than I ever did with mono.  Having said that, when braid does get all twisted up, it's a nightmare!  Best thing to do is cut it off and respool.

Chris, you're right.  Barrel swivels don't help with line twist.  All they are good for is connecting two lines.  You might want to try the Spro ball bearing swivels next time out.

[BigAl13]

  WE can fix it we have the technology.

[FishOn]

I get a lot less line twist with braid than I ever did with mono.  Having said that, when braid does get all twisted up, it's a nightmare!  Best thing to do is cut it off and respool.

No way! Feed line out with nothing attached to the end behind a moving boat or on a moving tide from a dock or jetty. Let it hold in the current for a couple minutes and it brings all the twist out. Make sure you keep tension with your fingers while reeling it back in. I do this after using rooster tails and other spinners while trout fishing in rivers or after trolling Clark spoons for the speedsters. . Learned this trick on a charter boat while tarpon fishing in key west.  *That is if you are not all knotted up already and you have a back up reel to use in the meantime.

[Noworries2009]

This is off topic maybe we should start a new thread. I don't believe wind knots are caused by line twist. I use spro swivels to connect braid and teaser rig. Wind knots are caused by a few different things. Tops for me is a loop over the spool at the end of a cast. The next or following casts and this loop drags the line and can break the line or cause more line to tangle. Left un done will cause a real nest deep in the spool. Most times I'll be forced to rack the rod and grab another one. Casting lures of all weights and sizes have given me wind knots with braid. The castability of braid has me using it but after using Fire line lately I will switch when I respool next time. 

[IKAT]

I get a lot less line twist with braid than I ever did with mono.  Having said that, when braid does get all twisted up, it's a nightmare!  Best thing to do is cut it off and respool.

No way! Feed line out with nothing attached to the end behind a moving boat or on a moving tide from a dock or jetty. Let it hold in the current for a couple minutes and it brings all the twist out. Make sure you keep tension with your fingers while reeling it back in. I do this after using rooster tails and other spinners while trout fishing in rivers or after trolling Clark spoons for the speedsters. . Learned this trick on a charter boat while tarpon fishing in key west.  *That is if you are not all knotted up already and you have a back up reel to use in the meantime.

I agree!!! It all depends on HOW the Braid was spooled--I wet spool braid--and now for the good part-As I told many people-and if your braid is not spooled TIGHT-and if you do not put it out --you will have many problems with braid--I tie a swivel in the water with weight and then bring in tight-if you do your own--!!!!

As I told NJ-GUY--tie it to your dog--your wife--or the bumper of your car when first spooling---ONLY if you do not have a GOOD spooling station--YEA that got some laughs-BUT-it does work--Bottom line--spool your braid --WET--or wet it after you spool

PS Hey Bucktail--is that a 300lb er er er

[Bucktail]

PS Hey Bucktail--is that a 300lb er er er

The snap swivel?  I don't know.  It's just a pic I googled up.

[BigAl13]

New post needed Wind knots/fishing braid. Good for search results on google.

[FishermanMIKE]

Hello out there.. I'm new to the site as well as Surf fishing.. I have been going back and between set ups.. For the past couple of years I have been using a 7' inshore lami rod with a abu Garcia bait casting reel off Ortley beach.. It has done pretty well for me caught many fluke and other fish on it, but know I'm looking to really get into it.. So my question is do I go up to a 9' tica for small jigging and poppers or should I go for 10'6 tic a dolphin which could just about be used for anything bait, metals ext.. ??

[ChrisL]

Hello out there.. I'm new to the site as well as Surf fishing.. I have been going back and between set ups.. For the past couple of years I have been using a 7' inshore lami rod with a abu Garcia bait casting reel off Ortley beach.. It has done pretty well for me caught many fluke and other fish on it, but know I'm looking to really get into it.. So my question is do I go up to a 9' tica for small jigging and poppers or should I go for 10'6 tic a dolphin which could just about be used for anything bait, metals ext.. ??

Ultimately....both.   Yeah I know that doesn't answer your question.
The 9ft will cover a wide range, but it won't handle a 2.5oz pencil popper, 3oz ava, etc very well.  All of which you will want to / need to throw at times.
Likewise, the 10 6 will serve several needs, but again it will have limitation.  If you need to throw a bomber, sluggo, ava17....the 10 6 won't throw it well.  It may also be a little tiresome to throw all day compared to the 9ft.
I would suggest figuring out which you would be likely to use based on how you plan to fish the majority of the time.  Start with that one, then add the other one to your collection in a couple months.
After all.....you can never have too many rods.  

[FishermanMIKE]

Hello out there.. I'm new to the site as well as Surf fishing.. I have been going back and between set ups.. For the past couple of years I have been using a 7' inshore lami rod with a abu Garcia bait casting reel off Ortley beach.. It has done pretty well for me caught many fluke and other fish on it, but know I'm looking to really get into it.. So my question is do I go up to a 9' tica for small jigging and poppers or should I go for 10'6 tic a dolphin which could just about be used for anything bait, metals ext.. ??

Ultimately....both.   Yeah I know that doesn't answer your question.
The 9ft will cover a wide range, but it won't handle a 2.5oz pencil popper, 3oz ava, etc very well.  All of which you will want to / need to throw at times.
Likewise, the 10 6 will serve several needs, but again it will have limitation.  If you need to throw a bomber, sluggo, ava17....the 10 6 won't throw it well.  It may also be a little tiresome to throw all day compared to the 9ft.
I would suggest figuring out which you would be likely to use based on how you plan to fish the majority of the time.  Start with that one, then add the other one to your collection in a couple months.
After all.....you can never have too many rods.  

Chris, thanks for getting back to me on this. I have been thinking about it all last night and all day.. My outcome of thinking is that I like to play with the rod.. haha "not myself" I think I narrowed it down to a 9' Tica with a Cabo 40 reel. 30lb braided line.. The reason being I'm mainly going to fish buck tails and jigs.. Eventually I will add a 2nd. rod for bait while I'm playing with my STICK.. lol..

[ChrisL]

Sounds like a good plan.  You should be able to throw a wide variety with the 9ft Tica.  Plastic swimmers, bucktails, AVAs and smaller poppers.
But on rough days or when you need a metal lip swimmer, big popper, etc it won't cut it.
It is a nice light rod for all day casting. 

By adding the 10 6 down the road you'll have all your bases pretty well covered. 

Good luck