Just bought a Kayak, looking for a casting and spinning setup

[NattyBoh74]

I hope this is in the right section...

Bought a Hobie, and now looking to get one each of a casting and spinning setup. Located in the rivers of MD.



I won't be in super deep waters and I'll be trolling with the casting setup using jigs. The spinning setup I'm thinking of throwing poppers or something when I see baitfish going crazy.



So looking for rod and reel suggestions... I'd prefer a cheaper rod, and spend more on the reel. I don't want to go crazy, and honestly don't even know where to start price wise...thanks!


Edited: I have a 7' MH dobyns fury caster rod sitting brand new, not sure if that would work. It's a 704 model.


But honestly I'm thinking to get the cheap ugly stix, they work it seems...

[manlystanley]

I hope this is in the right section...

Bought a Hobie, and now looking to get one each of a casting and spinning setup. Located in the rivers of MD.



I won't be in super deep waters and I'll be trolling with the casting setup using jigs. The spinning setup I'm thinking of throwing poppers or something when I see baitfish going crazy.



So looking for rod and reel suggestions... I'd prefer a cheaper rod, and spend more on the reel. I don't want to go crazy, and honestly don't even know where to start price wise...thanks!


Edited: I have a 7' MH dobyns fury caster rod sitting brand new, not sure if that would work. It's a 704 model.


But honestly I'm thinking to get the cheap ugly stix, they work it seems...

Congrats on a great yak! If this is the pedal drive version of the Hobie, then I am seriously jealous!

I am the leading, want-to-be fisherman on this site. So, I have lots of knowledge, hope, and not the best results. But, for what it's worth, here goes:

1.) You have a long ways to go. You should have limited expectations. Please do read peoples posting of their great results, but, you should set your expectations LOW. At first, just catching a fish, any fish, should be the goal.

2.) You have a HUGE amount of knowledge and skills that you need to gain. For me, I still get ready to chuck all my gear after yet another mediocre outing. But, then next day, I'm ready to hit the water again. You need to learn to LOVE being on the water. Seeing the people, the sun rise, the birds, etc. Don't forget, that the sport is called: fishing not catching. Enjoy being out on the water

3.) Check in frequently on this board. Congratulate people who do well and ask for advice.

4.) DO NOT get focused on equipment. If your not doing well, it's not because you lack just the right lure. It's, that you are, like me, a fellow fisherman in training.

5.) Focus on the most catch-able fish there is. In the Severn river it's perch. Much later, focus on things like Rockfish. I personally, am slowing down on my quest for rockfish, and am going back to perch.

6.) Ugly sticks are good, but, if you can afford a Hobie, then I would upscale that. I'll let others suggest the rod/pole combination.

7.) And lastly, don't forget, it's called Fishing not Catching. I pay $75 per month for the gym membership. I use the gym 4-5 times per week. My 4-5 hours on the water, once a week, is a totally different type of workout. It's a fun, and cheap way to put in a different type of work out. Plus, it is such a different avenue of experience then others. For example, other guys only talk about various games they watch. I talk about that *HUGE* fish that I almost got--if it only would have bit my lure... ;-)

Best Regards,
Stan

[yakscientist]

I've only ever used ugly stik rods, and they've served me well. I do notice they aren't quite as sensitive as even $100 rods I've used, or as light. But for the price, you can't beat them (or break them). I like the ugly stik elite which is a lighter rod, I've got a 6'6 MH ugly stik elite paired with a daiwa BG 2500 spinning reel. Check out Alan Hawk's website for in depth reel reviews, he doesn't cover a lot of lighter spinning reels but he pretty much says for $100 or less, the daiwa BG can't be beat, at least right now. I think my combo (rod and reel) was $120, and I think the next one I'll get is a BG 2500 or 3000 and a fenwick hmx or daiwa procyon inshore, 7' MH. Look for spinning reels below 10 ounces that'll hold about 120-150 yards of 20lb braid, that'll cover 99% of the fishing in the bay. You'll be able to cast lighter lures for perch and bigger heavier ones for keeper sized rockfish. I also troll 1/4-1 oz jigs/plastics with that setup and it does just fine. I can't comment on casting rods/reels as I don't really use them. Also if you're looking for a good spinning reel with big capacity and a dual "baitrunner" style drag, look at the okuma avenger abf-50. I love that reel paired with an ugly stik bigwater (7' MH), it's great for trolling heavier baits, and for surf fishing, or really any baitfishing. The baitrunner drag is really nice for live bait, and the reel was only $50, which is like a third of what a shimano baitrunner would cost (though I have one of those too, and it's a great reel also).

