Rod/Reel for surf and pier fishing?

I have a Daiwa 4000C spinning reel and an 8ft medium action rod to use.
Should I get a 10ft or longer rod for the surf? (want to cast far)
Should I get a shorter rod for use on the pier?
Dont do much sal****er fishing except on vacations...
Any websites for learning how to cast further would be helpfull too.
Thanks!
Rob

Try practicing to learn to cast farther. Purchase a dummy plug and go to a
field and just practice. A longer rod will help you throw farther. You may
have to use a two hand cast with a long surf rod. A shorter rod is not
necessary for pier fishing but may help if it is stiffer to lift the fish to
the top. I use a 7 foot medium heavy action rod and catch 4 and 5 LB reds
off an old bridge. The distant between top of pier and water is 20 plus
feet. I use a 36 inch round crab net to lift heavy fish to the top of the
bridge so a stiffer rod is not necessary.

Sarge

In article ,
(ROBMURR) wrote:

Any websites for learning how to cast further would be helpfull too.

Check out this post and others on this message board for Florida Surf
Fishing.

http://floridasurffishing.com/cgi-bi...teboards/gowge
archives.cgi?read=59426#59426

My budy in Jax is a surf angler and a 10 ft rod is the minimum I think
he would have. I guess it may depend on the local conditions.

The pier rod would be shorter. You are already out where you would be
casting a surf rod. The length would be diffifult to handle but more you
would not want that lever trying to get a large fish up the distance to
the pier. You also have less room to move so a stout rod you can put
some pressure on is a must.

good fishing,

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site and forums at http://flatsfisher.com

ROBMURR wrote:
I have a Daiwa 4000C spinning reel and an 8ft medium action rod to use.
Should I get a 10ft or longer rod for the surf? (want to cast far)
Should I get a shorter rod for use on the pier?

Learn to cast with a longer tail. Let the lure/bait hang down to the reel.
The extra length will create more centrifugal force. A longer rod will do the
same but will weigh more and create more wind resistance. Cast aerodynamic
lures to get more distance. A 5" rebel aint going too far no matter what you
use but something like a Gibbs Darter will soar.


Any websites for learning how to cast further would be helpfull too.

Look up one of Ron Arra's books or videos.


--
Sphynx

In article you write:
ROBMURR wrote:
I have a Daiwa 4000C spinning reel and an 8ft medium action rod to use.
Should I get a 10ft or longer rod for the surf? (want to cast far)
Should I get a shorter rod for use on the pier?

Learn to cast with a longer tail. Let the lure/bait hang down to the reel.
The extra length will create more centrifugal force. A longer rod will do the
same but will weigh more and create more wind resistance. Cast aerodynamic
lures to get more distance. A 5" rebel aint going too far no matter what you
use but something like a Gibbs Darter will soar.

Any websites for learning how to cast further would be helpfull too.

Look up one of Ron Arra's books or videos.
--
Sphynx


Line weight can help/hurt your distance too. For most shore fishing
I've found 10 or 12 pound test to be more than enough and mostly use
6 or 8 unless theres a concern of loosing a fish due to abrasion on
rocks and such. With 10 pound line and a 1-2 ounce weight you should
really be able to do some distance with your 8 ft rod. I never got
comfortable with the long tail the other post mentioned but he's
right. Only guys who usually outcast me usually hang out more leader
than I do. So looks like time to go practice your casting technique,
with a bait or lure attached, of course..:-)
good fishing,

-Steve
--

**** Clinton: Non Gratum Anum Rodentum ****

In article ,
(Steve Pickett) writes:

For most shore fishing
I've found 10 or 12 pound test to be more than enough and mostly use
6 or 8 unless theres a concern of loosing a fish due to abrasion on
rocks and such.

To cast as far as possible and protect your line from abrasion, always
use a shock leader. Take a length of 40 or 50 pound mono long enough
to run up your rod and take a few turns around the reel, and tie it to your
15 or 20 pound main line with an Albright special knot.

It takes some time to tie a good Albright knot, but you can put a lot more
muscle into your cast without breaking the end of the line. If it breaks, you
probably can't fix it until you get home. You may eventually find that you
can use heavier line, and just not cast as far, and lower your expectations.

Regards,
Cliff





Fishing: "a sport surrounded entirely by liars in old clothes"

"CKLINERT" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Steve Pickett) writes:

For most shore fishing
I've found 10 or 12 pound test to be more than enough and mostly use
6 or 8 unless theres a concern of loosing a fish due to abrasion on
rocks and such.

