Rod for Calcutta 400B??

[ICU812]

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.  I got a great deal on a calcutta 400b and would like to find a good quality rod to match it with for all around big game fishing freshwater and salt. 

I'm brand new to casting gear so any advice would be great!!

[Hooligan]

I'll assume you don't mean big game as in Marlin, Tuna, Swords; but big game is an Stripers, Yellowtail, reds, and small shark.  A great "crossover rod" is the Shimano Calcutta inshore if you can find them.  As well, there are quite a few in the Okuma EVX line that are worthy of a look.

[ICU812]

Yeah I'm not talking marlins and tuna that's for sure.

I guess big stripers would be the ideal application, but i'd like something strong enough to land the occasional suprise

[Jaheff]

Shimano Teramar inshore rods.

Great rods for the price....

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/products/rods/inshore/Teramar_WC_Inshore_Casting.html

[ICU812]

Yeah I was looking at those too, there's one on ebay that I was looking at.

Thanks for the link

[ICU812]

Man I think I'm gonna try to catch some cod/haddock/pollock on this reel lol I don't know if it's a good application for that but I'm gonna try.  I still have to find the right rod for it though.

[BossHoss]

My first reaction when thinking of a rod to pair with the Calcutta 400B is something like this

And I am not gonna lie...I think your dead on when you say this isn't the right reel for then job if cod,haddock, and pollock are your targets. However, I certainly understand how you sometimes have to make a good deal fit your situation.

It seems to me that the going "custom" is a lot more common with cod rods and the like. From that standpoint I would suggest the Seeker CS 909 blank since it is good for bait and jigs. However, if you want to go retail I would suggest looking at the Tallus series of rods from Shimano as well and particularly the TLC-70MA

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_59419_151002003_151000000_151002000?channel=froogle&mr:trackingCode=481369AF-03A7-DF11-904F-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA

Not sure how you go about your fishing of this sort, but if your doing it from a party boat... the standard man rule is in order.... The longer the better...rod that is  ;D

[SirSnookalot]

Finding a good rod is easy, but which is right for your fishing style.  Questions you need to answer first are :

1. a bait fisherman or casting artificial. 2. shore, pier or boat and if boat what kind of boat, drifting or trolling. 3. target species, reds, yellowtail, stripers and shark are caught entirely different.

All that said.....teramer, strictly an inshore rod, good for reds and stripers, they are like snook ,good fighters but don't match offshore species in terms of power, mh 10/20 rod inshore is perfect for reds or stripers.

Offshore you just never know what you may run into, even yellowtail put up a good fight and most likely fishing with weight so you need a heavier rod.

Personally I don't think much of a tallus, I have 1 ( spinning) and put it down in favor of my Penn Pursuit, $40 and a way better and lighter rod.

I have an Avet MXJ, comparable to your Caluctta, I use a Star Handicraft, terrific rod, as mentioned Seeker make very nice rods too..  I think 7' max, longer you lose leverage on fish, especially deep runners, also on a party boat longer rods will tangle other lines more easily.  You will find rods used out in the ocean have longer foregrips and their is reason for it......leverage.

Just about every rod mfg will have a good choice.

[ICU812]

Hey that's all really good information, thanks so much!

Yeah I got the calcutta pretty cheap (127.99 brand new) thinking it would be a good bigger game reel. Sort of an impulse buy I admit, but I had some $ to spend and had heard good things about calcutta reels and the deal seemed sweet. I'm getting back into fishing after some years off and so I'm basically getting all setup again and want to use bc gear - all I had was old spinning gear from the 90s lol.

So I need to absorb all this good info and check out some of those rods - thanks again!

Hey whats the ideal range of fish for the 400b anyway?

[ICU812]

As far as rod application I'd like something that I could take out on a boat AND be able to use from shore, lol probably too much to ask.

But the thing is I went out an a party boat cod fishing, went with a friend who goes regularly, and had a lot of fun. I want to go back out but I'd love to be able to use my calcutta and use lighter gear than I was using.

I used what I guess is the standard cod-boat rig when I went, the red penn reel (the senator?) with some big fatty rod, not sure what it was. We used 50lb test and switched between jigging and bait, with bait catching the best fish.

Had a good time and caught a bunch of fish, mostly haddock, but some cod, cusk and pollock too, the biggest being around 20 LB (pollock). Some guy at the back of the boat hooked into a tuna but it broke off. The biggest fish of the day was a 24 lb pollock.

But the things is I think I could catch those fish on lighter gear, with more feel. It was basically like hauling up dead weight, and I have to believe it's possible to get more feel out of these fish. Maybe the calcutta 400b isn't the best idea lol but I want to take it out there and give it a go with a more sensitive rod than the ones the boat supplies.

lol anyway enough rambling lol thanks again for all the good suggestions!!

