Rod & reel setup for a noob? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

njovin · 05-07-2009, 10:53 AM

Just started 'yak fishing last year. So far have stuck to the bays and using real small tackle just to fish for spotties and halibut. This year I'm looking to get out to the kelp and chase the tuna.

I am a NOVICE fisherman. I've been reading up on what bait and rigs to use, but what should I be looking for in a decent rod & reel setup that can handle some bigger fish? I know almost nothing about rods and reels for fishing open water, so any help you pros can through my way would be greatly appreciated.

Bryantfish · 05-07-2009, 06:10 PM

that's a really good question I would like to know my self...

taggermike · 05-07-2009, 06:43 PM

I don't know if I'm a pro but I have been at this for a while. Your question might be broader than you know. There are many styles of local kayak fishing. Live bait, heavy and light irons, and plastic are some. some techniques require specialized equipment. There are also plenty of fish species to target locally as well. There isn't one out fit that will do every thing perfectly. Eventually if you continue ocean yak fishing you will need a few more out fits, but to start out you might want to concider a 7' rod rated for 20-30 lb line and a conventional reel to match it. A basic Penn stroker or power rod with a Penn 500 reel will get you started and you can catch about every thing you can hook locally with it. If your budget is higher there are loads of great rods and reels available in the same line ratings. For summer/fall fishing most of my better fish, yellow tail are my usual target, have been caught slow trolling live bait with a rod the size of the one I recomended. It would be a bit heavy for throwing plastic baits and too light and short for surface irons but it will work for most bait fishing and trolling. That's a start. Mike

JrBasser · 05-07-2009, 06:57 PM

You can't go wrong with a penn jigmaster 500 and a seeker american live bait 7 foot rod. 30 pound blue izor line and you can fish pretty much any technique and this will handle almost any fish you run into. The combo can run you about $150 if you find deals. Sports authority usually has good sales on the rod as well as the reel.

njovin · 05-07-2009, 08:15 PM

That's exactly the kind of start I was looking for, thanks a lot for the advice. I'd mainly like to start learning to fish yellowtail, now I know what gear to start with.

See you out there!

steveooo · 05-07-2009, 08:57 PM

Welcome to the sport and the board. For what it's worth, yellowtail are not tuna, they are part of the Jack family. Pretty common confusion. Last year, yellowfin tuna were close enough to get a good shot on a kayak, but I don't think anyone locally got some off the yak.
I would encourage you to get involved in the MLPA process as well. It is a very real possibility that our fishing grounds are going to be shut down. Now is the time that it is important to get involved to try to save what is important to us. There is strength in numbers and persistance. Check out the info on other threads of when and where meetings will be held.
See you on the water.

MarkT · 05-08-2009, 06:30 AM

Rods are rated with a range like 12-30, 15-40, 20-50. In each case the rod tends to be best at the middle of the range. Traditionally a 12-30 is a 20# rod, a 15-40 is a 25# rod and a 20-50 is a 30# rod. In a Sabre/Calstar/Seeker these would be the 270, 870, 670 respectively. Oher manufacturers have followed these naming conventions (originated with the original Sabre rods back in the 60's). The cheaper rods are lower on the range. I've seen 12-30 rods that I wouldn't use for more than 15#, 20# on a 15-40, etc. Pull on them so see what they fell like. You could go to Big5 and check out the Penn Sabre (not the same as the original Sabres!) or Ugly Sticks both of which are low cost rods.

In your case for a YT rod, I'd look at nothing less than a 20-50 rated 670 or other rod that's up to pulling 10# of drag fishing 30# line.

A Penn Jigmaster 500 or 545GS, Shimano TLD15 or 20/40 or Daiwa SLX40 would be good reels for this. These are all solid reels up to the rigors of yak fishing. Some of the more high-maintenance, expensive, metal reels don't really like all the saltwater you get into on the yak.

Holy Mackerel · 05-08-2009, 06:34 AM

Njovin, Please attend the MLPA meeting if you can, it would be a good place to meet some local LJ, and OC kayak fishermen.

