Max Reel Size For Fishing With SP's?

[DerekD]

27 minutes ago, shane1234 said:

Thanks for the reccomendations, I will check them out. Do these come in combos or are they seperate because I was looking for combos but I am willing to buy the rods and reels speerately.

You will find them as combos and you can also mix and match. I've seen the Shimano Catana matched with a Sienna for about $100 before. Take a little time doing research and find something that feels comfortable as you will be doing a fair bit of casting with this outfit. I think as a starter rod the Catana is fantastic but I prefer to spend a bit more money to get the more ergonomic and slightly stiffer Raider bream finesse. Find what feels good for you and don't impulse buy (for this one at least).

BTW I also bait fish with the same outfit by using a slightly longer leader and then rigging as per usual. Being able to feel bites 50m away adds depth to your fishing experience.

Edited August 1, 2018 by DerekD

[BuckWild]

What is your total budget? I think a lot of people make the mistake of budgeting for just the rod/reel, and forget to factor in braid/leader/lures which can easily add another $100 on top of your rod/reel budget. Then once you finally catch your first fish on lure, you will be hooked on spending your money on more lures and any budget you have goes flying out the window ?? 

[DerekD]

2 minutes ago, BuckWild said:

What is your total budget? I think a lot of people make the mistake of budgeting for just the rod/reel, and forget to factor in braid/leader/lures which can easily add another $100 on top of your rod/reel budget. Then once you finally catch your first fish on lure, you will be hooked on spending your money on more lures and any budget you have goes flying out the window ?? 

Excellent points BuckWild. Been there and done that before.

[savit]

There cannot be total budget, there can be a starting budget. Rod, reel, braid, leaders with different rating, then jigs with several hook sizes and weights, soft plastic a few sizes in several colors, hardbodies, blades, poppers, soft vibes, scents, extra spools, another rod, reel... It never ends...

[PaddyT]

10 hours ago, savit said:

There cannot be total budget, there can be a starting budget. Rod, reel, braid, leaders with different rating, then jigs with several hook sizes and weights, soft plastic a few sizes in several colors, hardbodies, blades, poppers, soft vibes, scents, extra spools, another rod, reel... It never ends...

Correct on all counts , have a look at Pfluegar Trion rods in 1-3kg , very good value, ive got 3 that are more than 10 years old, they are a bit heavier than some of the more expensive stuff but are very "tippy" and a good start point

[anthman]

There is a deal ATM from the big camping and fishing store for a savage gear predator 7'5 5-8kg graphite rod in two pieces. Very light for what it is, bit overkill for general estuary but has a flexible tip so can still get light SPs out there AND you can use it for some heavier casting in the future if you want. And it's $39. Otherwise they also have 2-4kg 6'10 graphite rod that would fit the bill, also $39. Or maybe just get both >< . Paired with a sienna 2500 reel (~$38) and then all that's left is to get some braid/leader/jigheads/lures.

[shane1234]

1 hour ago, anthman said:

There is a deal ATM from the big camping and fishing store for a savage gear predator 7'5 5-8kg graphite rod in two pieces. Very light for what it is, bit overkill for general estuary but has a flexible tip so can still get light SPs out there AND you can use it for some heavier casting in the future if you want. And it's $39. Otherwise they also have 2-4kg 6'10 graphite rod that would fit the bill, also $39. Or maybe just get both >< . Paired with a sienna 2500 reel (~$38) and then all that's left is to get some braid/leader/jigheads/lures.

Thanks anthman, I will surely check these out!

[shane1234]

Hi Guys

I made up my mind on a combo and I have bought a Daiwa D-Shock combo, according to a shop this is fine for SP's, what are you're thoughts on it?

 

[DerekD]

1 hour ago, shane1234 said:

Hi Guys

I made up my mind on a combo and I have bought a Daiwa D-Shock combo, according to a shop this is fine for SP's, what are you're thoughts on it?

 

Which D-Shock combo? Am I correct in that it looks to be a fibreglass rod rather than a graphite one? What did you spool it up with. Braid/mono and what pound or kilo rating?

[shane1234]

 

9 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Which D-Shock combo? Am I correct in that it looks to be a fibreglass rod rather than a graphite one? What did you spool it up with. Braid/mono and what pound or kilo rating?

The combo features a 2000B d shock reel spooled with 6lb mono and a 6ft 2-4 kg rod.

[DerekD]

35 minutes ago, shane1234 said:

 

The combo features a 2000B d shock reel spooled with 6lb mono and a 6ft 2-4 kg rod.

Short answer is it will work for plastics. Based on the specs it is not the outfit I think you should be starting with. Two reasons in particular - being fibreglass it is likely both heavier and less responsive than a graphite rod. Secondly mono has about a 10% stretch whereas braid has about a 1% stretch so it will feel spongy. Mono at 6lb is also a fair bit thicker than braid at 6lb and a consequence thereof is likely to be reduced casting distance.

If you bought it more on price point then it is a reasonable place to start but I'd be cautious about advice from that particular salesperson in the future (depending on what points were discussed). I went through a similar learning curve as you are doing now and I found myself changing out the gear pretty quickly. Once you use a serious plastics outfit you should feel the difference very quickly. Please take this with the proviso that I haven't actually handled the combo you just bought.

Be aware that you have some knowledgeable people in the chain stores but plenty of weekend hacks too. Your local tackle shop is usually the best place to start but even there it is dependent on the experience and bias of the salesperson. I'm pretty sure over the years that some people have rolled their eyes at my own preferences and biases.

BTW what region or suburb of Sydney are you based?