[SirSnookalot]

What i would do is go to a local tackle shop or even a BPS where hopefully there is knowledgeable staff that would be a better guide than me.  I did that with my Avet at BPS and was turned on to my Star rod, for me it was a good marriage.

Catch Bluefish and I'm sure you will agree it's anything but dead weight.

[ICU812]

there's a DICKS by me, I'll do that.

I'd love to catch bluefish! I was mostly catching haddock and it was basically just a "steady reel in" situation, I'm looking for a little more fight than that.

[Nine Miler]

I would skip going to Dicks to ask about this gear.  Not saying there is no chance for good info, but it is a 40/60 shot at best.

[NewAngler]

Throw swimbaits, dude. Pair it with. Daiwa light and tough, or Heartland rod for a cheaper alternative.

[Hammer 4]

I happen to have a Shimano inshore Calcutta, 7'6" MH..I use it for some flippin, pitchen, small swimbaits, i.e to 2 ozs. and for some light to med saltwater fish. Catching barndoor flatties with this rod is a blast!

If you can find one..should be a good rod for the 400.

These rods are underrated for power imho..so don't be fooled by the rating on them..

[central_fl_fishin]

Shimano Teramar Inshore.  I have the TMC-X70mh on a tekota 500, but a calcutta 400 would be a great combo I think too.

[ICU812]

Thanks. Looks like the Teramar Inshore is getting a lot of love. I'll be making a final decision here sometime soon.

I gotta say, the rod/reel in this pic that this guy caught this smaller-size tuna with doesn't seem all that bigger than what I'm imagining for the 400B. Am I just imagining things?

That tuna must have fought harder than these cod do lol

[Jaheff]

I hope you know the difference between the West Coast Model and the South East model. The West coast rods are what we use for Tuna, but thats pushing it.

[repper]

seems like everybody is leaning toward the saltwater rods, but i've got my 400b on an Okuma 7111xh. it's rated 15-40lb line, and 2-10 oz weight. i use mine for throwing the big swimbaits, or trolling for stripers with big topwater lures, but every once in a while i go on a saltwater trip, and i always take this combo. it's great for fishing the kelp beds.  it's great for throwing 5-6 inch big hammers, etc. and it works well for bait fishing too. ive got 50 lb braid on it, and i just switch out the leaders according to what I'm fishing for. And it's 8' long so you can chuck live bait pretty good with it too. And for $110.00 I think it's a pretty good deal too. guys always do a double take when i take on the cattle boats, but then they see how far you can chuck an anchovie with it and change their mind! nice reel you ha 8-)ve  and one heck of a great deal you got too. have fun with whatever you get.

[ICU812]

I've been feeling poorly for the past few days but jsut wanted to say thanks for all the additional information and advice. I'm taking it all into consideration for sure.

Hope ppl are out catchin fish!

[Hammer 4]

Yeah, another option is the Okuma swimbait rods. I have the 7'11"H guide series. You can check them out at TW..priced at 120.00 shipped, great rod for the $$.

[ICU812]

think I may have to go with the okuma swimbait rod - thanks so much guys for the help. I like the fact that it can double as a saltwater if need be and I really want to hunt big bass and it seems like a go combo for that.

thanks again fellas - tight lines

[johnD.]

St.Croix Tidemaster TIC80HF or TIC80MHF would match up nice with that reel , I use the TIS80HF and the TIS80MHF for oversized snook and reds both have Sustain 8000's on them with #50 p.p.

[ICU812]

I really think I wanna go the swimbait route - seeing Matt Allen use the 400B to catch a 13lb largemouth has me geeked. And it looks like the okuma works ok for light salt too so I'm pretty sold Thanks again for all the help guys!!

[SirSnookalot]

I really think I wanna go the swimbait route - seeing Matt Allen use the 400B to catch a 13lb largemouth has me geeked. And it looks like the okuma works ok for light salt too so I'm pretty sold Thanks again for all the help guys!!

Overkill for a 13# fish, especially a freshwater one. Saltwater is no different than freshwater fishing in regards to technique specific equipment. People take many rods to target bass, where the size range is fairly limited, why would a person only take 1 rod for saltwater fishing when there so many species and sizes ranges you can encounter in an outing, not to mention inshore use or offshore use. I would make up my mind what I wanted to use the reel for and buy the appropriate rod, I think that reel could be used for lighter inshore action or heavier offshore that I think you you be better off with a boat rod. If it were me I'd opt for a boat rod 30# class.