surf rod set-up

[sv]

Hey there,
Need help. I got a rod that looks like its for a conventional(?)
baitcasting reel(?) and I've never used that kind of stuff. I've always
used the open-faced(?) stuff. The rod is a Cannon, 8 1/2', Medium to Heavy,
rated for 12 to 20 lb line and has a gimbal butt end. This seems more like
a boat rod(?). Will this thing work OK for the surf on OBX?
Forgive all the question marks...you gotta understand, I fish with a
couple of borrowed open-face rod/reels, 9' long. I fish for whatever will
take my bait and consider it a good day. But I picked this rod up not
realizing it may be for baitcaster, so, if this rod is worth the setup for
surf fishing, I'd invest in a reel for it.
Thanks for your help!
SV

[Short Wave Sportfishing]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 16:52:30 -0500, "sv" > wrote:

>Hey there,
> Need help. I got a rod that looks like its for a conventional(?)
>baitcasting reel(?) and I've never used that kind of stuff. I've always
>used the open-faced(?) stuff. The rod is a Cannon, 8 1/2', Medium to Heavy,
>rated for 12 to 20 lb line and has a gimbal butt end. This seems more like
>a boat rod(?). Will this thing work OK for the surf on OBX?
> Forgive all the question marks...you gotta understand, I fish with a
>couple of borrowed open-face rod/reels, 9' long. I fish for whatever will
>take my bait and consider it a good day. But I picked this rod up not
>realizing it may be for baitcaster, so, if this rod is worth the setup for
>surf fishing, I'd invest in a reel for it.
> Thanks for your help!
> SV

Couple of quick suggestions.

Check the rod and see if it is designated as bait/trolling, the action
"Medium" or "Medium Heave", lure/line weights, etc. It that doesn't
tell you, then read on.

One, it most likely is a trolling rig - in particular with that style
butt cap, but it could be a bait caster.

Does the rod have a significantly longer handle aft of the reel seat
than that at the forward of the reel seat? (Say, twice to two thirds
of the length of the forward handle) If so, then it could very well
be a two handed casting reel. However, that's not definitive as
trolling rods can also be set up this way.

Check the rod's action by running line through the guides with enough
line that you can step on it while standing. Hold the rod at the butt
end like you are fighting a fish and pull so the end of the rod bends.
Check to see how far the rod bends. If it starts bending at about
2/3s of the way up the rod, then chances are it's a casting rod rather
than a trolling/boat rod. It the action of the rod is more towards
the tip and feels stiff, then chances are it's a trolling rod.

Open faced (spinning) reels will not generally work on trolling/bait
rods because of the way the line exits the reel and enters the guides.
Spinning rods have larger to smaller line guides where trolling/bait
rods have smaller guides along the entire length of the rod. It's
also a difference in technique, types of bait used, etc.

To answer your question about the surf, put a plug on it, take it out
in the back yard and chuck it. If the lure flys 50/60 yards or so,
then it's ok for surf and will work as long as you take the time to
learn how to thumb the reel, work the drag and avoid backlash
(birdnests). If it is a pain to cast, it most likely is a trolling
reel and not all that conducive to casting. I have done it by the way
when I saw a striper swirl on the surface off Fisher's Island in Long
Island Sound - it was the only rod at hand. :>) It's not easy.

Hope that helps.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

[sv]

Hey Tom,
Thanks for the suggestions, I think this is going to be a
bait-casting(?) rod, then. Although it's medium/heavy action, it's not one
of those "thick" stiff rods - it has quite a bit of flex to it and thins
out pretty much at the tip. I forgot to mention it has 13 eyes, small like
you say. There is about 18" or so below the reel seat. It's a beautiful
rod, so I just might get me a reel to put on it...
Now, would there be any recommedations as to a reel - decent, yet
cheapo, yet for salt water environment who HAS NEVER used one of that kind?
Actually I have used a (much) smaller baitcaster but really got tired of
that birdnest thing - I can make a pretty one though! I'm not quite ready
to invest BIG in this kind of thing, yet.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 16:52:30 -0500, "sv" > wrote:
>
> >Hey there,
> > Need help. I got a rod that looks like its for a conventional(?)
> >baitcasting reel(?) and I've never used that kind of stuff. I've always
> >used the open-faced(?) stuff. The rod is a Cannon, 8 1/2', Medium to
Heavy,
> >rated for 12 to 20 lb line and has a gimbal butt end. This seems more
like
> >a boat rod(?). Will this thing work OK for the surf on OBX?
> > Forgive all the question marks...you gotta understand, I fish with a
> >couple of borrowed open-face rod/reels, 9' long. I fish for whatever
will
> >take my bait and consider it a good day. But I picked this rod up not
> >realizing it may be for baitcaster, so, if this rod is worth the setup
for
> >surf fishing, I'd invest in a reel for it.
> > Thanks for your help!
> > SV
>
> Couple of quick suggestions.
>
> Check the rod and see if it is designated as bait/trolling, the action
> "Medium" or "Medium Heave", lure/line weights, etc. It that doesn't
> tell you, then read on.
>
> One, it most likely is a trolling rig - in particular with that style
> butt cap, but it could be a bait caster.
>
> Does the rod have a significantly longer handle aft of the reel seat
> than that at the forward of the reel seat? (Say, twice to two thirds
> of the length of the forward handle) If so, then it could very well
> be a two handed casting reel. However, that's not definitive as
> trolling rods can also be set up this way.
>
> Check the rod's action by running line through the guides with enough
> line that you can step on it while standing. Hold the rod at the butt
> end like you are fighting a fish and pull so the end of the rod bends.
> Check to see how far the rod bends. If it starts bending at about
> 2/3s of the way up the rod, then chances are it's a casting rod rather
> than a trolling/boat rod. It the action of the rod is more towards
> the tip and feels stiff, then chances are it's a trolling rod.
>
> Open faced (spinning) reels will not generally work on trolling/bait
> rods because of the way the line exits the reel and enters the guides.
> Spinning rods have larger to smaller line guides where trolling/bait
> rods have smaller guides along the entire length of the rod. It's
> also a difference in technique, types of bait used, etc.
>
> To answer your question about the surf, put a plug on it, take it out
> in the back yard and chuck it. If the lure flys 50/60 yards or so,
> then it's ok for surf and will work as long as you take the time to
> learn how to thumb the reel, work the drag and avoid backlash
> (birdnests). If it is a pain to cast, it most likely is a trolling
> reel and not all that conducive to casting. I have done it by the way
> when I saw a striper swirl on the surface off Fisher's Island in Long
> Island Sound - it was the only rod at hand. :>) It's not easy.
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> Later,
>
> Tom
> S. Woodstock, CT
> ----------
>
> Basic Fishing Program:
>
> 10 - Fish
> 20 - Eat
> 30 - Sleep
> 40 - Goto 10
>