 

Edited August 4, 2018 by DerekD

[shane1234]

37 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Short answer is it will work for plastics. Based on the specs it is not the outfit I think you should be starting with. Two reasons in particular - being fibreglass it is likely both heavier and less responsive than a graphite rod. Secondly mono has about a 10% stretch whereas braid has about a 1% stretch so it will feel spongy. Mono at 6lb is also a fair bit thicker than braid at 6lb and a consequence thereof is likely to be reduced casting distance.

If you bought it more on price point then it is a reasonable place to start but I'd be cautious about advice from that particular salesperson in the future (depending on what points were discussed). I went through a similar learning curve as you are doing now and I found myself changing out the gear pretty quickly. Once you use a serious plastics outfit you should feel the difference very quickly. Please take this with the proviso that I haven't actually handled the combo you just bought.

Be aware that you have some knowledgeable people in the chain stores but plenty of weekend hacks too. Your local tackle shop is usually the best place to start but even there it is dependent on the experience and bias of the salesperson. I'm pretty sure over the years that some people have rolled their eyes at my own preferences and biases.

BTW what region or suburb of Sydney are you based?

 

Thanks for the information, you are right about how I bought this based on the price, it was on sale for $55, which I found great.

Btw do u mean where I fish or where I live when you say based?

[DerekD]

1 minute ago, shane1234 said:

Thanks for the information, you are right about how I bought this based on the price, it was on sale for $55, which I found great.

Btw do u mean where I fish or where I live when you say based?

Where you fish would have been a better question. I fish lower north shore and as I am starting to get RSI after all this typing (  ) I think it might be easier to show you some of what I have been talking about.

[shane1234]

I fish mostly around the hawkesbury, but I also like to explore other areas like port stephens. 

By the way are you landbased or boat?

[DerekD]

Just now, shane1234 said:

I fish mostly around the hawkesbury, but I also like to explore other areas like port stephens. 

By the way are you landbased or boat?

Both. Short sessions (or long ones) shore based. Longer sessions from boat or the kayak (Hobie Revolution 13)

[BuckWild]

When I first started out, I made the mistake of going cheap. Once I got the hang of fishing with lures, I ended up significantly upgrading my gear and the original combo is just gathering dust and rust in the garage.  If you're willing to wait a little bit longer, I suggest  saving up for $300-$400 for rod/reel and getting yourself mid-level gear rather than entry level. You should be able to find some nice rods from $100 - $150 (such as the Shimano Raiders or Daiwa Generation Blacks) and the left over can be spent on mid level reels such as your Shimano Ultegras/Stradics etc . You'll end up saving money in the long run as you won't be continuously upgrading your gear. My go to reel at the moment is still the original Daiwa Certate from 2004 and I  recently just bought a Raider from Dinga for $105. If you're willing to shop overseas, you can also buy some nice rods for <$100. I bought a MajorCraft BassPara rod for ~$80 a couple of years ago and I think you can still buy them.

[Nolongeramember]

35 minutes ago, BuckWild said:

When I first started out, I made the mistake of going cheap. Once I got the hang of fishing with lures, I ended up significantly upgrading my gear and the original combo is just gathering dust and rust in the garage.  If you're willing to wait a little bit longer, I suggest  saving up for $300-$400 for rod/reel and getting yourself mid-level gear rather than entry level. You should be able to find some nice rods from $100 - $150 (such as the Shimano Raiders or Daiwa Generation Blacks) and the left over can be spent on mid level reels such as your Shimano Ultegras/Stradics etc . You'll end up saving money in the long run as you won't be continuously upgrading your gear. My go to reel at the moment is still the original Daiwa Certate from 2004 and I  recently just bought a Raider from Dinga for $105. If you're willing to shop overseas, you can also buy some nice rods for <$100. I bought a MajorCraft BassPara rod for ~$80 a couple of years ago and I think you can still buy them.

This is the reason I suggested at the beginning the guy can use what he had to start with, just switch to light mono. The original question wasn’t what is the best line, rod and reel for soft plastics. (Like some answers) It was if what he had could be used. 

Recommending 4lb braid to a beginner is always going to end in disaster IMO. The stuff breaks after the slightest touch of abrasion.  (usually later on a snag or fish) Knots and wind knots are also an issue for beginners with line so thin. 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Hateanchors

[BuckWild]

18 minutes ago, Hateanchors said:

Recommending 4lb braid to a beginner is always going to end in disaster IMO. The stuff breaks after the slightest touch of abrasion.  (usually later on a snag or fish) Knots and wind knots are also an issue for beginners with line so thin. 

That is true, but I also believe it is all part of the learning curve. Personally, I just don't think mono cuts it. Casting light jigheads  at a reasonable distance with even 2-4lb mono is difficult for a seasoned angler let alone a beginner. You really need to develop a feel for casting lightweights so might as well learn now. 

[Nolongeramember]

3 hours ago, BuckWild said:

That is true, but I also believe it is all part of the learning curve. Personally, I just don't think mono cuts it. Casting light jigheads  at a reasonable distance with even 2-4lb mono is difficult for a seasoned angler let alone a beginner. You really need to develop a feel for casting lightweights so might as well learn now. 

I agree that light mono is not the best for light lures. I hate the stuff myself even though there are plenty of experienced guys that like to use it and pros that have won comps using it. There is plenty to learn when you use mono and I just think it’s a better option for a beginner than 4lb braid. 

[anthman]

You can till go (relatively) cheap with "proper" gear.

7' graphite 2-4kg rod - often on sale for most brands - $39 as I quoted above

2500 sized sienna - $39 is the going standard price

150m of 8LB 4x carrier braid - can be cheap as $12-15 on eBay for a "good" China braid 

Nothing wrong with mono leader of pinching the pennies (otherwise less than $20 for a spool of 8-10lb FC rock from dinga).

The above would be close to a $100 for a graphite setup that has a lot of space to grow into.

I'd suggest something along the above lines for the next setup (before dropping anything more expensive than that ).