Go to Rod and Reel?

[SuskyStripers]

I am fairly new to Snaggedline and so far think that it is the best striper/kayak fishing forum I have come across. I am curious as to what set ups you all go with when kayak fishing for stripers. I mainly fish the Susquehanna Flats so I tend to throw spinning gear. My 2 go to rods at the moment are a standard 7' Penn Fierce combo and a 7' Field and Stream Tech Spec w/ Pflueger President. I am thinking about a nice upgrade to a 7' St. Croix Mojo Inshore w/ Shimano Stradic ci4 3000. Post up what kind of fishing you do and your favorite rods and reels for that type of fishing? Thanks fellas.

[FishAholic929]

/ Shimano Stradic ci4 3000.

Do you have a ci4 already, are you planning on a used or last year's model or are you going to go with the new ci4+? Great reel, I haven't used the + yet but found the Dick's Sporting Goods closeout on the ci4 and got my 2500 for $79 (there's a thread somewhere on it).

[Mark]

My first real spinning reel 40 plus years ago was a Mitchell 300. I have stayed true to the brand as I use Mitchell 308s (smaller than 300s) on 6.5 foot light action rods. My favorite spinning rod is a 6.5 foot Lamiglas Series 1000 Graphite with great tip action for throwing 1/8 and 1/4 oz. jigs and 1/4 oz. top water. I am actually having the Lamiglas stick copied at the moment by a rod maker but I asked him to make it 7 feet. I run 8 pound mono on the 308 spinning reels and use heavier mono for leaders.

For lures that weigh 1/2 ounce, I prefer bait casting rods. I have two bait cast rods and both have Shimano Curado reels. One rod is an All Star 6.5 foot graphite made for bass worming. It's a little too stiff in the tip for my liking when fishing for stripers. But it works well. My favorite bait cast rod is a St. Croix Premier one piece 7 footer. That rod has a soft tip action which makes it good for top water and the extra length gives me excellent distance on casts. I load the Curados with 12 pound mono.

The above rods and reels are for fresh water so I make sure I thoroughly spray them with a garden hose after each trip in saltwater. I then dry them with an air compressor and hang them up. The Mitchells are certainly not high end reels but they have performed exceptionally well for me. They're very smooth as are the Curados. I do believe cleaning them after saltwater trips helps to keep them in good working order.

[dsiekman]

I build most of my own rods, but I also have fished a few St. Croix and Shimano rods that were really nice. My wife just got me an Overboard 6'-6" Medium Heavy for my birthday. Looking forward to getting it on the water! My favorite reel for trolling, live lining, and jigging is an Avet 5.3 MC. Its built like a tank. I have a number of Shimano spinning reels that have served me well. Last year I decided to jump ship and bought a Penn Battle 4000. For the money, I think I would have been better sticking with a Shimano. It just isn't as smooth as I would like.

[Redfish12]

For stripers it's hard to beat a 6'6" MH fast action spinning or casting rod! I like 15/20 lb braid and a 20lb-30lb leader.

I had a St Croix mojo inshore 7ft MH rod but I did not like it for jigging because of the longer butt, however, it was a beast for everything else. If you're looking for a st croix, check out the 6'6" premier MH spinning rod. It is a great all around stick. There are lots of other rods out there cheaper too and some local builders that make great light tackle jigging specific sticks for about the same as a st croix. I had one made by Steve Foogle of backyard custom rods and it is pretty awesome bc it is built to my exact specification. I know you are new but I have been through a ton of rods looking for the "right" one for me. I finally have it!

[SuskyStripers]

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate the help!

[imagine29028]

Gotta admit; thought this was about the restaurant in Chesapeake Beach.....

[Mark]

SuskyStripers,

You're very welcome.

I think Redfish said it best that you will go through many rods until you find the one(s) that best meet your fishing style.

But it's good to hear what others are using.

Good luck.