# Asking the Experts - New Surf casting setup



## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Looking to get something besides the 4 spinning outfits on Walmart surf rods I have. So far this is what I think I partly kind of sort of barely know:

- Conventional reel, magged
- Tica rod if I can't afford custom (and I can't)
- 17 lb mono base
- 20' 50 lb shock leader 
- Lots of practice to prevent "Don King"ing the spool

What I'd like to know is:

- What reel to get
- What rod to get
- What line to use - base and leader
- Magged or not
- How much weight and bait can I cast
- All of the other questions I forgot to ask.

My budget is $300 or less. I would like something suitable for drum fishing and like to catch sharks too. Any opioions out there?

Thanks as always.

Cheers.

- Luther


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## quickstop (Feb 10, 2007)

If you add a SL30SH to your 12ft Tica, you be good for $200. 

SHX is aluminum spool but otherwise no different.

Alternative would be ABU7000CT. Which I can throw further but its not quite as beefy.

If you want more distance, you'll need smaller reel like SL20SH or ABU 6500. Which will need a lot of running about to catch bigger fish, and you probable have to drop down a line size or two on the 6500.

After that, I'd look for a different rod. Which will depend many things.

Either Daiwa SL*0SH can be easily setup for no birdies with two red brakes. Abu 7000 2 fiber brakes and 10W-xx motor oil or 3:1 Though to start with you want to play safe, so go slow rather than fast.


I have mag 7000, SL30X and ABU6500. Mags are great on smaller reel but less critical on larger reel. So I would choose non mag unless you go 6500 or build up enough spool speed to warrant fine tuning. 

The most difficult reel I have to tame is 6500 Blue Yonder - I always make mistake of setting it up fast!. Next is 6500 mag Elite - forgetting to reset mag!

Either one of these will outcast the daiwa SL20Sh - but I go thru more line!

The ABU 7000 is easy to setup with static mags. I have made a few big game like this and it seems better than blocks (I doubt it really is)

I hope this helps.


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## quickstop (Feb 10, 2007)

BTW Tica is well good for 10 ounces. I seen one in a semicircle with 10+ huge bait shooting it a stupid distance. A whole 8" Shad sailing 500feet!

Weight in range 6-8 is optimal for me on this rod. I use breakaways rather than more lead - its less tiring!

For line, try Big Game (budget) or Suffix Tritanium ($). Use Big Game leader or something cheap.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

i would suggest a daiwa SLX30sha or saltist30h
plenty of bawls and durable. alot more power then ABUs.
outta the box with red brake blocks.. bombproof.

so you can practice and TRY to donking yourself.


i myself.. started out with the SLX30.. great reel. load it with 20-25lb test.. and AWWWWWWAY you go.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks for the info. Any mods needed to the reels or use as is out of the box?


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## dmaaero (Jan 27, 2008)

You may want to check out the tsunami xh it"s 4-10 oz. I held the tica in one hand the tsunami in the other hand, i put the tica back....


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Don't be fooled by the statement "you can't blow this reel up". You need to practice and start of slow and easy. If your casting form is lacking a little something *You Will Blow Any Reel Up* I don't care what breaks you have in it. Get your reel put the breaks in it and practice slowly and work your way up to a power cast for some more distance. Don't have to take my word for it. Take the reel out of the box and set it up, fill it with line and power into it and see what happens.

Sometimes we forget what it's like to be new to casting.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

I would advise you go to the Virginia Board and click on the ad at the top for "Greg's Baitshack". He is your Virginia Board sponsor. Click on "online store" and take a look at his choices there. He has Ticas, Tsunamis, Daiwa Emblems and Ocean Masters. I was going to recommend the Penn 525 Mag, but since you are targeting sharks (smaller ones, I assume) using mono, it won't give you enough reel capacity. I'd recommend the Daiwa Saltist 30H on any of the above rods...your choice. It is all metal, should last longer and not much more expensive than the other Daiwas mentioned. The Ocean Master has two different 12', depending on the weights you'll be casting. Any of those rod choices will still keep you *under $300*. Call Greg first to get a P&S price, or if you live close enough, stop in and you can handle the merchandise 1st. By the way...great advice from AirDown too.


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

I agree that the Dawia 20 would be the best bang for the buck.. At $100 you can't beat it if you wanted to. I do have to disagree on the reel being bomb proof... and that it won't get good distance. In the right hands the shx will hang with the others. It's easier to tame than the other mentioned but it's not as slow as people what you to believe. You will need to put the red brakes in, and you should be ok..


If I was you I would go with a Dawia 20\Ocean Master 12ft. This combo will cost you between $200-250. This combo will take anything that you are man enough to throw at it.. In my opinion the Tica\Tsunami are not true heaviers... The way I see it a heaver is a rod that throws a min of 8nbait.. (10oz)


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## kenyee (Nov 27, 2007)

AirDown said:


> If your casting form is lacking a little something *You Will Blow Any Reel Up*


I just noticed the OP has only used spinning reels in the past, so this warning is appropriate: do *not* do the whippy spinning cast w/ a conventional reel or you will birdsnest the reel.