[Oldbayrunner]

Rods, Reels and Lures can become an addiction... If your looking for inexpensive the ugly stiks are hard to beat and have become my preference once again after having a few of my more costly rods break at the tips (especially with CNR's). As far as inexpensive casting reels, and braided line I'm using the Kastking brand. I recently picked up 2 of the $59.00 Kastking Assassin baitcasters and am highly impressed with them. They are extremely light weight, rated for both fresh and salt plus have features found in much more expensive reels like, carbon body, carbon fiber handle, 11+1 sealed bearings, aluminum spool, 16lbs of drag and a feature I really like, a dual braking system both centrifugal and magnetic. I can't dial in my $200.00 Shimano Curados on the fly as well as these do. If I needed additional spinning reels then I would try Kastkings also.


After fishing the bay for years using bigger rods reels this year, after a trip to Rudee Inlet, I've been using much lighter tackle. No more than 2500 size spinning reels with light, medium and medium light rods and am having more fun catching fish then I ever had. I still keep my 3000 line counters with me in case I need to troll deep but my bigger size spinning reels stay in my car.

This was a nice LM Bass I caught last friday afternoon with the Assassin and a medium light ugly stik combo.

[NattyBoh74]

Thanks guys,. I'll be using the caster for trolling. My uncle has a PA and he goes out for rockfish a lot. Hence me tagging along. I'm just looking for a cheaper setup for now, he's recommendation is on a more expensive setup

[Oldbayrunner]

Suggestion; look into picking up a line counter for trolling in deeper water. I still use them if I know their deep. That coupled with a little plastic planner I can get right to the depth I need. Here again you can pick up an inexpensive Cabela line counter rod and reel combo for around $69.00 and guess what if either breaks take it back and get a new one. Just make sure to keep your receipt otherwise you may not get your full value when returning.

[rugbyfish]

the daiwa BG can't be beat, at least right now.

I'll echo what Pat said, the BG has served me very well on the bay this past season. J&H Tackle has a nice BG rod and reel combo for around $120 plus shipping. I landed a ton of rockfish up to 27.5" on it last season, and it handled them well.

[NattyBoh74]

I'll echo what Pat said, the BG has served me very well on the bay this past season. J&H Tackle has a nice BG rod and reel combo for around $120 plus shipping. I landed a ton of rockfish up to 27.5" on it last season, and it handled them well.

Hmm nice. What about larger fish? I know they're not that big in those areas but what if...

[rugbyfish]

I'm pretty confident that it can handle 30"+ fish, hopefully I get to find out for sure! It would certainly be exciting. I forgot to mention that the combo I bought is the 2500 size, which should be able to handle just about anything in the bay.

[Mark]

You can land larger stripers on lighter tackle than you may think.

The Light Tackle Jigging (LTJ) movement has showed that essentially the same gear used for largemouth bass works well for stripers.

I use mostly medium light rods and 2500 series spinning reels. I cast and troll with the same rods which allows me to do both forms of fishing on trips without carrying separate gear for each. Aside from a used Shimano Stradic, I get by with medium priced reels and rods -- Pflueger and Mitchell reels and St. Croix Triumph and assorted Bass Pro rods. I keep the reels clean and lubricated and they have yet to fail me. I have a few baitcasters too but I do not use them as much anymore.