But to answer your question, it depends on your budget. As stated, generally, for live bait, I prefer 7ft, 20-50ish rod, with a Shimano TLD 15 lever drag, it is nice when you want to use weighted baits.

These are some nice reels too, I have a few of these, I use for surface Iron, and YOYO: Torium 20/30, Daiwa Sealine 40/50, or you can upgrade to the Trinidad, or Saltiga repectively. (saltiga does not have a clicker)

FWIW, I caught my biggest WSB on a Penn 500, on a BIG 5 $30 7ft rod. So if money is tight, that is a good start.

Chris

lapulapu · 05-11-2009, 10:41 PM

Sealine 40 or 50 ha or sha, with Ugly Stik Tiger rod, 6'6" or 7' rated 15-40 or 20-50. You can probably get a good deal on the Sealine off Craigslist ($80 or so used, $110 new), and the rod should cost less than $60 almost anywhere (big 5, Turners, Walmart). If Boater's World is still open, they might have one left.

Hunters Pa · 05-12-2009, 02:19 PM

Get to a Boaters World ASAP. They are getting pretty lean on the sticks but I picked up a Seeker last week for 40% off

dsafety · 05-12-2009, 04:36 PM

Craig's list usually has a bunch of rods and reels for sale. Classic Penns are very common and usually a good buy. Rods are a mixed bag.

Bob

JrBasser · 05-13-2009, 12:56 PM

The sealine is a really good reel once you get used to the whole super freespool thing. It makes it super nice for throwing irons. The only thing I don't really like about my sealine is that the clicker is really soft and live macs can pull the clicker easily (but who cares right, its my jig reel). On my 40 at least, I have a 20 that I use as a bait reel and spectra and the clicker works awesome.

I really like the penn 500 for a cheap easy bait reel because it holds up and has a nice strong clicker. The penn sabre rods and all are good, but you can generally find the seeker rod for about $70, which isn't too much money (I got my 8 foot seeker american jig rod for $70 at sports authority). Even at full price that setup will be primo and will land you yellows very well.

njovin · 05-14-2009, 06:55 AM

Finally picked up a used (but loved) Penn 500 for $45 on CL and a new Penn Sabre 7' 15-25 for $40 on clearance at Big 5.

Did check out Boater's world, but it's slim pickins at this point. West Marine had some okay deals, too.

lapulapu · 05-14-2009, 09:56 PM

Return the Sabre. The receipt is worth more than the stick. Sabres are only good for beating your kids or developing gigantic forearms like Popeye. But if your kids are in juvy and you've got a terribly weak grip -- keep the Sabre.

steveooo · 05-15-2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lapulapu

Return the Sabre. The receipt is worth more than the stick. Sabres are only good for beating your kids or developing gigantic forearms like Popeye. But if your kids are in juvy and you've got a terribly weak grip -- keep the Sabre.

I disagree. The guides are a little prone to rust on the sabre pro's, but other than that they are a pretty good stick for the money, especially as a first rig.

Holy Mackerel · 05-15-2009, 06:25 AM

If you are on a budget, the saber is fine, but Steve is right, the guides will rust out.

Hunters Pa · 05-15-2009, 08:23 AM

Sabre is fine for a starter setup and, as you gear up, a loaner/backup. That and a Jigmaster (think u overpaid a bit on that, but screwing around just to save $5-10 ain't worth it) and you have a workhorse setup. Jigmasters are easily serviced by novices and the Penn Sabres will work.

Bpcode3 · 05-16-2009, 06:28 PM

There are a lot of Low profile baitcasters on the market as well, Penn Sargus, Daiwa Coastal, Shimano Curado's, and Abu Garcia Revo (Sweet reel by the way, just picked 1 up, 20+ lbs of drag) that pack a pretty powerful punch

tacmik · 05-17-2009, 05:08 AM

Best thing I did was to go to Squidco. Went in, told them what I wanted to fish for, where I was fishing, how I was fishing(yak, pb, however you are fishing) Told them how much I had to spend. They will not steer you wrong. Great shop and great people. They know their stuff.