[licker]

It is a trolling rod. IT is called Cannon Power-Troll Downrigger Rod. This
rod should have 13 guides. You can try casting with it but it is not
designed to cast like a surf rod.

Sarge

[Short Wave Sportfishing]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 21:38:06 -0500, "sv" > wrote:

>Hey Tom,
> Thanks for the suggestions, I think this is going to be a
>bait-casting(?) rod, then. Although it's medium/heavy action, it's not one
>of those "thick" stiff rods - it has quite a bit of flex to it and thins
>out pretty much at the tip. I forgot to mention it has 13 eyes, small like
>you say. There is about 18" or so below the reel seat. It's a beautiful
>rod, so I just might get me a reel to put on it...
> Now, would there be any recommedations as to a reel - decent, yet
>cheapo, yet for salt water environment who HAS NEVER used one of that kind?
>Actually I have used a (much) smaller baitcaster but really got tired of
>that birdnest thing - I can make a pretty one though! I'm not quite ready
>to invest BIG in this kind of thing, yet.

Ah - the key piece of information. With the 13 guides, it's a
trolling rod then. These are made to work with downriggers and as
such, aren't a really good choice for surf work. It's a nice rod
though. Out of curiosity, what is the reel make on that rod?

Now, as to surf setups, it's kind of a personal choice, but back in
the day when I was a kid and did a lot of surf fishing, I started
using, and continue to use when I do go surf fishing, a custom made
(home built) 11 foot rod with a Mitchell spinning reel. I also have a
9 foot rod (I just switch the reel) that I use when I'm climbing over
rocks and rip rap to get to a point or place to cast. In the areas
that I fish on the beaches (like in Rhode Island, Massachuetts or
Connecticut), it can be handy to use a shorter rod. However, I have a
physical handicap and don't like to venture too far out into the
water, so the 11 foot rod gets me beyond the surf much easier than a 9
foot.

If you are really interested in surf fishing, I suggest you invest in
a surf set up which is servicable until you get used to the idea or
begin to really enjoy it and want to invest more money. A lot of
sporting goods stores, like Dick's for example, sell a decent surf
setup like a Shakespeare Alpha rod and Alpha series reel in varying
sizes for around $40/50 - it's a combo deal and I wouldn't expect it
to last forever (although I have a ten foot Alpha rod that I just
can't kill no matter how hard I try). It's pretty basic, not at all
fancy, not at all expensive, but these type of rods can give you an
idea if you like the sport or not. If you treat them right (as in
rinse with fresh water, oil and take care of them) they can last you
for a while.

Hope that helps.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

[Short Wave Sportfishing]

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 00:44:48 -0600, "licker" >
wrote:

>It is a trolling rod. IT is called Cannon Power-Troll Downrigger Rod. This
>rod should have 13 guides. You can try casting with it but it is not
>designed to cast like a surf rod.

Yep - the key piece of info was the number of guides. I don't run
downriggers a lot and when I do, I have a couple of custom rods that I
made for them instead of using a commercial setup.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

[sv]

THANKS everyone for you answers and information! I was thinking of the
length (8'6") as figuring it might be a decent surf/casting rod. I only
have the rod...no reel for it. My asking for info was to see if I
should/could invest in a decent reel for it to surf fish with. That's the
only kind of sal****er fishing I'd use it for. Sounds like I'll just focus
on spinning rod/reel setup.
Thanks again! Very helpful group!
SV


"Short Wave Sportfishing" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 00:44:48 -0600, "licker" >
> wrote:
>
> >It is a trolling rod. IT is called Cannon Power-Troll Downrigger Rod.
This
> >rod should have 13 guides. You can try casting with it but it is not
> >designed to cast like a surf rod.
>
> Yep - the key piece of info was the number of guides. I don't run
> downriggers a lot and when I do, I have a couple of custom rods that I
> made for them instead of using a commercial setup.
>
> Later,
>
> Tom
> S. Woodstock, CT
> ----------
>
> Basic Fishing Program:
>
> 10 - Fish
> 20 - Eat
> 30 - Sleep
> 40 - Goto 10