Favorite inshore rod?

[desmobob]

For the past 21 years, I've spent 9-14 days in the Spring fly fishing for striped bass on Cape Cod.  On almost every trip, there are times when I do use spinning gear (from a boat).  This year, I'd like to leave the spinning gear at home and set myself up with an inshore bass casting rig.  I'm thinking of picking up a Lew's Inshore reel.  I have suitable rods, but I'm concerned with the guides not being corrosion-resistant enough.  I'll certainly have the opportunity to properly rinse and dry them, and I'd probably give the guides a wipe-down with Corrosion-X, but I'm wondering if that is good enough.

Do you salty bass casters out there use conventional bass rods, or are there inshore models available I'm not noticing?  I'd prefer not to have to buy a special rod....

Thanks for any information,

Bob

 

[Chris at Tech]

Just curious but is there something you feel the spinning gear is not doing well?

[0119]

Loomis EX6 has become my favorite. St. Croix Tidemaster is fine but heavy and they actions are either too moderate or too stiff.

[blckshirt98]

I like to use salmon/steelhead rods for surf/inshore saltwater.  The 8'6" Shimano Scimitar and Clarus rods are my go-to rods for that since they're relatively affordable and work perfectly.  The extra rod length put into salmon/steelhead rods really help with getting some extra casting distance, and they're designed for salmon/steelhead so they handle the larger inshore fish with no problems.  It looks like Shimano discontinued the Scimitar line but the Convergence line should work fine.

Salt/corrosion is just the name of the game and it's pretty caustic stuff, which is why I use cheap spinning reels for the salt.  Shimano Sienna reels for only $30 and I've caught tons of fish with my current 2500 size reel.  If it ever gets ruined I won't feel bad about tossing it and replacing it since a new one is only $30.  It's also why I use spinning gear, since casting gear would cost more to replace.

[0119]

14 hours ago, desmobob said:

I'm thinking of picking up a Lew's Inshore reel.  

7 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

Salt/corrosion is just the name of the game and it's pretty caustic stuff, which is why I use cheap spinning reels for the salt.   I won't feel bad about tossing it and replacing it since a new one is only $30.

The Lew's is a rebadged Revo and the Revo Inshore has been plagued with problems in salt. Check out alantani's for tutorials on it and you'll see thumb bar problems, water intrusion and bearing and sleeve corrosion.  For me using a $30 reel takes all the fun out of my angling.  Only so much time is spent catching and a lot of time is spent working a reel. I prefer better equipment to enjoy the experience.  That said a lot of low profile casting reels are so complicated and have so many parts of dissimilar metals just waiting to react to each other in a salty atmosphere.  I've concluded that simple Abu Ambassadeurs that I can completely dismember and rebuild are the answer for me.  On the Lew's Inshore... Ray Van Horn on The Gypsy Angler used them for a couple of seasons but doesn't anymore. If its that he simply lost his sponsorship who knows but he now has no reel sponsor and uses that brand we are not allowed to say here and I can't imagine them handling saltwater for 10 minutes.

 

[desmobob]

14 hours ago, Chris at Tech said:

Just curious but is there something you feel the spinning gear is not doing well?

My spinning gear has been faultless.  I've been using a Daiwa Whisker Tournament SS reel on a Fenwick rod for the last several years and the rig has performed admirably spooled with braid and a fluro leader.  I'm just looking to shake things up a little and do something a little different.

 

52 minutes ago, 0119 said:

The Lew's is a rebadged Revo and the Revo Inshore has been plagued with problems in salt. Check out alantani's for tutorials on it and you'll see thumb bar problems, water intrusion and bearing and sleeve corrosion

I searched extensively for reviews of the Lew's BB1 Inshore and found nothing but rave reviews.  I do own both Lew's and Abu reels and, though they are made in the same factory, they are not simply rebadged.  The problems that may be an issue with the Revo Inshore don't seem to be plaguing the Lew's Inshore.

Back to my OP, I now see that some rod makers offer inshore baitcasting rods.  I'll start looking for some reports and reviews.

Tight lines,

Bob

[0119]

3 hours ago, desmobob said:

Back to my OP, I now see that some rod makers offer inshore baitcasting rods.  I'll start looking for some reports and reviews.

Yes, the Loomis EX6 Inshore series is what I was speaking of. I use the 6'6MH and 6'6M for snook and reds.  Its handled upper slot snook and a few over slot without problems.  I prefer the comfort of the full length cork grips and appreciate that it doesn't have baby bassin' guides and leader knots don't hang up as they fly.

[Mike L]

Check out the Shimano Teramar Inshore rods. I've caught almost everything that swims in salt and fresh water with that thing and hasn't disappointed.

 

Mike 

[fisherrw]

I like Phenix m1 inshore rods.

[desmobob]

21 hours ago, 0119 said:

Yes, the Loomis EX6 Inshore series is what I was speaking of. I use the 6'6MH and 6'6M for snook and reds.  Its handled upper slot snook and a few over slot without problems.  I prefer the comfort of the full length cork grips and appreciate that it doesn't have baby bassin' guides and leader knots don't hang up as they fly.

 

21 hours ago, Mike L said:

Check out the Shimano Teramar Inshore rods. I've caught almost everything that swims in salt and fresh water with that thing and hasn't disappointed.

 

Mike 

 

6 minutes ago, fisherrw said:

I like Phenix m1 inshore rods.

 

Thanks very much for the recommendations, gentlemen!  I appreciate it.  If I put together an inshore set-up, I'll post my choices.  I guess I also have the more economical alternative of just using one of my current freshwater bass rigs and making sure I spend a little extra time on flushing/cleaning/maintenance after use, right?

Tight lines,

Bob

[Mike L]

28 minutes ago, desmobob said:

 

 

 

Thanks very much for the recommendations, gentlemen!  I appreciate it.  If I put together an inshore set-up, I'll post my choices.  I guess I also have the more economical alternative of just using one of my current freshwater bass rigs and making sure I spend a little extra time on flushing/cleaning/maintenance after use, right?

Tight lines,

Bob

Right!

 

 

Mike 

[fisherrw]

3 hours ago, desmobob said:

 

 

 

Thanks very much for the recommendations, gentlemen!  I appreciate it.  If I put together an inshore set-up, I'll post my choices.  I guess I also have the more economical alternative of just using one of my current freshwater bass rigs and making sure I spend a little extra time on flushing/cleaning/maintenance after use, right?

Tight lines,

Bob

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