T-Rex · 05-17-2009, 10:08 AM

The Penn Sabre should work fine. I've had a Penn Sabre 8' jig stick for 4 years and it's held up o.k., but the guides are very prone to corrosion. Just be sure to rinse it well with fresh water after each use.

05-07-2009, 10:53 AM	#1
njovin Junior Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Rod & reel setup for a noob? Just started 'yak fishing last year. So far have stuck to the bays and using real small tackle just to fish for spotties and halibut. This year I'm looking to get out to the kelp and chase the tuna. I am a NOVICE fisherman. I've been reading up on what bait and rigs to use, but what should I be looking for in a decent rod & reel setup that can handle some bigger fish? I know almost nothing about rods and reels for fishing open water, so any help you pros can through my way would be greatly appreciated.

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05-07-2009, 06:10 PM	#2
Bryantfish Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 60	that's a really good question I would like to know my self...

05-07-2009, 06:43 PM	#3
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	I don't know if I'm a pro but I have been at this for a while. Your question might be broader than you know. There are many styles of local kayak fishing. Live bait, heavy and light irons, and plastic are some. some techniques require specialized equipment. There are also plenty of fish species to target locally as well. There isn't one out fit that will do every thing perfectly. Eventually if you continue ocean yak fishing you will need a few more out fits, but to start out you might want to concider a 7' rod rated for 20-30 lb line and a conventional reel to match it. A basic Penn stroker or power rod with a Penn 500 reel will get you started and you can catch about every thing you can hook locally with it. If your budget is higher there are loads of great rods and reels available in the same line ratings. For summer/fall fishing most of my better fish, yellow tail are my usual target, have been caught slow trolling live bait with a rod the size of the one I recomended. It would be a bit heavy for throwing plastic baits and too light and short for surface irons but it will work for most bait fishing and trolling. That's a start. Mike

05-07-2009, 06:57 PM	#4
JrBasser Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 260	You can't go wrong with a penn jigmaster 500 and a seeker american live bait 7 foot rod. 30 pound blue izor line and you can fish pretty much any technique and this will handle almost any fish you run into. The combo can run you about $150 if you find deals. Sports authority usually has good sales on the rod as well as the reel.

05-07-2009, 08:15 PM	#5
njovin Junior Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	That's exactly the kind of start I was looking for, thanks a lot for the advice. I'd mainly like to start learning to fish yellowtail, now I know what gear to start with. See you out there!

05-07-2009, 08:57 PM	#6
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,922	Welcome to the sport and the board. For what it's worth, yellowtail are not tuna, they are part of the Jack family. Pretty common confusion. Last year, yellowfin tuna were close enough to get a good shot on a kayak, but I don't think anyone locally got some off the yak. I would encourage you to get involved in the MLPA process as well. It is a very real possibility that our fishing grounds are going to be shut down. Now is the time that it is important to get involved to try to save what is important to us. There is strength in numbers and persistance. Check out the info on other threads of when and where meetings will be held. See you on the water.

05-08-2009, 06:30 AM	#7
MarkT Deep Release Specialist Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 94	Rods are rated with a range like 12-30, 15-40, 20-50. In each case the rod tends to be best at the middle of the range. Traditionally a 12-30 is a 20# rod, a 15-40 is a 25# rod and a 20-50 is a 30# rod. In a Sabre/Calstar/Seeker these would be the 270, 870, 670 respectively. Oher manufacturers have followed these naming conventions (originated with the original Sabre rods back in the 60's). The cheaper rods are lower on the range. I've seen 12-30 rods that I wouldn't use for more than 15#, 20# on a 15-40, etc. Pull on them so see what they fell like. You could go to Big5 and check out the Penn Sabre (not the same as the original Sabres!) or Ugly Sticks both of which are low cost rods. In your case for a YT rod, I'd look at nothing less than a 20-50 rated 670 or other rod that's up to pulling 10# of drag fishing 30# line. A Penn Jigmaster 500 or 545GS, Shimano TLD15 or 20/40 or Daiwa SLX40 would be good reels for this. These are all solid reels up to the rigors of yak fishing. Some of the more high-maintenance, expensive, metal reels don't really like all the saltwater you get into on the yak.

