Inshore Fishing Help

[PatrickKnight]

After I moved to Ohio I haven't been able to hit the gulf for a while but that will be starting to change as the fall rolls around. I should be able to make it to the Texas coast and Florida (both gulf and ocean sides of the state) several times through out the year going forward. However I have to get some new inshore fishing gear and I am somewhat stuck on the rod. I have a budget of about 200 to spend on the rod. So far the ones I am thinking of are the Loomis E6X inshore 6-12 mod/fast 7 foot med light rod, the Waterloo Salinity 7 foot 6-12 medium fast, and the Laguna Liquid 6-12 7 foot medium fast. I am not sure how many people know about Waterloo and Laguna they are Texas based rod makers very popular on the Texas coast but when I lived down there they were never in my budget like they are now. However I am not sure if they are any better or worse than the Loomis as these are their "production rods" and not there full customs. This rod will be paired with a Stradic FG 2000 and 15 lb braid.

 

If this is the wrong place to post this I apologize but I wasnt sure if it should go here or in the rod section.

[zell_pop1]

Try the rods/reels forum, myself I am from indiana and my friend moved to Florida so I went on a fishing trip and the way those redfish fight I'd suggest a mh rod/3000 series reel.

[John G]

Before I buy the Loomis, I would check out the Falcon Lowrider Salt Series. The Falcon Coastal can be found at Wal Mart for about $90 and just handling it in the store, it feels like a darn nice $90 rod but for me, I would splurge and get the Lowrider Salt.

Sirsnookalot should hopefully be by and give his very educated opinion. He likes the Hurricane Redbone rods and I believe Star Rods and they can both be had at DSG for around $100.

BTW, Loomis doesn't make custom rods. What they make are some of the best mass produced high end rods around and a bunch of lesser rods that are for the most part, overpriced.

[davecon]

I'm in west central Florida and fish fresh and brackish water. Bass mostly during the spawn, snook the rest of the year. What I have found over several decades with this affliction is that higher prices doesn't necessarily translate into higher performance.

I use mostly the following two outfits:

St. Croix Premier 7' ml. Costs about $ 110. I have many rods that are a lot more expensive but prefer the way this one handles.

Castaway low end (can't remember the model) 7' m. Remember that different manufacturers models ratings are NOT the same.

I use Shimano Symmetre reels, $99.

10/15 Power Pro braid.

20 lb fluoro leader.

What I have found is that "freshwater" lures far outperform "saltwater" lures. They don't last under the pressure and you must replace hooks and split rings often but to me it's worth it.

Last fished one week ago today and using a small Rapala with the outfits described above in 4 hours I caught about 20 snook, mostly small but 2 over 30 inches, a 29 inch red, and fought a small tarpon of about 40 pounds (fortunately he got off as I really don't like bringing them all the way to the boat). Only cost metwo of the Rapalas as they were completely destroyed.

This was in a brackish river and I would not have been at all surprised to have caught a nice bass or two.

In summary, light tackle is just fine. More money doesn't necessarily mean better performance, and make sure you try your favorite bass lures in the salt.

Good luck and have fun out there.

[Chris at Tech]

Take a look at St Croix Tidemaster and Star Seagis rods too.

[Big C]

Honestly, an ugly stick with 50lb. braid on 2500-3000 series reel.  Would serve you pretty well.  If you want a nicer rod (which from the sounds of it you do) any rod that's near the $200 is going to be a really nice rod.  It would be hard to make a bad choice out of your list.

[Chris at Tech]

Honestly, an ugly stick with 50lb. braid on 2500-3000 series reel.  Would serve you pretty well.  If you want a nicer rod (which from the sounds of it you do) any rod that's near the $200 is going to be a really nice rod.  It would be hard to make a bad choice out of your list.

50 lb braid? Definitely not the direction I'd go, especially on a 2500 or 3000 sized reel since you'd reduce line capacity a lot. 15 lb braid on 2500 reels and 20 lb on 4000 reels has served me well fishing inshore in GA, SC and FL.

[roadwarrior]

Try the rods/reels forum, myself I am from indiana and my friend moved to Florida so I went on a fishing trip and the way those redfish fight I'd suggest a mh rod/3000 series reel.

 

 Everything associated with salt water goes here, in this section.

 

-Kent

[Big C]

50 lb braid? Definitely not the direction I'd go, especially on a 2500 or 3000 sized reel since you'd reduce line capacity a lot. 15 lb braid on 2500 reels and 20 lb on 4000 reels has served me well fishing inshore in GA, SC and FL.

 

 

50lb. braid has the same diameter as 12lb. mono.  Not that big of a stretch for a 2500 or 3000 series reel.

[Chris at Tech]

50lb. braid has the same diameter as 12lb. mono.  Not that big of a stretch for a 2500 or 3000 series reel.

Fair enough, but what benefit do you get from putting that heavy a line on such a small reel? You'll probably get around 10 lbs of drag and your 80 yards of 50 lb braid will disappear pretty quickly if a larger fish picks up your bait. And you'd also come close to spooling your reel on the cast if you're tossing a spoon or similar.

So while you can do 50 lb braid, I believe lighter braid is a better choice here.

[Big C]

Fair enough, but what benefit do you get from putting that heavy a line on such a small reel? You'll probably get around 10 lbs of drag and your 80 yards of 50 lb braid will disappear pretty quickly if a larger fish picks up your bait. And you'd also come close to spooling your reel on the cast if you're tossing a spoon or similar.

So while you can do 50 lb braid, I believe lighter braid is a better choice here.

 

 

Good couple of points there, especially the 10lbs. worth of drag, I'll have to agree with you on lighter line.  And seeing that tarpon in your profile pic it seems you've been around the mountain a couple of times.  Where did you go to hook a big ole' tarpon like that?

[Chris at Tech]

Good couple of points there, especially the 10lbs. worth of drag, I'll have to agree with you on lighter line.  And seeing that tarpon in your profile pic it seems you've been around the mountain a couple of times.  Where did you go to hook a big ole' tarpon like that?

That would be Hilton Head Island, SC.  That bad boy was NOT caught on a 2500 sized reel, that's for sure

 

But I just did get back from Panama City Beach where I recorded my first-ever inshore grand slam from the bank of St Andrews State Park.  My light inshore rigs did all the work there, and it sure was fun!

[Big C]

That would be Hilton Head Island, SC.  That bad boy was NOT caught on a 2500 sized reel, that's for sure

 

But I just did get back from Panama City Beach where I recorded my first-ever inshore grand slam from the bank of St Andrews State Park.  My light inshore rigs did all the work there, and it sure was fun!

 

 

I'll bet it wasn't.

 

Used to live near PCB, the fishing there and the surrounding areas is absolutely crazy.  Congrats on the grand slam, not an easy thing to do.

[John G]

I didn't know that SC had any Tarpon. I thought that they were more of a Florida and South America fish.

[Chris at Tech]

I didn't know that SC had any Tarpon. I thought that they were more of a Florida and South America fish.

It's certainly not like Boca Grande or the Keys, but HHI gets a decent number that come through during summer and early fall.

[atcoha]

I didn't know that SC had any Tarpon. I thought that they were more of a Florida and South America fish.

Tarpon do run up both sides of Florida, east up to SC, maybe even south NC in summer. They also run up the gulf side to Bama, LA, and TX!

I probably would not target migrating tarpon on a 2500 series reel, but it can be done! Heck check out eposeidon on youtube, he catches 100+# tarpon on spiderman zebco's spooled up with heavy line off Miami beach...he's got some great videos.