Admittedly, I have never broken the 30 inch barrier like my friend John Rentch a did this week. But I catch my share of legal-sized stripers with my largest at 29 on light tackle. I set the drag to let them run a little and they tire quickly.

[NattyBoh74]

You can land larger stripers on lighter tackle than you may think.

The Light Tackle Jigging (LTJ) movement has showed that essentially the same gear used for largemouth bass works well for stripers.

I use mostly medium light rods and 2500 series spinning reels. I cast and troll with the same rods which allows me to do both forms of fishing on trips without carrying separate gear for each. Aside from a used Shimano Stradic, I get by with medium priced reels and rods -- Pflueger and Mitchell reels and St. Croix Triumph and assorted Bass Pro rods. I keep the reels clean and lubricated and they have yet to fail me. I have a few baitcasters too but I do not use them as much anymore.

Admittedly, I have never broken the 30 inch barrier like my friend John Rentch a did this week. But I catch my share of legal-sized stripers with my largest at 29 on light tackle. I set the drag to let them run a little and they tire quickly.

Mark can you send me a PM? I'm in Pasadena too...

Thanks

[Mark]

Mark can you send me a PM? I'm in Pasadena too...

Thanks

Sent

[bunnielab]

I am deep down the rabbit hole of tackle-fetishism, but honestly for trolling or topwater you don't really need a crazy sensitive rod, as you are not even holding the trolling rod and there will be little doubt if a fish hits your popper. I have been hearing some really good things about the Daiwa Arid-X line of casting rods and I think they are easy to find online for around $50.

I have a few higher-end Shimanos and a BG and honestly I am going to keep buying more of the BGs. They are an outstanding reel for the money and while they are a bit heavy, if you stick to the 2500-3000 sizes they still balance most rods well.

[yakscientist]

I am deep down the rabbit hole of tackle-fetishism, but honestly for trolling or topwater you don't really need a crazy sensitive rod, as you are not even holding the trolling rod and there will be little doubt if a fish hits your popper. I have been hearing some really good things about the Daiwa Arid-X line of casting rods and I think they are easy to find online for around $50.

I have a few higher-end Shimanos and a BG and honestly I am going to keep buying more of the BGs. They are an outstanding reel for the money and while they are a bit heavy, if you stick to the 2500-3000 sizes they still balance most rods well.

Do you notice a lot of extra weight with the 3000 as compared to the 2500? I think my next rod/reel combo will have the 3000 for the slightly improved capacity and drag, just wondering if that ounce of extra weight makes a huge difference.

Also, you questioned the capabilities of smaller reels when it comes to larger fish. I caught my PB striper on a $20 shimano sienna 4000 and it did fine (once I tightened the handle knob a bit mid fight), and I've caught a 29" striper, 27" bluefish, and many other medium/large fish on my 2500 bg. As long as your reel is in decent mechanical order, and can put out 8+ lbs of drag, you'd be surprised at what size fish even a cheap-ish MH spinning outfit can land. The most important thing is not to high-stick, aka grabbing the rod above the top part of the upper grip, when landing a fish, that'll snap some very expensive rods (though with an ugly stik, I'm not sure if that'll break them, maybe).

[NattyBoh74]

I am deep down the rabbit hole of tackle-fetishism, but honestly for trolling or topwater you don't really need a crazy sensitive rod, as you are not even holding the trolling rod and there will be little doubt if a fish hits your popper. I have been hearing some really good things about the Daiwa Arid-X line of casting rods and I think they are easy to find online for around $50.

I have a few higher-end Shimanos and a BG and honestly I am going to keep buying more of the BGs. They are an outstanding reel for the money and while they are a bit heavy, if you stick to the 2500-3000 sizes they still balance most rods well.

What does BG mean? Can you link me?. I'd assume I should get MH for trolling and M for top water spinning?


What do you guys use for perch?