Chapter 1 - Which Fishing Tackle For You?

The average person who first takes up salt-water fishing seriously is usually a pretty confused individual. He sees so many rods, reels, lures and lines in a fishing-tackle store that he becomes bewildered. Which salt-water fishing outfit is the best and which one should he choose for the fishing he wants to do?

Through the years I have recommended fishing outfits for many salt-water fishing novices. I have found that many of them approach the sport with the mistaken notion that one outfit can be used for all their salt-water fishing. This, of course, is not true and that is why you will find a wide variety of rods, reels and lines being made and sold for saltwater fishing.

However, if you know in advance what type of fishing you like best to do, you will be in a better position to choose the proper outfit for such angling. For example, will most of your fishing be done on the bottom of the sea, with bait and from boats, bridges, piers or the shore? If so, then a salt-water bottom-fishing rod and reel will be the most practical and effective for this type of fishing.

For bottom fishing a boat, bay or pier reel such as this Ocean City reel is ideal.

Salt-water bottom rods usually come in one or two pieces and are often called "boat" rods or "pier" rods. The shorter, lighter ones are also called "weakfish" and "flounder" or "bay" rods. Most bottom-fishing rods run from 5 to 7 ft. in over-all length. Shorter, lighter rods are best when the fish are small, the water shallow and the currents not too strong to make light sinkers impractical. Heavier, longer and stiffer rods are used for the bigger fish, deep water and in strong currents where more lead is needed.

The reels designed for bottom fishing suit the rods being used. For boat and bay rods, reels holding 100 to 300 yds. of line should be used, depending on the type of fishing being done. When you are after small fish in shallow waters and you are using a light rod, the smaller salt-water reels are best. For big fish, deep waters and heavy rods the larger reels are used.

Monofilament lines testing from 15 to 50 lbs. are usually used in bottom fishing with the rods and reels mentioned above. Some anglers also use linen lines, braided-nylon and Dacron lines, but for all-around bottom fishing you can't beat the strong, invisible monofilament lines.

If you plan to go after smaller game fish by casting with lures from a boat or the shore, there is one outfit that is almost a must. This is a light salt-water spinning rod which is not too heavy to cast with one hand. The rod should be anywhere from 6 to 71/2 ft. in over-all length, and it should have enough power and backbone to handle lures up to ll/2 oz. in weight. On the other hand, it should have a tip limber enough to cast lures going less than an ounce. Such a rod is used both with heavier or larger fresh-water spinning reels and lighter salt-water types. The best line for this outfit is a monofilament testing 8, 10 or 12 lbs. With such a light spinning outfit you can cast plugs, spoons, jigs and other lures in the North for such fish as striped bass, bluefish and weakfish. In the South it can be used for a wide variety of species, such as snook, sea trout, small tarpon, bonefish, small barracuda, snappers and other fish of similar weights. You can also use this outfit with very light sinkers while bottom fishing for small fish.

A light salt-water spinning rod which can be cast with one hand is a versatile tool. This is a Montague 2-piece 7-ft. hollow glass rod.

The Garcia Mitchell 306 is a popular salt-water spinning reel used with a one-handed light spinning rod.

There are spinning rods for pier, bay, boat and surf fishing in salt water. These are Garcia Companion rods.

Another good salt-water spinning outfit which can be used for a wide variety of fishing is the so-called medium-weight spinning rod. This usually runs anywhere from 7½ to 10 ft. in over-all length and has a butt or handle from 14 to 24 in. long. Such a rod is usually cast with two hands. In the shorter lengths it can be used from boats for casting heavier lures. In the longer lengths it can be used for casting from bridges, piers and the shore. Such a rod will cast the heavier lures going up to 2 or 3 oz. The medium-weight spinning outfit can also be used for bottom fishing for smaller species in shallow water and with the lighter sinkers going from 2 to 6 oz. The larger salt-water spinning reels holding anywhere from 150 to 300 yds. of monofilament line testing from 15 to 30 lbs. are used with the rods mentioned above. With medium-weight spinning outfits you can catch many game fish and bottom fish going up to 50 lbs. or so in both northern and southern waters.

