Rod/Reel combo for Chesapeake Bay

[FishingRVA]

So my recent rod broke which leaves me sadly rod less.  I’m now starting over. So I fish mainly the bay, Patuxent, and James.  Occasionally Smith Mountain Lake (Freshwater).  I’m hoping for a spinning reel.  I don’t mind putting down a fair amount of coin if necessary as I see it as a long term investment. 

[little giant]

I'm not familiar with your areas.You don't say what size you want. My inshore spinning reels are 2500 daiwa ballistic, 3000 quantum smoke inshore and a penn slammer 3500. All great reels, well maintained and no issues.

My son fishes the gulf off west coast of Florida . He uses shimano twin power and saragosa. He won't buy anything else! More

$$ though.

[DaveT63]

Are you talking specifically saltwater fishing or bass in the Bay and Patuxent?  There are TONS of good rods sold in the area for the salt.  It's pretty easy to find some nice custom built rods locally as well.  If you are talking bass, or something you can use for both, I like Falcon Coastal rods and St Croix Mojo Inshore.

[FishingRVA]

1 hour ago, DaveT63 said:

Are you talking specifically saltwater fishing or bass in the Bay and Patuxent?  There are TONS of good rods sold in the area for the salt.  It's pretty easy to find some nice custom built rods locally as well.  If you are talking bass, or something you can use for both, I like Falcon Coastal rods and St Croix Mojo Inshore.

Bass, mega bass, mahi, Cobia, Black drum. I’m just trying to figure out a combo that can handle the Bay.  Patuxent you don’t get as much larger fish.  Bay can mess you up pretty good if you go out there with a rod not built for it. 

[little giant]

Mahi, Cobia, Black Drum-

Shimano twin power 5000 size. Check out Crowder E series rods or Bull Bay rods.

[Buzzbaiter]

I don’t know exactly what part of the Bay you plan on fishing, but mahi don’t venture into the Chesapeake (to my knowledge). I also don’t know what you mean by “mega bass.” If we’re factoring for fish that are more common in my part of the Bay (middle/upper), I’d expect blue/channel/white catfish, rockfish, redfish, speckled trout, summer flounder, black drum, cobia, and smaller game (croaker, perch, and spot).
 

I have no experience fishing for cobia; I imagine they’d be in their own league when it comes to gear. However, you do not need extremely heavy gear to do the other stuff. I have a Shimano Spheros SW 4000 with a Medium power Falcon inshore rod, and it does perfectly. Light tackle fishing is popular in the Chesapeake because the fish aren’t huge. Unless you’re going for the tarpon that got lost in the Bay, I think something along those lines would do fine. Maybe heavier if you’re exclusively targeting bull reds, cobia, black drum, and overslot rockfish.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

It depends on what you want to throw and the weight.  It's kind of hard to get 1 rod to rule them all for inshore too so it's a compromise, especially if you want to use it as a FW outfit as well.  Tough to beat a stout 7'3 M 1/4-3/4 to do everything.  It will handle schoolies, fluke and even bigger bass or decent blues from the sand or sod banks so long as you have room.  If you throw a lot of SPs, mag darters, pencils and twitching mullets. than you need to go to at least a good 7'6 MH 1/2-1.5oz, even if you are throwing 7/8 you need that lower end to punch into the wind.  A 7'6 MH will cost you if you use precision with lighter bucktails, soft plastics. 

The one rod that comes to mind to start with would be a Daiwa SOL AGS MH.  They fish up to ounce if you need them too, but they can handle small baits, like a 4' gulp mullet or jerkshad on a 1/4 head very very well.  The M is 3/8-3/4 and fishes the entire range very well, with a little more crips action than compared to the MH.  For a reel a 7.5-9oz 3k/4k would be perfect.  If you like Shimano go with a Stradic FM or Spheros SW.  If you prefer Daiwa, I suggest checking out a Saltist Back Back.  The Back bay is equal to, and even surpasses stradic in some regards.  It uses the classic Daiwa AL main instead of some BS zinc.  Extremely smooth, great drag, great line lay.  Its essential a BG with more BB, AL main and Magseal.  I do suggest using reel butter or heavy grease inside the AR/switch.  While its not a reliable defense to sand or salt, it does keep it out fairly well.    

[bulldog1935]

@little giant nailed it for One rod you would enjoy fishing both bay and offshore for cobia.  

Here's another, TackleDirect Platinum, which I have matched with Stradic 5000 

(the link has a good video on rolling e-glass rods)

While e-glass rods are heavy, they won't explode on the cobia.  

 

Glenn always makes this look too easy.