I made the mistake of letting a spin guy try my setup because he wanted to show me how to get more distance and wouldn't listen to my explanation of thumbing to slow it down at the end. I had to cut half a reel of suffix tri off my 30H. The motion is different for spin vs. conventional...the conventional motion is smoother and slower and better for heavier weights.

Don't go nuts whipping your first casts and don't try whipping it into a headwind if you use too little weight. You'll pretty much guarantee a birdnest...


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## dsurf (Aug 5, 2003)

*Tica*

If you go with the Tica, get the heavier version, rated 6-12 oz....it's not available at all Tica shops but it is available and much sturdier than the 4-10 oz version....To get the conventional version you may have to go with the Dolphin series rather than the UEHA series....can still get it for around $130.....


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## mdram (Jul 18, 2005)

im not expert, but in my opinion id spend a little more for the reel and get a machined aluminum avet, static magging is simple to do.

paired with an ocean master the combo should run @ 300-350, a little more then you wanted, but man i love those reels.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

mdram said:


> im not expert, but in my opinion id spend a little more for the reel and get a machined aluminum avet, static magging is simple to do.
> 
> paired with an ocean master the combo should run @ 300-350, a little more then you wanted, but man i love those reels.


Probably not the best conventional reel to start out surf casting with unless you want to see him go back to spinners, LOL. That's why I recommended the Saltist, 20 or 30, but would rather go a 30 because of targeting sharks. Saltist is all metal and will last. I'm not really ready for an Avet yet myself, but somewhere down the road, it will be a good investment.


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## mdram (Jul 18, 2005)

sprtsracer said:


> Probably not the best conventional reel to start out surf casting with unless you want to see him go back to spinners, LOL. That's why I recommended the Saltist, 20 or 30, but would rather go a 30 because of targeting sharks. Saltist is all metal and will last. I'm not really ready for an Avet yet myself, but somewhere down the road, it will be a good investment.


it was my first conventional, so i overmagged it for starters, backed em off as i became more comfortable. figured id just buy the one i really wanted


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

mdram said:


> it was my first conventional, so i overmagged it for starters, backed em off as i became more comfortable. figured id just buy the one i really wanted


Ahhhhhh...but surely you don't own just one conventional now do you??? Tackle Ho's that we are, ya know we have to try them all!


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

if it doesn't have to be new,why not check out some of the deals on used outfits?
you may get a custom rod and a magged reel within your budget.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks for all of the info. Going Father's Day shopping for the outfit today 

Unfortunately, Portsmouth is a little out of my reach with gas at $4/gallon, so we'll head to some of the places local to Richmond and see what we can find. I'm leaning towards the Saltist 30 and Ocean Master 12 ft. or Tica Dolphin series. But I'll have to see what I can find. 

Going to start out with some cheap line too. Pretty sure I'll go through a couple of spools pretty quickly 

Hope to post an update tonight of what I ended up with. Then I'll have to start planning a trip to the OBX :fishing:

Cheers. :beer:

- Luther


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

If ya didn't find something, check yer pms.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

*Got it!!!*

Ended up getting the Saltist 30h. Since the local sporting goods store (Green Top) didnt have any surf rods that quite fit what I was looking for, I went to Gander Mountain (was hoping to buy from a smaller shop but oh well). They also didn't have the rods I was looking for, but had what I hope is a good substitute. It's a gander mountain branded 11'-6" rated for 10 oz. I hope it will be OK.

Spooled the reel with 20 lb mono, tied on a 6 oz sinker, and started to practice. Started slow, as recommended, and worked my way up. After about 5 or 6 casts started hitting around 100 yards. No serious rat nests, although had a few small ones that were straightened out by pulling out a few yards of line and reeling back up. 

So, now I have a whole new round of questions:

- How far should I be able to cast with 20 lb mono and 6 oz? 8oz? 10 oz? 

- I just used the reel out of the box. How do I know if I should change the brake? It's very controllable as is. I even loosened the spool a lot and didnt have any real problems.

- Any little thumb glove out there to keep me from blistering my thumb again like I did when I bee lined the sinker to the ground and had to brake like crazy to stop the spool before it hit? 

- Whats the best casting technique? I've researched a few of them - pendulum, hatteras, etc. but which one gives the best distance? :fishing:

- How do I know if the rod I got is ok? What happens with an inferior rod? Does it break, not enough distance? What are the characteristics of a good surf rod?

Thanks again for all of the info. Casting this thing is a blast - much more fun than the spinning outfits I have - although so far not much more distance. I'm sure that will improve though 

Cheers. :beer:

- Luther


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