Cheap set up for newbie

[john10001]

I'm coming back to Sea Fishing after a long break. I have only done it in the past when I was very young and was never very sucessful mostly fishing for Mackrel. I'd like to fish with basic artificial lures and light (and low cost) tackle anyway. Also wouldn't mind occasional dead beat/live bait on the botton for small flatties etc too besides spinning/jigging.

Just wondering what you would recommend as an all round set up for a beginner rod and reel wise? I was thinking mainly of fishing off rocks and harbours etc into water that's already fairly deep and I wouldn't need to cast such a great distance.

The only real stipulation I have is that the rod break's down to more than just two pieces, e.g. four would be better so I can fit in my car and carry around a lot easier.

I've looked at the 13ft 4pc Daiwa Seahunter X Beach Rod. It is slightly more than I'd like to pay though. Do you think this size rod is okay and is there anything else similar/cheaper you can recommend instead? Any advice on a fixed spool reel would be great too as I'm not sure what reels are considered good for sea fishing.

Some of the places I'd like to fish are Scarborough, Whitby, Filey, Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, North Wales, Anywhere I find myself for that matter around the coast of Britain/Ireland and I spot a place that might be good. Do you know what I should be able to catch in these places?

Thanks for your advice/recommendations,
John

[scottish_and_mental]

umpteen views and no replies !

firstly i would say 13 foot is too long for spinning work or flattie bashing and something around 9 - 10 foot is much better

Oddly i can fit a 7 foot match holdall with 2 rods , beach buddy and tripod into a suzuki swift so unless your driving a tonka toy you will be fine
Telsecopics and 'travel' rods dont have the backbone nor the feel for spinning work so i would look for a two piece heavy spinning / Bass rod with a suitable sized fixed spool loaded with 15lb mono ..
make sure the reel is sold as a SEA reel and has a decent line capacity .
Try EbaY or one of the angling megastores for a good deal under 50 squid

[john10001]

Originally Posted by scottish_and_mental

umpteen views and no replies ! firstly i would say 13 foot is too long for spinning work or flattie bashing and something around 9 - 10 foot is much better Oddly i can fit a 7 foot match holdall with 2 rods , beach buddy and tripod into a suzuki swift so unless your driving a tonka toy you will be fine Telsecopics and 'travel' rods dont have the backbone nor the feel for spinning work so i would look for a two piece heavy spinning / Bass rod with a suitable sized fixed spool loaded with 15lb mono .. make sure the reel is sold as a SEA reel and has a decent line capacity . Try EbaY or one of the angling megastores for a good deal under 50 squid

Thanks for the advice. With my fly fishing gear I have a 10 foot 3 piece rod and that only just fits into the boot of my car at a slightly diagonal angle. I have a smallish 3 door hatch (Renault Megane) so not a micro or supermini but similar size to a Golf. I guess boot space not as good in mine as similar size cars.

I was also thinking for when I am out and about away from the car walking along coastline I didn't want to be carrying a massive rod tube attached to my backpack. Do none of the three and four piece rods come close to the feel of the two piece ones yet?

I was watching a fishing programme a month or two ago with John Wilson I believe in Norway who had taken a two piece set up with him and he was complimenting the three or four piece set up the Norweigan guy had on his boat and was saying he should get one as it would be a lot easier for travelling with and the action is almost as good as two piece now? I think that's what he said or something along those lines anyway.

What about a 11 or 12 foot 3 to 4 piece would that be okay? I am thinking the slight extra length will prevent me from getting tangled up with an obstacle directly below like rocks, seaweed as well as harbour and pier type structure? I think what I'm looking for is an "all grounder" rod, so somewhere between a pure spinning rod and a beachcaster so I can do a bit of both.

Any advice on which mono line is regarded as good and less prone to memory/curling up? I have seen the Daiwa D Surf Rod which you can get in 12' length and it looks like 3 piece. Not quite sure this will fit in my boot but the price is very good at £45 for the rod. I also see a combo deal for this rod with a reel at £55 but I'm not sure that a Lineaeffe Silver Surf PT60 is any good. Looks like the Daiwa Seahunter X also comes in 12 foot 4 piece for £70 or £110 including a Penn Surfmaster reel. That's a tad too much for me price wise though.

Cheers,
John

[pingu]

ok baggie has a megane and we get the 12ft rods on ok. just need to drop the back seats to unleash the boot( had 3 up with gear and everything)

if not too daft its where i started with the argos budget set and i would say thats spot on for piers etc as is a 10ft rod

otherwise 2nd hand in local tackle shop / paper

dave

[kajydog]

Hi John

When my mate asked to start fishing again with him, I didn't have any tackle and like you no brass. He was going away for a few days with his wife and he said he knew of a tackle pitch on a big car boot sale over there and he'd get me a rod and reel combo. It turned out to be a 13' Ron Thomas Zensorflex rod 3pc and an Okuma Impact IM 80 fixed spool reel.cost £54. Another buddy of mine gave me another reel a blue lion 70 PRO. I recently bought 2 rods on Ebay a 12' Fladen power stick 2pc and a 10' Red Wolf 2 pc for £20 the two, so you can get cheap stuff on Ebay.

I'm no expert on tackle and I would like to ask the experienced guys what they think of the tackle I've got. Stuck withit anyway