Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 07-08-2010, 07:21   #1
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,249
Fishing Reel

Can anyone recommend a decent one for someone who's done mostly just some surf casting when he was younger, and only caught about 2 fish in his entire life?

I have an old hand me down pole from dad, and will probably just cast the thing, grab a drink, take a nap, and most likely just catch myself when I go for a dive or a swim later and forget it's there.

But I'd still like to get something that's not a complete POS.
off-the-grid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 07:36   #2
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
The Penn 50TW is bomb proof. Taken care of, it will outlive you and can handle almost any fish in the world you'd ever imagine trying to catch. It's $350 or so online, but it's seriously a machine.

My other fishing advice is to watch the fish. I started scuba diving and just paying more attention in general. There's a world of difference between fishing when the fish are out (depends on your location and time of year), and fishing when there are no fish to be found. If the fish are there, they'll often go for a shiny hook. I yanked one the other day with some gorgonzola cheese from a salad I was eating. If there are no fish (middle of the day, typically near coastal) you can do everything right for hours and get no results.

Scuba also taught me that 5' under the water is like 5 miles above. You could be dropping fireworks from the bow and fish at the stern probably won't notice.

This book has been really helpful: Amazon.com: The Cruiser's Handbook of Fishing (9780071427883):…
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 07:39   #3
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
The gorgonzola cheese victim:



Offshore victim:

rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 07:41   #4
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
I'll add: the gorgonzola cheese fish I caught with my freshwater spinning rig that I use primarily for backpacking trips in the mountains. It's loaded with 3lb test.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 08:03   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
Boat: 1981 Com-Pac 23
Posts: 23
That type of fishing are you planning on doing. It makes a big difference as to the reel I would suggest. Is this something for trolling while cruising? Do you want a setup for surf casting, and if so where are you located (Florida is very different than the northeast). Do you just want an all around setup for casting around docks and piers. Tell me what you are going to be doing, and I will suggest some good reels for that activity.
BlueWaterMD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 08:38   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Fort Pierce, FL. Texas Roots
Boat: 82 Present, 13 ft dinghy
Posts: 495
I am a serious fisherman in my mind. My name translated to latin means "Bad Fisherman" In Pursuit of the finney creatures I would say for tackle you need some light weight gear such as a spinning reel rated for 12 to 17 lb mono on the matched rod. Then a 4/0 to 6/0 Penn heavy rig for bigger fish.

The economy being what it is check the hock shops and Craig's List before you start shelling out big cash. Most heavy reels last forever if just marginally maintained, and most spend their lives in a dark locker. I have a 6/0 Penn Senator that my dad bought when I was 12, I am 63 now and it is as good as it was when he took delivery.

Rods are another thing entirely, they seem to break, wear out and just generally need replacement occasionally.

Good luck.
__________________
'Da Mule
Mule is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 08:53   #7
Registered User
 
stevensc's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Boat: Monk 36 Trawler
Posts: 679
In my opinion you cannot go wrong with Penn reels for spinning or trolling, if you want to do casting with a revolving spool reel Ambassadeur are very good.
both reasonably priced.
Penn, Shakespeare, Fenwick are good as is Stren line.
try to stay away from trebel hook on lures too easy to hook yourself when landing a fish
Good luck
Steve
stevensc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 09:16   #8
Registered User
 
Captain Bill's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Punta Gorda, Fl
Boat: Endeavourcat Sailcat 44
Posts: 3,173
Grunzster,
What type of fishing do you have in mind? Are you planning to troll a line behind the boat while cruising or do you want to cast while at anchor or in the dink?

I really like Penn reels, I have several I use for different purposes. I have a Penn Senator 4.0 for trolling. They are moderately priced but very sturdy. They do need to have the salt washed off of them since they do have a lot of metal parts, not the carbon fiber and very heavily treated metals of more expensive reels. You can often get a combo including a nice boat pole for less than $150 on sale. I also have a Penn 4500 spinning reel I use for light to moderate casting in inland salt water. For heavier off shore spinning action I have a Penn 7500 and 2 Penn 6500s. Oddly enough the 6500s are larger and heavier than the 7500. These can handle casting heavy sinkers and large lures that the 4500 might have trouble with. I also have a more expensive Shimmano trolling reel with a much fancier drag system, but it does not catch more fish than my senator.