When it comes to choosing surf-fishing tackle there are two kind of outfits available. One is the spinning rod and reel and the other is the conventional surf rod and revolving-spool reel. Which should you get? Well, the beginner who has never used any surf-fishing tackle is better off with a spinning rod and reel made specifically for this type of fishing. You can learn how to cast and use such an outfit in a very short time compared to the time it takes to master the more difficult conventional outfit.

Surf-fishing spinning rods are usually divided into three classes: light, medium and heavy. The light rods range from 7½ to 9½ ft. and handle lures up to about 2 oz. They are usually used with monofilament lines testing about 10 or 12 lbs. In the surf, this is a good outfit for catching small fish such as school striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, whiting or king-fish and croakers.

The medium-weight surf spinning rod runs from about 8 to 10 ft. in over-all length. This rod will generally handle lures ranging from 1 to 4 oz. in weight. It is used with lines testing anywhere from 12 to 20 lbs. If you can afford only one surf spinning rod this is the one to get. It is the nearest thing to an all-around surf-fishing rig and can handle most of the fish found in surf.

Finally, we have the heavyweight surf spinning rod which may run from 9 to 12 ft. or longer in over-all length. Such a heavy rod will handle almost any lure made for surf casting as well as heavy sinkers for bottom fishing. It is used with lines testing from 20 to 30 lbs. or heavier. If you plan to do a lot of bait fishing on the bottom, this is the best outfit to use, especially for big striped bass or channel bass. It is also a favorite with anglers in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in Rhode Island, in Montauk, New York, and in North Carolina where long casts may be required to reach the fish. However, because of the length and weight of such a rod equipped with a big reel, casting soon becomes tiring. So, unless you are a big 6-footer built like a wrestler, you will probably find that a medium-weight outfit suits you better for day-in and day-out fishing.

A large spinning reel for surf fishing like this Quick Super is used with a surf spinning rod. It should hold at least 200 yds. of 20-lb. test line. This reel holds 260 yds.
The spinning reels used with surf spinning rods mentioned above will vary in size and weight according to the rod used. For lighter rods and lines you can use the smaller salt-water reels, while the bigger, heavier rods and lines call for the largest spinning reels.

After you have used a surf spinning outfit and find that it is not suitable for some areas and types of surf fishing, you may want  to  invest  in  a  conventional  surf-fishing outfit.

This is a Harnell conventional surf rod.

These rods are also divided into light, medium and heavy classes. The light rods may be only 8 ft. long while the heaviest conventional surf rods may run up to 12 ft. or longer. Here again, the length and weight you use will depend on where you fish, the weight of the lures you cast and the fish you expect to catch. As a general rule, the lighter, shorter rods are best for light lures, short casts and small fish. They are also best for fishing from jetties or breakwaters. The longer, heavier rods are preferable for heavy lures, long casts and big fish. They are best for areas where long casts are necessary and the fish run big.

The conventional surf-fishing reel usually holds anywhere from 150 to 300 yds. of 36 lb. test line. It has a star drag, a free spool, a fast gear ratio and a light, wide spool. The smaller models are used with shorter, lighter rods, while the larger reels are used with longer, heavier surf rods.

Although the modern conventional surf-fishing reel has been perfected through the years and is capable of long casts, you must still practice to master it. Until you educate your thumb to control the revolving spool you'll have trouble with backlashes or "bird's-nests." Some of the reels have anti-backlash devices, which help somewhat, but there's nothing like an educated thumb to guarantee smooth casts.

If you plan to do any offshore fishing you will need special tackle. If you charter a boat, the captain usually supplies the tackle and you don't have to invest in a rod, reel or line. But if you fish from either your own boat or a friend's craft you will need your own tackle. Although offshore-fishing gear can be expensive, there are also rods, reels and accessories on the market which are moderate in price but which do the job. Today, offshore tackle is usually divided into four classes: light, medium, heavy and extra-heavy. Light rods are used with lines testing anywhere from 12 to 30 lbs. or with 3-thread, 6-thread and 9-thread linen lines. They have a flexible action for use with such light lines. Such a rod is best for smaller offshore fish such as bluefish, bonito, albacore, dolphin, barracuda, king mackerel and similar fish that weigh up to 50 lbs. or so. Incidentally, this tackle can also be used for striped-bass and channel-bass trolling.