05-08-2009, 06:34 AM	#8
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Njovin, Please attend the MLPA meeting if you can, it would be a good place to meet some local LJ, and OC kayak fishermen. But to answer your question, it depends on your budget. As stated, generally, for live bait, I prefer 7ft, 20-50ish rod, with a Shimano TLD 15 lever drag, it is nice when you want to use weighted baits. These are some nice reels too, I have a few of these, I use for surface Iron, and YOYO: Torium 20/30, Daiwa Sealine 40/50, or you can upgrade to the Trinidad, or Saltiga repectively. (saltiga does not have a clicker) FWIW, I caught my biggest WSB on a Penn 500, on a BIG 5 $30 7ft rod. So if money is tight, that is a good start. Chris

05-11-2009, 10:41 PM	#9
lapulapu Junior Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6	Sealine 40 or 50 ha or sha, with Ugly Stik Tiger rod, 6'6" or 7' rated 15-40 or 20-50. You can probably get a good deal on the Sealine off Craigslist ($80 or so used, $110 new), and the rod should cost less than $60 almost anywhere (big 5, Turners, Walmart). If Boater's World is still open, they might have one left.

05-12-2009, 02:19 PM	#10
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,361	Get to a Boaters World ASAP. They are getting pretty lean on the sticks but I picked up a Seeker last week for 40% off

05-12-2009, 04:36 PM	#11
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,122	Craig's list usually has a bunch of rods and reels for sale. Classic Penns are very common and usually a good buy. Rods are a mixed bag. Bob

05-13-2009, 12:56 PM	#12
JrBasser Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 260	The sealine is a really good reel once you get used to the whole super freespool thing. It makes it super nice for throwing irons. The only thing I don't really like about my sealine is that the clicker is really soft and live macs can pull the clicker easily (but who cares right, its my jig reel). On my 40 at least, I have a 20 that I use as a bait reel and spectra and the clicker works awesome. I really like the penn 500 for a cheap easy bait reel because it holds up and has a nice strong clicker. The penn sabre rods and all are good, but you can generally find the seeker rod for about $70, which isn't too much money (I got my 8 foot seeker american jig rod for $70 at sports authority). Even at full price that setup will be primo and will land you yellows very well.

05-14-2009, 06:55 AM	#13
njovin Junior Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Finally picked up a used (but loved) Penn 500 for $45 on CL and a new Penn Sabre 7' 15-25 for $40 on clearance at Big 5. Did check out Boater's world, but it's slim pickins at this point. West Marine had some okay deals, too.

05-14-2009, 09:56 PM	#14
lapulapu Junior Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6	Return the Sabre. The receipt is worth more than the stick. Sabres are only good for beating your kids or developing gigantic forearms like Popeye. But if your kids are in juvy and you've got a terribly weak grip -- keep the Sabre.

05-15-2009, 06:25 AM	#16
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	If you are on a budget, the saber is fine, but Steve is right, the guides will rust out.

05-15-2009, 08:23 AM	#17
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,361	Sabre is fine for a starter setup and, as you gear up, a loaner/backup. That and a Jigmaster (think u overpaid a bit on that, but screwing around just to save $5-10 ain't worth it) and you have a workhorse setup. Jigmasters are easily serviced by novices and the Penn Sabres will work.

05-16-2009, 06:28 PM	#18
Bpcode3 Angler Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 69	There are a lot of Low profile baitcasters on the market as well, Penn Sargus, Daiwa Coastal, Shimano Curado's, and Abu Garcia Revo (Sweet reel by the way, just picked 1 up, 20+ lbs of drag) that pack a pretty powerful punch

05-17-2009, 05:08 AM	#19
tacmik Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: East County Posts: 914	Best thing I did was to go to Squidco. Went in, told them what I wanted to fish for, where I was fishing, how I was fishing(yak, pb, however you are fishing) Told them how much I had to spend. They will not steer you wrong. Great shop and great people. They know their stuff.

05-17-2009, 10:08 AM	#20
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	The Penn Sabre should work fine. I've had a Penn Sabre 8' jig stick for 4 years and it's held up o.k., but the guides are very prone to corrosion. Just be sure to rinse it well with fresh water after each use.