I also have a couple of hand lines that I can drag behind the boat when cruising. I don't have to pay much attention to them and they tend to keep me fed, but not much sport.

So again, what kind of fishing are you looking to do?
Captain Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 09:29   #9
Senior Cruiser

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
Boat: Valiant 40 (1975)
Posts: 4,073
What is the best reel- USED. That said, I like Penn's also. Picked one up the other day at Marine surplus. Oh it hurt- cost me 35 USD.
s/v Beth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 09:32   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Nevada City. CA
Boat: Sceptre 41
Posts: 3,857
Images: 9
If all you plan on doing is trolling take a look at this video No need to spend a lot of money for meat fishing. http://forum.ssca.org/phpBB3/viewtop...fishing#p60570
__________________
Fair Winds,

Charlie

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us tolerant of each other's yarns -- and even convictions. Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad
Charlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 10:26   #11
Writing Full-Time Since 2014
 
thinwater's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 9,569
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie View Post
If all you plan on doing is trolling take a look at this video No need to spend a lot of money for meat fishing. SSCA Discussion Board • View topic - Fishing while cruising
Second the yo-yo fishing. Though we carry 3 rods for fishing at anchor, almost all of the trolling we due is with yo-yos, very much as described above. Very compact, the lure, leader, and sinkers remain rigged, cheap, and durable.

Sail Delmarva: Yo-Yo Fishing

With a cat you can easily run 3 lines. You don't need the bungee; 150 feet of 80-pound mono has LOTS of stretch.
__________________
Gear Testing--Engineering--Sailing
https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/
thinwater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 14:28   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Boat: Bristol 38.8
Posts: 1,625
I troll using a 5' boat rod with a Daiwa reel in a rod holder with 40 lb test line. The handle of the rod detaches so the rig easily stores in a lazarette. The rig cost me about $250 for everything, line included. Look on ebay.

I eat what I catch also, usually bluefish but an occasional striped bass. For sport fishing I use a 9 foot, 9 weight salt water fly rod. I use it in the surf for the most part.
Curmudgeon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 16:59   #13
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,249
Wow! Ok, so to answer the questions.

Surf casting, and casting around docks and piers - very unlikely
Trolling while cruising - maybe
Casting while at anchor - yes

As far as location. NJ now, but becoming a snowbird in the fall, so it would be used in NJ and SE FL, maybe Mexico, and eventually the Caribbean.
off-the-grid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 17:57   #14
Registered User
 
Therapy's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: W Florida
Boat: Still have the 33yo Jon boat. But now a CATAMARAN. Nice little 18' Bay Cat.
Posts: 7,086
Images: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by grunzster View Post

Casting while at anchor - yes

.
After they tell you which rig to buy (it doesn't really make that much difference - unless you want to talk like the sunglass thread ) Get a couple of sizes of gold spoons.
Therapy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2010, 19:28   #15
Registered User
 
Captain Bill's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Punta Gorda, Fl
Boat: Endeavourcat Sailcat 44
Posts: 3,173
Quote:
Originally Posted by grunzster View Post
Wow! Ok, so to answer the questions.

Surf casting, and casting around docks and piers - very unlikely
Trolling while cruising - maybe
Casting while at anchor - yes

As far as location. NJ now, but becoming a snowbird in the fall, so it would be used in NJ and SE FL, maybe Mexico, and eventually the Caribbean.
Given this information I suggest you get a Penn 4500 spinning reel.
Captain Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fishing

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fishing? Mike Sibley Fishing, Recreation & Fun 107 25-09-2009 12:16
Fishing in Mexico SanSailer Pacific & South China Sea 4 10-08-2009 06:53
Fishing under Sail waverider Dollars & Cents 39 21-12-2008 20:31
Fishing ! Tspringer Atlantic & the Caribbean 6 10-12-2008 10:28
Stern Anchor Line Reel Tspringer Construction, Maintenance & Refit 1 16-05-2008 01:38

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 15:02.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.