Sweetwater Fishing Forums

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: jam170 on November 02, 2013, 02:08:06 PM

Title: Rod and reel recommendations for an inexperienced angler
Post by: jam170 on November 02, 2013, 02:08:06 PM
Hey everyone,

So I have recently had a lot of time on my hands and have decided to get into fishing as I have always enjoyed fishing casually in the past. The rod and reel I have at the moment is old and not of very good quality, so I'm looking for an upgrade. Please help me decide, here are some pointers as to what I'm after:

- Needs to be able to tackle river/estuary species like bream, bass, flathead and whiting. maybe the occasional snapper here and there.
- Price for rod and reel combined can't exceed ~$350 (before shipping).
- Preferably not be greater than about 7 1/2 feet in length.
- Must be suitable for fishing of jetties and river banks.
- I prefer to use lures and soft plastics over live/dead bait, so a rod suited to this will be ideal.

I like the look of the Daiwa Generation Black Wicked Weasel combined with the Shimano Stradic 2500/3000 FJ (not sure which model will suit my needs better). Will this combo be a good choice for what I am after or will something suit my needs better for a comparable price. I'm open to all suggestions and advice.

Thanks in advance.
Jack
Title: Re: Rod and reel recommendations for an inexperienced angler
Post by: takrat on November 02, 2013, 03:20:52 PM
Jack, there are a lot of different rods and reels out there to play with and it can be tough to choose just one. Personally I don't believe that there is one rod that will do everything perfectly but with the gear that you've suggested I think you may be about as close as you will get to it. Personally I'd go for the 2500 size Stradic. It's weight and capability would be a better match to that rod and you get 2 spools as well, so you can have one spool with a lighter line and one with a heavier line.
You may be surprised at what you can pull with this setup too, the rod is really good value for money. Just don't ruin the whole thing by putting cr@p line on it. For a spin rod Power pro is a good choice. You could spool up one with say 8lb and the other with 15lb, and change the leader to suit the job you want to use it for on the day.
Cheers mate,
JD
Title: Re: Rod and reel recommendations for an inexperienced angler
Post by: jam170 on November 02, 2013, 04:02:32 PM
Thanks heaps for that reply, very helpful. Yeh I think i might go with the Generation black and 2500 Stradic. And don't worry I will be sure to use a good line.