Gear

[KnottyBuoyz]

What sort of fishing gear do you guys carry for sport (catch & release) in and around the Bahama's & South Florida? We're not big on fishing but the Admiral likes to wet a line once in awhile. Fishing here in the northern climates is normally on pretty light tackle with spin casting reels on light rods. Is there a general all-round rod & reel that'll server most sport fishing purposes for us when we eventually head south? Thanks fella's & gals.

 

[STEELA]

Stinks nobody responded! I'm in NH but have fished alot in S. Fl(West Coast). 20 lb test spinning gear works great for pretty much everything. Same as up here except if you are going for Sheepshead then all bets are off.
Get a couple of rods at Walmart and you're good!

 

[CarterCrew]

We aren't quite as far south but in the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland.

An all puprpose set up would be a 6' medium or medium/heavy Ugly Stick rod with a spinning reel. If you have limited storage, you can find these rods in versions that breakdown in two pieces.

Stradic and Quantum make really nice reels but if you are just a casual fisherperson, you can use almost anything. If you're near a Bass Pro Shop or a Wallyworld, they have tons of rod/reel combinations that don't cost much. In fact I bought a medium action Shakespeare rod with a reel at BPS once for $25.00 and still fish with it sometimes.

We fish mainly for striped bass and bluefish with some white perch, croaker, trout and flounder on occasion.

 

[jmas]

Knotty, In the areas that you mention you may hook anything from a small Grunt or Snapper to a large Grupper,Amberjack,Dolphin,Cuda or Shark.
A 30 lb. Pen Senator or Shimano levelwind reel and pole is a good all-round setup to start with.
As others have said, Walmart or Bass Pro Shops have some inexpensive combos as well as $$$ setups.
Bring along your light tackle for some fun on school Dolphin and Yellow-tail Snapper.
Are you making a move or just a vacation,trip??

 

[KnottyBuoyz]

Thanks for the tips fella's. I've been looking over gear that others have on their boats. We see a lotta boats with 10-15 rods & reels and I've always wondered if they need or use them all. )

Joe, we're still a few years away from retirement and heading south, 8 actually but no time like the present to start thinkin' of this stuff. Of course, have to build the boat first!

 

[Monterey10]

I think you could break it down as such:
1) a light rod for jigging up bait.
2) a Spinning rod for casting lures.
3) heavier trolling or bottom fishing rods.

As time goes along, you find your favorites. There are some good dual purpose reels. For example, the
Avet MXL two speed reel is fast enough for salmon. As the day progresses, you can switch it into low
and fish for those heavy, slow moving Halibut. For some fishing environments, the line counter reels
are essential. Hang out at the dock and talk to people, you'll start seeing some of the same gear being
used. I highly recommend going out on some of the charters. You will learn the type of fishing being done in your area and what kind of gear is being used. It will save you a bundle in the end.