# Fishing the AFAW Big Beach



## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

The first day I picked this rod up it just blew me away with how well it groundcasts over grass. Powerful but easy to load and will send the lead a very long way down the field. On par with the best tournament rods I own.

I started fishing the rod this spring. Caught a couple of very nice bluefish (10-15 lbs) at Cape Point back in May. Many guys would tell you that a 14' rod would just be too much to handle fishing the point, well to me it is more comfortable than some 12-13 footers I've used in the past. Handles the Hatteras cast with ease.

The past couple of weeks it has seen sharkin duty down at FF. It will flat out launch a 7-8 oz sinker and a spot head. The BB is really in it's element launching a big payload out into the Atlantic with a slightly detuned version of a tournament groundcast. A little less rotation and a little less drop turn it and let her fly... 

I also tried the areolized ground cast yesterday. I think it may have carried even farther.

The parabolic bend makes for a fairly comfortable fight with a biggun on, well as comfortable as a long rod can be.

My new favorite longcasting big stick.



Tommy


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## XXX. (Aug 14, 2007)

how does it compare to the HDX, I was looking into getting one for bait fishing, but in NY and long island area where I fishing I dont really need to cast 8+ bait, the most 5-6+ bait.


I have also read that you can take a LDX and cut it down 1-2 feet from the tip and make it cast up to 8 and bait and since I dont need to cast so much weight I could probably just cut off 6inch from the tip, and would as have a light rod. What do you think?


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## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

Mr. Tommy, I have been reading your quips regarding the Big Beach. All of my efforts have been into the OTG cast. So... I purchased one, and had it custom made. Steve was great to deal with and his craftsmanship was flawless. 

It is strong.

While I am just learning to cast, I chose this rod over any of the others for some good reasons. I wanted one rod to use for field casting, not five or six. I needed a rod that I could grow with, one that could continue to offer more and more as my ability to demand more increased. I wanted that one rod to go fishing with me too. Price also had to be considered.


I believe the thing to be the beast I need.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Paul,

I've cast and fished rods in the past that i would classify as beasts. The big beach is a very powerful rod but it just doesn't have the unruley characteristics of a beastly rod. Overly stiff, hard to bend and heavy come to mind when I think of a beast. They tend to bite back when you cast them.

How 'bout a "friendly beast"..... 

Don't get me wrong, this rod will cast 6-8 nbait (yes it will handle more) farther than anything else that I have personally thrown. The Big Beach has [email protected] It just doesn't break your back or wrench your shoulders to deliver top notch casting performance. 14' may be a little much for some, but it really is pretty easy to handle for a rod of it's length.

I think it will give you everything you could want out of a high performance 6-8nbait rod.

Tommy


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

XXX. said:


> how does it compare to the HDX, I was looking into getting one for bait fishing, but in NY and long island area where I fishing I dont really need to cast 8+ bait, the most 5-6+ bait.
> 
> 
> I have also read that you can take a LDX and cut it down 1-2 feet from the tip and make it cast up to 8 and bait and since I dont need to cast so much weight I could probably just cut off 6inch from the tip, and would as have a light rod. What do you think?


The Big Beach vs the HDX.... hmm

Both are high performance rods targeting 6-8nbait. The BB is 14' the HDX is 13'. In flat out performance I would give a slight edge to the Big Beach but the HDX will hang pretty darn close. The BB comes with Fuji Alconite guides and the HDX comes with mid grade generic guides so the hardware edge goes to the AFAW. The HDX is also thicker in the butt section.


The BB will work fine for 5-6nbait. If you want to target 5-6 and bait specifically take a look at the AFAW Match rod. It will flat out smoke 5-6 oz and even cast 8nbait in a pinch.

If you cut down an LDX (I'm not sure how this would affect the warranty) then only take off about 6", down to the first guide. Some guys at Hatteras have done this and it makes for a great lightweight rod that will handle 8nbait.

Tommy


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## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

Ok- friendly beast it is then. 

