Newb Fishing questions

[GkT]

So, as I stated in an introductory in another post, I've fished before, but it was when I was younger, and there was no technique or attention to technology involved. It was much more...grab dusty spinning rod out of garage, put sliding sinker rig on it with some mussel or squid for bait, and chuck it in the lagoon. no thought of rigging, line weight/type, technique, etc. That said, fish were caught.

So now, being older and having the attention span to care about things like having the proper gear, I'm finding there is a huge amount of information and technology that I have no idea about.

I didn't know about braided line, that is COOL.
I knew what flouro was but never what it was for.
I never used anything but spinning reels until now---baitcasters are cool!
A fishing rod was a fishing rod, that was that. Never thought about action/weight/composition etc. Same with reels.
and the list goes on...

I had the local tackle dude set me up with his suggestions for a decent bay/lagoon Bass setup. I ended up with a 7'6 Shimano Sellus rod (freshwater? didnt know till i did some research at home afterwards) and an Abu Garcia BMAX2, Spooled with 30lb braid and a lighter (15lb?) mono leader. Seemed logical enough for me. Seems like braided line is the new standard.

I'm assuming that an offshore (say if I was to be going after bigger stuff, YT, WSB, etc) would just be a heavier version of this combo?

There are tons of conventional/baitcasting reels. Different sizes, brands, models. Is there ones to stay away from? or a go-to standard?
Am I destined to be paying $600 for a dependable combo? or can you get away with moderately priced stuff. ( I very much believe in 'you get what you pay for' but there are exceptions)

I'm just trying to get my head around all this technology and terminology that is all new. I also don't want to get taken for a ride on buying a bunch of expensive crap if I'm not gonna be using it, or I can get away with paying a little less.

I tried searching for some of these questions, but these seem pretty broad, all the answers I found were very specific to one particular brand of something or another. So sorry if this is a repeat post. I TRIED

[fishnfoool]

Just ask what you are looking to do and I can make some suggestions and maybe others too. I don't know all the answers, but I can at least give you a start. As far as fishing gear goes, you can get very good gear for less than you would think.

[GkT]

Sorry that last post was a lot of exposition. I'm buying a kayak, gonna be using it for fishing , sticking to bays and lagoons till i get comfortable with both fishing and paddling, and then hopefully graduate to more open water stuff and find a buddy to take me out and show me the ropes.

Trying to get my head around all the gear. what are gòod reel brands/models, what sizes do you use for bay vs ocean, how are the different rod weights/actions affecting what they're for, etc.

Im not looking for a setup i.e. "what rod/reel combo and what line is good for catching YT at LJ" , more like what is the basic theory behind rod specs, reel specs and line types so i can go out and make an informed purchase.

[fishnfoool]

For reel specs, I would recommend looking at the drag ratings. You always want a reel that can handle the fish you are targeting. Speed ratio of the reel is also important depending on type of fishing you are doing.

Rods. Bigger and stronger fish, you will want heavier ratings. Rod should be able to handle the line rating you need for the fish you are targeting.

As far as line goes. I only have one suggestion for braid and flouro carbon. Daiwa samaurai for the braid and seaguar premier for the flouro carbon.

Daiwa and Okuma have some pretty good reels and rods for lower prices. Of course these two are not the only brands out there. But in the future if you give me a price range for combo and what you are looking to do and catch, I can lead you closer to and exact combo.

[taggermike]

If you're already comfortable with it there's plenty of spinning gear that is great for bay and lagoon fishing. And a vast and confusing array of baitcasters, as you're discovering. If you stick with shamano and daiwa its hard to go wrong. Both make quality reels in lots of sizes and all price points. For bay fishing a small reel is fine. You put braid on it and you'll have plenty of capacity. For rods I prefer some thing fast action with a high graphite content. An out fit I have and really like is a shimano caenan on and old shimano V rod. Works great, is light weight, and was affordable. I'm also still using a shimano bantem that has to be 30 years old. 1 bearing, one bushing, and going strong. Let us know what kind of fishing you're planning to do and I'm sure the wealth of info and experience on this board can steer you in the right direction. Mike

[GkT]

Yeah im liking the baitcasters! A little learning curve but you have so much control once you get the hang of it. I think the srt up i have now will be fine for bay bass fishing, but i know as soon as im comfy on this boat im gonna want to get out to the bigger fish. For YT and the like im assuming a bigger size reel, heavier rod ( what lengths are good?) And a heavier line and leader? 60# braid?

