fishing equipment ?

[sota]

Gentlemen,
I just learned about this site and joined up. I have alot of questions for yall.
To start off. I'm completely new to fishing. I'd like to get into salt water fishing. Fishing from piers mainly but also from boats.
What i'd like to find out is. What to look for in a rig? What features should i look at and ones to avoid? TIA


SOTA

[Seth]

Welcome to the site. Your question is a little arbitrary. Are you referring to knots, live bait rigs, jigging rigs, leader rigs, etc? If you can qualify what you would like to do and know, we will all be better able to help you. :gr_cheers:

[Warren_Brantley]

This is an easy one. I, of course, learned the hard way. Go out to the pier and watch the folks who catch the most fish (normally old guys with a pier cart loaded with three dozen Penn Gold Spinning Reels; often with matching rods); usually sitting and spinning lies around a table in the shade. Don't talk much, just watch. You'll see who is catching the most, their tackle, bait, style of fishing, species specific rigs (cobia versus jacks versus sharks, kings, spadefish), how to catch and keep live bait, etc., etc., etc. (I love pier fishing and Ivan blew ours away in Gulf Shores.) Then go buy what you need; start with a basic rig and do not be a light line fisherman (what is known as 'release before catching'). Do the same thing on the boats. You'll learn more by observation and copying the competent than by reading or by talking. Cheers, Doc

[sota]

Seth,
Sorry about that. What i'm looking for is info on features to look for on rods, reels. For now but being a complete newbe. I'll have tons of questions for y'all.

I'm thinking that a bait cast reel. I think that's what you call it. It seems to be a better built system. More sturdy looking to me at least. Thanks for any info you can provide.

SOTA

[Seth]

I too would go with a bait casting reel, no larger than a 50lb and maybe even 30lb. This should easily handle the vast majority of what you may catch from a pier and out on a boat. Now, if you are targeting tuna or larger game from a boat then you would need to step it up some.

Are you up on the East coast, north of Virginia? Your geographic location and types of fish you may encounter will give a better indication of rod,reel, line, lures and rigs that may be best suited for the given environment.

Warren offers some fine points on how to pick up on equipment and techniques used by experienced locals in your area.

[sota]

Seth,
I live in L.A., Calif. As for the piers i got Hermosa, Redondo, and Long beach.

I'm seeing that rods are listed with ACTIONS. Medium, Medium High, and high. What does Action mean? What type of guides should i be looking at? What material makes a good rod? What does memory mean?

As for reels. What is drag ratio? What drag ratio is a good starting point? What is the max ratio to stop at? What material should i look at? I assume ball bearings are the way to go in the construction of the reel. How is customer service with the different companies?

What's considered light line? What is a good starting point? What makes 1 line better or worse then another? Mono, braided, etc?

Where is a good place to buy my equipment?

TIA

Sota

[Seth]

I hope this will answer most of your questions.
Rods and reels, things to consider>
Rod types vary from ultra light to extremely stiff. Heavy duty offshore rods incorporate roller guides for fishing line guides. Rod lengths vary from four to ten feet with either one or two piece construction.
Action:
The action of a fishing rod refers to the sensitivity of the rod and how it reacts when a fish is on the line. It is also related to the bait you are using and the strength of the reel that should be used. In general, smaller fish require lighter action, while bigger fish require a heavier action rod. The terms you will most encounter while shopping for a rod are ultra-light, light, medium-heavy or heavy.

A fast action rod will bend in only the top 3rd, a medium or moderate action will bend in the top half or so and a slow action will bend starting in the lower 3rd of the rod. Fast action rods are great for short to long casting distances and where single hooks are the rule, such as worm and jig fishing. Medium action fishing rods provide a little more casting distance and still offer good responsiveness for setting your hook.

Power:
Rod power is the rod's strength or ability to lift weight from the tip. Power ratings are mostly reflective of the rod's application, a heavy power rod would be suited for offshore trolling and a medium power rod might be designed for surf casting. Power is closely tied to the recommended line weight.

Line Guides:
Line guides can be made of plastic, metal, or ceramic, with plastic being the lowest quality and ceramic being the highest. These circles are attached to the rod's shaft and are positioned to control the fishing line. In casting rods, line guides are positioned on top of the rod. They are smaller to reduce the play in the line and allow for easier casting and quicker retrieving. With spinning rods, the line guides are positioned on the bottom of the rod. These guides get larger toward the base of the rod. The number of line guides is determined by the rod's length as well as by the quality of the rod.