To cast as far as possible and protect your line from abrasion, always
use a shock leader. Take a length of 40 or 50 pound mono long enough
to run up your rod and take a few turns around the reel, and tie it to
your
15 or 20 pound main line with an Albright special knot.

It takes some time to tie a good Albright knot, but you can put a lot
more
muscle into your cast without breaking the end of the line. If it breaks,
you
probably can't fix it until you get home. You may eventually find that
you
can use heavier line, and just not cast as far, and lower your
expectations.

Regards,
Cliff

For surf, try a 10' to 13' medium action rod. For a reel, look for something
with a lot of ball bearings. *Breakaway* line is good as 50 pound test is
only .55 in diameter and 20 pound is downright miniscule. And try not to
cast into the wind!
Biggie




Fishing: "a sport surrounded entirely by liars in old clothes"

I've been surf fishing for 50 years. A 10' rod is the bare minimum you want
to use if you seriously want to fish. 8ft rod is about the max for pier
fishing.
"Sphynx" wrote in message
m...
ROBMURR wrote:
I have a Daiwa 4000C spinning reel and an 8ft medium action rod to use.
Should I get a 10ft or longer rod for the surf? (want to cast far)
Should I get a shorter rod for use on the pier?

Learn to cast with a longer tail. Let the lure/bait hang down to the reel.
The extra length will create more centrifugal force. A longer rod will do
the
same but will weigh more and create more wind resistance. Cast aerodynamic
lures to get more distance. A 5" rebel aint going too far no matter what
you
use but something like a Gibbs Darter will soar.


Any websites for learning how to cast further would be helpfull too.

Look up one of Ron Arra's books or videos.


--
Sphynx

Marvin Murphy wrote:
I've been surf fishing for 50 years. A 10' rod is the bare minimum you want
to use if you seriously want to fish. 8ft rod is about the max for pier
fishing.

Competent casters (not to say that you're not) will do fine with a rod under
10 feet in length. Proper casting technique is so much more important than rod
length, and most casters don't have it. I have seen guys with 9' rods outcast
others with big sticks, simply because of better casting skills.

Application comes into play as well. If you're casting bait, only a few times
a night, then a longer rod can make up for flaws in technique.
If you are fishing lures and casting all night, stay away from the big stick. It'll
wear you out too quickly. Also the longer the rod, the more wind resistence
will come into play, slowing your delivery. Too many people are obsessed
with the idea that a long rod is necessary in the surf.

The centrifugal force that increases with a longer rod can be made up for with
learning to cast with the lure hanging down longer from the rod tip. Distance casters
do this for extra advantage even with long sticks not meant for fishing. In
fishing applications the reduced weight of the moderately sized rod will be
appreciated more by the caster.

The length of rod debate will go on forever but many great surfcasters have
gone decades fishing without a telephone pole in their arsenal.

--
Sphynx

Steve Pickett wrote:
Line weight can help/hurt your distance too. For most shore fishing
I've found 10 or 12 pound test to be more than enough and mostly use
6 or 8 unless theres a concern of loosing a fish due to abrasion on
rocks and such. With 10 pound line and a 1-2 ounce weight you should
really be able to do some distance with your 8 ft rod. I never got
comfortable with the long tail the other post mentioned but he's
right. Only guys who usually outcast me usually hang out more leader
than I do. So looks like time to go practice your casting technique,
with a bait or lure attached, of course..:-)
good fishing,

-Steve


The smaller diameter line will add distance but the size and species
of fish you are going after will come into play as well. 10 or 12 lb test
is plain suicide for stripers, blues and even weakfish right now, since
there are so many biggies this year. And in rocky water, it's just too
weak. If you're hunting for a trophy, don't do it with such light line.
You don't hunt bear with a pellet gun and you don't chase 50 lb bass
with light line. The gimmick fishers never tell you about all
the ones that break off, only the rare, and I do mean rare, ones that
they manage to land.

The tackle industry pushes light tackle because it sells better, not
because it's more appropriate for big, sal****er beasts. On those
TV shows they sponsor, they edit out many breakoffs from using
overly light line and gear. They know you'll be more comfortable
with gear that's too light, and therfore, be more apt to buy their
product. Big fish should be hunted with proper gear.

If you want smaller line diameter, go from mono to co-polymer,
or switch to superbraid line but don't fish with line that's too light
unless there are only small fish in your area.


--
Sphynx