Looking for information about rods.

[CameronB521]

I want to get into surf fishing on a budget. I have a 4000 penn wrath, and I want to get a rod to go with it. I’ve been looking at the diawa ft, and the penn squadron and I want some information on them. Other rod suggestions are also helpful.

[ATA]

UglyStik have very good 7 to 15' rods for that matter. I have the 10' 2pcs and 15' 2pcs for my surf fishing.

[new2BC4bass]

There are people here fishing saltwater that can offer good advice.  I'd also suggest checking out regular saltwater forums.  There are several state forums...NJ, Texas, NC, Florida, etc.  Also check out Pier and Surf Forum.  I don't fish saltwater so I can't help.  Hope to move to Florida sometime in the next year, but my fishing buddy there only fishes for bass so if I want to try for saltwater species I will have to do it on my own.  Then I will join a couple of those saltwater forums myself. 

 

Good luck finding a new rod.  Ugly Sticks are probably the most popular saltwater rod in Florida from what I've read.  Daiwa also makes an Aird Coastal Inshore rod at $50.  I know many here consider the regular Aird to be an excellent value that fishes above its price point.

[bulldog1935]

Okuma and Tsunami both offer very good and light-in-hand surf-spin rods in a wide range of lengths, lure weights and price/hardware.  

I have an 11' Tsunami AirWave Elite 1102H staggered-ferrule for spin and 1-4 oz.  

 

This 3-pc Tsunami is neat, because it's versatile for both lures and bait.  One rod to cover both, and easy to transport.  Price looks right.  

 

For throwing lures, you generally want as light as possible, and 1-pc 8' rods are excellent.  

This RH Composites custom surf-lure rod is 1/4 to 1 oz.  

For throwing bait, you want longer, 2- or 3-pc for transport, and the ability to throw 2- to 4-oz spider weights.  

[new2BC4bass]

I don't know if they are as versatile, but a fellow member years ago suggested I look at Stellar Lite rods along with the Tsunami and Hurricane Redbone and Calico when I asked about cheaper casting rods.  I did pick up a Redbone casting rod and have to admit I like it a lot.  I keep it in Florida and usually have a treble hook lure tied on.

 

EDIT:  I'd like to get a Tsunami if for no other reason than I think it is a cool name. 

[bulldog1935]

My 10-wt fly rod is Hurricane Redbone, and I've enjoyed it.  

Tsunami is regarded as bang for the buck in surf rods.  

 

On bait specific long rods, you almost don't care about the weight, because you set them and stake them out.  Lure-casting is different, because you're working constantly.  

 

It's too easy to spend $300 to $500 on a surf rod, and most shortcuts add a lot of weight. 

On West Coast, Lamiglas is king, and the surf is their roots.  

Surf fishermen don't have a lot a lot invested - a 4WD p/u, camping gear, and 3 to 6 good rods and reels.  Angle-cut PVC pipe to stake rods.  

[WRB]

Okuma has good surf rods that are light weigh at good price points. Longer rods are needed for casting over big waves to keep the line above the water. Most surf weights are fairly heavy.

It depends on how and where you plan to surf fish, lures or bait etc.

Tom 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

22 hours ago, CameronB521 said:

I want to get into surf fishing on a budget. I have a 4000 penn wrath, and I want to get a rod to go with it. I’ve been looking at the diawa ft, and the penn squadron and I want some information on them. Other rod suggestions are also helpful.

Surf fishing can be anything from floating bloods for kings on panfish gear to tossing 6 ounces of lead and bunker head past the breakers for bass.  The rod really depends on what you want to throw and how far.  

If you just want to see what its like use a 6'6 or longer M-MH spinning rod that you would use to catch LMB in freshwater.  Get some 1/4 and 3/8 jigheads for soft plastics/gulp, 1/2 bucktails and a few 1/2 and maybe a 3/4oz spoons.  You dont have to spend top dollar on Acme or Hopkins the cheaper Hurricane spoons work fine. (wal mart sells them) 

You can bomb a 1/2 spoon even when its windy so theyre great to start off with to find fish.  This time of year if you cover enough water you eventually should run into some blues and you can get fluke to if you fish it slower and closer to or on the bottom.

At that point if you want to invest in heavier gear to throw bigger plugs you will at least have some idea of what you need vs what you want.  As a kid my family had a house in Stone Harbor so I started really young.  Even though I have good 9' and 10' surf rods I dont use them unless I have too.  There's no sense in casting a setup hundreds of times that weighs nearly 3x the weight if it isn't necessary.  Thats why the westcoast/JDM finesse surf rods are getting real popular now.  Thats what I would recommend to you if you wanted to get rod that designed for light surf.  Unless you just want to soak bait, in that case just get an ugly stick.    

[bulldog1935]

What you're actually fishing in the surf is the structure beyond the waves - the guts - parallel channels off the beach formed by currents, where the gamefish travel.  The longer rods are to reach them.  

Especially in summer and winter low tides, you can actually cast too far.