WTB "cheapie" rod/reel for throwing plastic into the kelp - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

sbsyncro · 03-13-2008, 06:22 PM

I'm in Carlsbad on business for the next couple of months and bought a small kayak to keep here in my Carlsbad office and sneak out in the evenings. Since dragging my 6' Avet/Calstar and 7' Torium/Seeker combos on the plane from Santa Barbara isn't really an option, I'm looking for something I can keep in the office down here that I don't need to think about too much....

Anyone have something for sale up in the Carlsbad/Oceanside area? Even a simple spinning combo that will handle 15# line would probably be great.

Thanks,

Brent

Dave I. · 03-18-2008, 06:12 PM

Hey, if no one has anything, i would look at a MedHeavy or heavy Berkley Lightning Rod from walmat, good rods for about $60. An Abu 5500c3 would be a decent reel to match it with , About $130 total. Spool with 50lb braid.

Maybe not that cheap but it will work for less than half the price of the combo's you listed.

Dave

Rusty · 03-18-2008, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave I.

Hey, if no one has anything, i would look at a MedHeavy or heavy Berkley Lightning Rod from walmat, good rods for about $60. An Abu 5500c3 would be a decent reel to match it with , About $130 total. Spool with 50lb braid.

Maybe not that cheap but it will work for less than half the price of the combo's you listed.

Dave

I picked up that exact combo at the Walmart in Vista for $65 last summer. It's not bad and really cheap.

sbsyncro · 03-18-2008, 10:29 PM

sounds like a perfect setup. I'll have to find the nearest Wally World. Now the only remaining challenge is finding a place to fish! Launching into 6' waves is not really an option in this little plastic tub with no rod holders and no leashes, etc.

Found a nice lagoon today (Hediondas) but apparently the city wants $50 to give me the privilege of floating a kayak on their sacred water. sheesh.

Adam · 03-19-2008, 07:54 AM

Just north of the power plant in carlsbad (at the mouth of the lagoon) there are some breakwalls that can make for an easier launch. There is some structure right out front and usually kelp, but I haven't seen the conditions for a while. It can be good for halibut there. Also, there have been halibut biting in oceanside harbor recently.

sbsyncro · 03-19-2008, 11:19 PM

well, dropped by the Wallymart today after work up in Oceanside and picked up a Abu 6600 and 7' MH (10-25#) Abu "Ambassadeur" rod combo for $65. Seems like a pretty nice deal, and fits a nice niche where I didn't already have a combo (medium-light baitcaster). They had the reel for sale by itself for $60, so I figure I got the rod for $5.

I have to say I'm suspicious of a baitcaster with a level wind for $60, but I'm assuming Abu wouldn't put their name on it if it was total junk...

Thanks for the suggestions, again - we'll see tomorrow night if the spotties in Hediondas like root beer colored twin-tailed scampi or blue/silver fishtrap swimbaits, since that's all they had at Wally's...

Brent

fishdude · 03-20-2008, 07:16 AM

I bought that similar set up 8 years ago and its still going, beat it up, take it apart myself and rebuild the reel every year, as for the rod it is a great price for that rod.
I have pulled 30 lb white sea bass on that rod and reel set up then turn around and catch 1 lb sandies.
Have fun in the lagoon and not a bad idea to throw some fish traps or crocodiles in the river mouth for some halies.

Sammy · 03-20-2008, 08:09 PM

Fish the drop-shot setup in the lagoon. All species will eat it. My favorite is a 3.5" Tiki-Drop in smoke/shad color. My personal best using drop-shot is a 13 # Halibut from Oceanside Harbor. You will also get alot of smaller fish, but it can be fun at times. Don't rule out crank baits and spinner baits, I have gotten halibut on those also.

Rusty · 03-21-2008, 09:39 AM

Brent -

That's the combo. It's cheap, not the greatest, but it works fine for Bassin' on a budget. Make sure to keep it rinsed off, if not it will gunk up and corrode faster than most as you can tell... Have fun!

sbsyncro · 03-21-2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sammy

Fish the drop-shot setup in the lagoon.

I've never tried this technique before - any suggestions on places I can learn more? (other than random Google searches, which is of course what I am going to do right now...)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went out last night around 6:30 until dark, and paddled from the main lagoon over to the "middle" lagoon. I tossed a root beer scampi the weeds and rocks by the YMCA to no effect, then put on a Krocodile and paddled into the current under the RR bridge, drifting all the way down and under the 5 slinging the Kroc around the whole time. There were a half-dozen shore fishers with lines out, and I saw a small (3' across) dead bat ray floating around. No bites, tho.

Then I headed back across the main lagoon to the public beach (where the Carlsbad Boat Club shack is located) and tossed the Kroc around the rock piles there and up and down along the shoreline where I saw bait and feeding going on (by what I don't know). Again, no more lovin'...

When it got too dark to legally fish, I headed back to the little goat trail I hiked in on and towed the little yak back to my rental car and headed back to my hotel with a smile on my face despite not having any fishy action.

The rod and reel seem like a good setup - too much "anti-reverse" on the reel for really long casts (felt like it had heavy grease in it or something) but for the price it seems like a good compromise setup that will probably handle a bigger fish reasonably well.