The Penn Squidder is a typical conventional-type surf-fishing reel with a wide light-plastic spool, star drag and free spool.
 
The Harnell offshore or big-game  rod  comes  in  different actions and weights.

The medium-weight rods for offshore fishing should be used with lines testing from 30 to 70 lbs. or with linen lines of 12, 15, 18 or 21 threads.

Such rods are best for sailfish, white marlin, striped marlin, school tuna, Wahoo, amberjack and similar fish ranging from 50 to 300 lbs. in weight.

Heavy offshore rods should be used with lines testing from 70 to 130 lbs. or linen lines of 24, 36 and 39 threads. Such rods are used for bigger fish such as blue marlin, swordfish, giant tuna and sharks. Fish ranging from 300 to 1,000 lbs. are sought with this gear.

Extra-heavy offshore rods are the work horses which are reserved for the biggest game fish found in the ocean. They are used with lines testing from 130 to 180 lbs. Such tackle should only be used when you are seeking swordfish, blue marlin, black marlin, giant tuna and sharks weighing 1,000 lbs. and up. It should also be used when fishing conditions call for the heaviest lines and rods.

When it comes to reels for offshore fishing you will find different sizes to match the rods and lines used. Reels No. 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0, for example, are used with light rods and lines. For medium rods and lines you should use No. 6/0 and 9/0 reels. For heavy tackle the No. 10/0, 12/0 and 14/0 reels are used. While for the extra-heavy tackle you may need the No. 16/0 job at times. Reels are made for offshore fishing in moderately priced ranges from $20.00 to $150.00 or expensive models ranging from $250.00 to $650.00. These reels are filled with either Dacron or linen lines made especially for big-game fishing.

If you live in Florida or fish the Gulf of Mexico you may want to get a "popping" rod, which is similar to a freshwater bait-casting rod but somewhat longer and heavier. Such rods run from 6 to 7l/2 ft. in over-all length and are used with special bait-casting reels made for salt water. These usually have star drags and free spools and are heavier and slightly larger than the fresh-water models. However, many salt-water anglers also use the regular fresh-water bait-casting rods and reels for fishing from shore or small boats in southern waters.

The Perm Senator offshore or big-game reel comes in many sizes.

The Garcia Ambassador 5000 bait-casting reel is popular for salt-water fishing. It has a star drag and a free spool.

Anglers who want the utmost in sport will use a fly rod in salt water. Although you can use a fresh-water fly rod if you have one, most anglers prefer salt-water fly rods made especially for salt-water fishing. The rod itself may run from 8 to 914 ft. in over-all length. Shorter rods are preferred for fish which can be caught with short casts, just as longer rods are best where longer casts are often necessary.

The reels used for salt-water fly fishing are similar to those used for salmon fishing in fresh water. In fact, many of the well-made salmon reels can be used in fishing for striped bass, channel bass, weakfish, snook and small tarpon. But if you go after bonefish or big tarpon you may want a special salt-water fly reel holding the fly line in addition to at least 200 to 300 yds. of backing line.

Most salt-water rods today are made from hollow glass blanks, and these are usually the best for most fishing. However, solid-glass rods are often used for bottom fishing and trolling. Some big-game rods are made from laminated woods, and fly rods are still made from split bamboo for the minority of anglers who prefer them. But the average angler will find that the hollow fiber-glass rods offer the best value and are the most durable.

You can get a pretty good idea of the type of rod you need from the preceding discussion. However, to make sure, you can ask the advice of a friend who does the type of fishing you plan to do. He can usually recommend an outfit similar to the one he uses or even suggest a better one. Fishing-tackle dealers who have their stores located near your fishing area can often recommend the best outfit for you and for the fishing you plan to do. But you have to give them some information to go on in making the selection. In order to do this try to narrow down the type of fishing to the one you will be doing most of the time. When you have this information firmly in mind you can make a wise selection and get a saltwater outfit which will perform best.

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