BTW I like my HDX- but I love my BB.


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## XXX. (Aug 14, 2007)

where can you get these rods?


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

Paul,

When you plan another trip this way please give me a call. I'd like to cast that rod of yours with one of my reels, just for comparison to my 1508. (BTW I just came up A1A from Ormond Beach and the water was beautiful. A 5 to 7 kt onshore breeze has cleared things up.)

I have a magged penn 555 you can put on your Big Beach and fish for a shark or Tarpon. Also have enough baits for two.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

XXX

Click on the Board Sponsor link at the top of the board.

 

Tommy


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## XXX. (Aug 14, 2007)

lol Im not from around where you guyz are at and dont shark or tarpon fish, but just a funny question, how would you think a 525mag will hold if you were to hook into one of those beast.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

I can answer that question because that is exactly the reel that i had on the BB yesterday when i hooked into a monster shark down at Fort Fisher (see another fort report on the NC forum).

The reel performed flawlessly, just not enough line capacity to handle a 300 lb+ shark.

It was a fun 10 mins though... :fishing: 
Tommy


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## Julius Kelp (Aug 11, 2007)

This might be a typical noob point but I'll mention it anyway. It seems to me that 2-4oz. would be preferable to 6-8 for distance. I see talk about 8nbait a lot and wonder what makes this the "magic" number.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Julius,

Nothing magic about 8nbait. It can be difficult to cast and distance will suffer. Quite often on the beaches on NC you have to throw that much weight to hold bottom. Especially with a big ol mullett head... 

There are other options like sputnick sinkers but they do not work real well in a crowd. Sometimes you just need 8 to hold.

4-6 usually works best for ultimate distance with the bigger rods.

Tommy


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## Julius Kelp (Aug 11, 2007)

Tommy, I got it now. 

Thanks. 

Chip


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## dsurf (Aug 5, 2003)

*HDX vs Big Beach*

XXX-----how does it compare to the HDX, I was looking into getting one for bait fishing, but in NY and long island area where I fishing I dont really need to cast 8+ bait, the most 5-6+ bait.


XXX, for a weight comparison. The HDX with GT tournament butt at 14' weighs 25 oz, fully built. The 14' big beach blank only, based on what I've seen posted on web sites offering it for sale, weighs 24 oz.


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## XXX. (Aug 14, 2007)

these rods are sold as blanks?


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## XXX. (Aug 14, 2007)

nm I just saw link, but dam thats expensive for just the blank. I wish they would sell LDX blanks.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

For clarification,

I have both the Big Beach and the HDX GT. I just went out to the garage and compared the rods side by side. Here are the non scientific results.

I do not have a scale to weight the rods, but holding them side by side, switching hands and holding them again the weight difference is very very slight. The HDX may be _slightly_ lighter, but the difference barely perceivable

HDX GT has 8 guides (generic mid grade) including the tip guide. All 8 are on the tip section, none on the butt.

Big Beach has 9 guides ( Fuji Alconite ) with 8 on the tip and 1 on the butt.

The butt diameter (with shrink wrap) on the HDX GT is over 26 mm (26mm is as thick as my micrometer will measure) I would estimate right at 27mm.

Butt diameter (with shrink wrap) on the Big Beach is slightly under 24 mm.

The HDX has a stiff tip with a very parabolic bend. The rod loads deep into the blank and stores a lot of power.

The Big Beach has a faster action tip and also has a parabloic bend throughout the blank. The butt is stiffer on the Big Beach, even though it is thinner. A very powerful rod.

The rods both fall into the same class. 14' dual purpose rods that can be used on the tournament field and also as long range fishing rods. They are designed differently and have a little different action. One has top grade components (which the customer does pay for) and the other has mid grade generics (saves some $). Both were designed by men who know what they want in a fishing / casting rod.

Is one rod clearly superior?? It really depends on what your needs are and how much money you want to spend.

You would not go wrong with either rod.

Tommy


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