[addicted2sp33d]

I'm with you... I usually prefer spinning, but on a kayak, I recommend the baitcaster because of the concealment of all the moving parts.

I tried using my spinning gear on one of my first trips, and the spool kept hitting my leg as I was cranking. It was really annoying.

Also annoying, on my first trip with a baitcaster, I got the mother-of-all birdsnests because I did not change the "friction knob" after I switched from crankbaits to an iron. It was horrible.

Remember to adjust the "base drag" when changing terminal tackle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwGNLqXEJYY

For the rod, pick one that has some backbone to it, but is also long enough that you can pass the tip around the bow of your kayak without releasing your primary grip. For me, that's an 8'0 Shimano TDR.

[FlyFishinYakr]

YES, all the "new" stuff is cool.
Unfortunately for me, some of my local/long range equipment wouldn't transfer well to Kayak fishing!
Most of the new stuff I own would be too expensive for me to take out and accidentally have a "yard sale". Plus I'm not too confidant about the durability of some of these new materials. There's nothing like good old E-glass. Flipping on a launch or landing in shallow water probably wouldn't hurt any of my Calstars/Seekers (25+ years old) or my pocketbook but my new Terez rods I would imagine would snap like toothpicks!
They are beginning to come out with some great Saltwater specific baitcasters now.
The regular round casting reels nowdays all seem to be well shielded from saltwater exposure and a simple thorough rinsing should be sufficient for cleaning. More thorough servicing might be necessary depending on frequency of use.
Rods (as mentioned by a previous member should be long enough. (8'+) to go around the bow or stern of your Kayak with a fish on.
Braid seems to be the wave of the future as far of fishing line although there are times I like mono for the stretch. Like for fishing . I'm not aware of any brands of braid that have problems, I know someone @ Shimano that gives me promotional spools of line occasionally (received a promo sample of the new Slick 8 last year...seems smoother than the old Power Pro, can't wait to try it!). Almost everyone makes a braid or so it seems. Jerry Brown seems to be a favorite, I personally like Power Pro. To each his own.
If deciding on using braid there are two caveats I have to mention.
#1: Reels, make sure you get one with enough drag pressure (example; the Avet 'Raptor' series over the standard ones!). For baitcasters the Abu-Garcia Revo Toro NaCl 50 or 60's (they each have 22#'s of drag, I just bought 2 of the 60's), DIAWA Lexa 300 or 400's (they have 25#'s of drag). Shimano doesn't have a baitcaster yet with enough drag to handle braid (I own 3 Curado 300 EJ's with upgraded drag washers that help. All these baitcasters mostly have enough braid line capacity (250-300 yards of at least 50#.)
#2: Rods, when chosing a rod try to find one that has Ceramic type guides [Hardloy, Alconite, SIC {Silicon Carbide}, or TiNi{Titanium Nitride}]. Standard braid like Jerry Brown, original Power Pro and DIAWA Samurai are abrasive (which is why they cut through kelp "like a knife through butter") and have been known to "groove" standard chrome and cheap ceramic guides which can damage your top-shot if you're using any.
Because of this I built a dedicated 40# live bait Kayak trolling rod with ALL roller guides (I also had an extra custom Calstar 6455 rod that I built back in the mid-80's I needed to replace the guides).
You don't need to spend an arm, leg or Kidney for a good outfit. Look up "Fishoholic" on the boards here. He sells used stuff and many of the other members here refer people to him if you don't mind "used" equipment (in good to very good condition), are working on a limited budget or just don't know what will work for them just yet.
I hope this helps some, this is just my .02.
These observations are just my opinion and some other members have differing opinions, so take it all in and even check your local tackle shop for suggestions. Finding the "right" equipment can be just as fun as fishing.
Best of luck finding the equipment that fits your preference.
FFY