inshore/surf rod for gulf coast

[grizzly1654]

I take a trip to the gulf coast once or twice a year with the family. I fish every morning and evening from the beach or Kayak from the beach (if I rent one).

I have a Penn 5000 spinning reel on a 9' rod for the surf for live bait or shrimp. and I usually take one of my bass spinning rigs for playing around on the beach.

 

I'm looking to expand my horizons and pick up a 200-400 series bait caster for surf /jetty fishing with lures. The Penn SQL400LP is what I have in mind for reels (mostly because it looks awesome with the big knobs lol). I'm not sure if the 400 is overkill for the Florida gulf coast or not, I'm open to suggestions.

 

My main concern is the rod. I would like to find something I could also use bass fishing. I would like something around 8'ish  for casting distance and up to 3oz lures. I don't have a large swim bait rod and i think this rod could double as both?

 

The Powell endurance 7'11" cranking rod and the Dobyns Fury Casting Rod 8' Heavy Flippin' 805 are the rods I think may work out for what I want.

 

I don't know much at all about inshore/surf fishing with lures. Are the rods/reels I have listed good for that? Does anyone have another suggestions?

 

[bulldog1935]

Texas coast is lined with barrier islands - the bays behind them include 15,000 sq-mi less than 2' deep, and the best place I can think of for a kayak. 

 

The tackle we use interchanges with bass tackle, almost never need more than MH, and even a quarter-ounce jighead is a race in deeper water to keep the lure from grassing every cast. 

Can't think of a reason to cast more than a 7/8 oz Corky's in winter (6" mullet), also when BFS imitating tiny glass minnows pays off the lion's share. 

Most of the year, we're fishing ML and MM, 1/8-oz Texas Eye jigheads, or neutral density 1/4 oz TSL Grasswalker on unweighted swimbait hooks. Bait on popping cork, you could go to 3/4.

 

The big swimbait rods you mentioned would have less use inshore, but might be pretty effective in the surf, beyond the surf with a kayak, and especially on the jetties.  1 oz Kastmaster and heavy tandem jigs are great on the jetties for mackerel and trout.  I used my 7-1/2' inshore MH in the surf with 2-oz spider weights all through the 80s - got spooled by a few bull reds, but landed many, as well. 

 

I wouldn't be casting more than 1 oz lures in the surf, have seen results of heavier Tady surface iron fished from the jetties, but my 3 oz in the surf would be spider weight + meat on a 10+' long stake-out rod. 

 

I've bridged the niche from inshore to surf with Steelhead rods such as this Lami Rogue River Special (discontinued).  Pretty useful keeping your rod tip high while seated in a kayak, and excellent for casting lures in the surf. 

Tyler who owns corpusfishing website also goes here for surf lures

 

My surf lure rod is a Rich Hedenburg custom

 

I've always liked this IM6 MM Crowder for inshore kayak.

 

but at least part-time-shelved it recently for this wider range Valleyhill JDM rod, which will fish my TSL Grasswalkers, Corkys and 1-oz surface plugs. 

 

My bread and butter inshore is ML

 

Not recommending a purchase here, but if you'd like to see how others outfit for gulf coast inshore, look at the line of Waterloo custom rods. 

https://www.waterloorods.com/collections/high-performance-rods

 

Off the beach, beyond the breakers, is near offshore, and you can go really big trolling Halco Max 110 or a ribbonfish bait-harness behind your kayak for mackerel and jacks.

(Halco will take kings even when it's sitting still)

Most go to 7' e-glass rods.  My friend Glenn uses his Seigler lever drag both for trolling and casting surface plugs, though spinning tackle is usually easiest here. 

 

Posted one of Glenn's videos again here, because it's such a riot. 

Whenever Glenn drives down the beach, there's already an armada waiting to follow him to his launch and to offshore structure. 

also keep in mind, these guys are geared - big group - MMSI-VHF radios, everything needed to get them back to the beach.  I don't think they're more than a mile out on this man-made reef, but Glenn will go out 10 mi to the platforms. 

[Darth-Baiter]

i use a salmon rod for the surf.

 

9" two piece.  a 3000 series reel.  

[grizzly1654]

Thanks for the very detailed reply. Lots of helpful info there.

[bulldog1935]

ps - if you've ever read anything about sail fishing for sharks to haul surf baits Way Far off the beach...

 

...many people use their kayaks off the beach to haul their bait farther out than they can cast.