On 15 Jun 2005 09:36:51 -0700, "Don" wrote:

I'm overwhelmed by what I'm reading.

I got a 21' SeaRay and have rods for bay fishing. But, I'd like to get
a good rod/real for the ocean. I'll be fishing in waters off Rehoboth
Beach, Delaware in about 50' depth.

What is a good length rod? Shorter makes sense since the boat isn't
that big.

What type of reel?

What is the right weight sinker? Do I let it go all the way to the
bottom? (I'm telling you I'm a novice!)

What is a good bait to use? Are lures good?

Should I invest a lot of money now or just get a mediocre rod/reel?

What is a good brand/model?
It depends to a great deal on what you want to fish for. I'm on the
Gulf Coast of Texas so it may be a little different but I prefer a
shorter stouter rod with braided line for bottom fish such as snapper.
When I get a nibble at 60 feet I don't want a lot of line stretch or
rod bow. For Kings I use 6-7' rods with some flex and reels with ample
quantity of 20# line. I've used Mitchell 624's for almost 30 years and
they have served me well (I recently picked up a couple on eBay for
around $20.00. For Dolphin I use my regular bay rods - 6 1/2 - 7' with
5500's for example. For bottom fish I prefer to just crank 'em up but
for everything else I prefer to fight them for awhile. I've landed 37#
kings, 6 foot sharks and other fairly large fish on 20# line with no
problem and enjoyed every minute of it. Hope this helps but you might
get better advice from someone closer to you and more familiar with
your local conditions. Good luck and enjoy.