There were some guys in a small aluminum skiff that said they'd had a couple short WSB in the main lagoon, but pretty slow otherwise.

Sammy · 03-21-2008, 09:32 PM

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop-shot.html

I place the sinker at about 14-18 inches below the bait. Use a very slow twitching retrieve, bouncing it on the bottom. Good luck.

bjm · 03-24-2008, 04:32 PM

Syncro, I fish that lagoon a lot for many years. Don't pay the $50 you can launch from a few spots. For an easy catch on the spotties tie on a 3/8oz darter head and nuclear chicken colored GULP 3" shrimp. Super slow retrieve on the bottom and you will hook up. If you want to pump ghost shrimp they are also deadly there. Dropshot the camo colored gulp sandworms for croaker and spotties.

03-13-2008, 06:22 PM	#1
sbsyncro Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 80	WTB "cheapie" rod/reel for throwing plastic into the kelp I'm in Carlsbad on business for the next couple of months and bought a small kayak to keep here in my Carlsbad office and sneak out in the evenings. Since dragging my 6' Avet/Calstar and 7' Torium/Seeker combos on the plane from Santa Barbara isn't really an option, I'm looking for something I can keep in the office down here that I don't need to think about too much.... Anyone have something for sale up in the Carlsbad/Oceanside area? Even a simple spinning combo that will handle 15# line would probably be great. Thanks, Brent

03-20-2008, 08:09 PM	#8
Sammy Junior Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ponchatoula Posts: 17	Fish the drop-shot setup in the lagoon. All species will eat it. My favorite is a 3.5" Tiki-Drop in smoke/shad color. My personal best using drop-shot is a 13 # Halibut from Oceanside Harbor. You will also get alot of smaller fish, but it can be fun at times. Don't rule out crank baits and spinner baits, I have gotten halibut on those also. __________________ Tight Lines, Sammy

03-21-2008, 09:32 PM	#11
Sammy Junior Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ponchatoula Posts: 17	http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop-shot.html I place the sinker at about 14-18 inches below the bait. Use a very slow twitching retrieve, bouncing it on the bottom. Good luck. __________________ Tight Lines, Sammy

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03-18-2008, 06:12 PM	#2
Dave I. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 51	Hey, if no one has anything, i would look at a MedHeavy or heavy Berkley Lightning Rod from walmat, good rods for about $60. An Abu 5500c3 would be a decent reel to match it with , About $130 total. Spool with 50lb braid. Maybe not that cheap but it will work for less than half the price of the combo's you listed. Dave

03-18-2008, 10:29 PM	#4
sbsyncro Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 80	sounds like a perfect setup. I'll have to find the nearest Wally World. Now the only remaining challenge is finding a place to fish! Launching into 6' waves is not really an option in this little plastic tub with no rod holders and no leashes, etc. Found a nice lagoon today (Hediondas) but apparently the city wants $50 to give me the privilege of floating a kayak on their sacred water. sheesh.

03-19-2008, 07:54 AM	#5
Adam Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 27	Just north of the power plant in carlsbad (at the mouth of the lagoon) there are some breakwalls that can make for an easier launch. There is some structure right out front and usually kelp, but I haven't seen the conditions for a while. It can be good for halibut there. Also, there have been halibut biting in oceanside harbor recently.

03-19-2008, 11:19 PM	#6
sbsyncro Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 80	well, dropped by the Wallymart today after work up in Oceanside and picked up a Abu 6600 and 7' MH (10-25#) Abu "Ambassadeur" rod combo for $65. Seems like a pretty nice deal, and fits a nice niche where I didn't already have a combo (medium-light baitcaster). They had the reel for sale by itself for $60, so I figure I got the rod for $5. I have to say I'm suspicious of a baitcaster with a level wind for $60, but I'm assuming Abu wouldn't put their name on it if it was total junk... Thanks for the suggestions, again - we'll see tomorrow night if the spotties in Hediondas like root beer colored twin-tailed scampi or blue/silver fishtrap swimbaits, since that's all they had at Wally's... Brent

03-20-2008, 07:16 AM	#7
fishdude Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: In a house Posts: 79	I bought that similar set up 8 years ago and its still going, beat it up, take it apart myself and rebuild the reel every year, as for the rod it is a great price for that rod. I have pulled 30 lb white sea bass on that rod and reel set up then turn around and catch 1 lb sandies. Have fun in the lagoon and not a bad idea to throw some fish traps or crocodiles in the river mouth for some halies.

03-21-2008, 09:39 AM	#9
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: LJ Posts: 201	Brent - That's the combo. It's cheap, not the greatest, but it works fine for Bassin' on a budget. Make sure to keep it rinsed off, if not it will gunk up and corrode faster than most as you can tell... Have fun!

03-24-2008, 04:32 PM	#12
bjm Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5	Syncro, I fish that lagoon a lot for many years. Don't pay the $50 you can launch from a few spots. For an easy catch on the spotties tie on a 3/8oz darter head and nuclear chicken colored GULP 3" shrimp. Super slow retrieve on the bottom and you will hook up. If you want to pump ghost shrimp they are also deadly there. Dropshot the camo colored gulp sandworms for croaker and spotties.