Material:
The vast majority of salt water fishing rods today are made from graphite, fiberglass, or a composite of the two materials. Graphite rods are lighter, more flexible rods that have a higher "sensitivity," allowing you to feel when a fish begins to nibble on your bait. Fiberglass rods provide more durability than graphite, but sacrifice some sensitivity and are heavier than graphite. Composites combine the best features of graphite and fiberglass: the durability of fiberglass and the light weight, power, and sensitivity of graphite.

Manufacturers:
Abu Garcia, Avet, Okuma, Penn, Pflueger, Quantum, Shakespeare, Shimano, to mention a few.


As for reels:
Drag Systems
With baitcasting reels, anglers have the choice of either a star drag or lever drag system. With a star drag system, drag pressure is increased or decreased by turning a star shaped wheel just inside of the handle. While star drag systems are simple to operate and are fine for most applications, lever drag systems typically supply smoother, significantly more consistent performance. Most lever drag reels also allow for drag to be adjusted in more precise increments than star drag systems and are therefore preferred for most trolling applications.

Gear Ratio
A fishing reel's gear ratio refers to how many revolutions the spool makes with each complete turn of the handle. Reels with high gear ratios are better for working lures briskly back to the boat, or quickly gaining line when a fish charges the boat. Reels with lower gear ratios provide greater cranking power for bottom fishing and trolling.

Ball Bearings
Fishing reels use ball bearings to maintain smooth fluid movement of the spool. Typically the more bearings a reel has, the smoother it will be.

Line:
Fishing line is a personal choice and there are several good brands. Suffix, Momoi, Jinkai and Ande are solid brands.

Here are some articles on line choices and advantages of each.
http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/braided_mono.html
http://www.fishingonly.com/fishing-gear/how-to-select-fishing-line-right-for-the-situation.php

As for where to buy equipment, when I lived in Santa Monica I drove down to Melton’s in Anaheim www.meltontackle.com/index.asp (http://www.meltontackle.com/index.asp)

[sota]

Seth,
Thanks for the info. A lot to look at now.
Looks like a rod with graphite or graphite/ glass medium action, and metal or ceramic guides. Maybe that will fit my needs. Any ideas which would provide best results without costing a ton of money? Will a 6.5' or 7' work out ok?

SOTA

[Seth]

Seth,
Thanks for the info. A lot to look at now.
Looks like a rod with graphite or graphite/ glass medium action, and metal or ceramic guides. Maybe that will fit my needs. Any ideas which would provide best results without costing a ton of money? Will a 6.5' or 7' work out ok?

SOTA
6.5 or 7 will be fine. Your budget will determine what I could recommend. Reels can get expensive quickly. However, for $250-350 you could put together I nice setup. I would say Penn or Shimano reels would do well. Ocean Master, from Bass Pro Shop (http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Subclass_10151_-1_10001_151001001_151000000_151001000_image_0_1?CM ID=SALN_OS_REELS_BAITCASTREELS) (outdoor World), is pretty good, for rods and reels, for starters. Check out their site and see what you think. They have good rods and should have a location near you. They are in Bakersfield or Rancho Cucamonga.

[sota]

Guys,
Where do you buy your rigs? Is it online or local? If online which website?

TIA

SOTA

[Randy Stinchcomb]

Guys,
Where do you buy your rigs? Is it online or local? If online which website?

TIA

SOTA

I buy some online and some "will call" I have several Great tackle shops in my area and some have online catalogs and ship, sometimes I'll walk in but when I do that, I usally spend more:winksmile:

now...since your on the west coast, check-out www.charkbait.com great prices and quick shipping:thumb:

[sota]

Guys,
I had someone recommend a 'glass rod instead of a Graphite rod. My thinking is a graphite rod would be more sensitive and stronger then 'glass. Am i wrong?As i'll be fishing more from a pier then anything else. Most fish i see pulled up are kinda small. But every once in awhile you may see a larger one.

As for reels. Which companies have better customer service? Which are the better companies to deal with?Which reels have the better features?

I am open to any ideas for a rig. TIA

SOTA