Basically. If it is too fast of an action the treble hooks will consistently rip out of the fish, and if is too slow you won't be able to set the hook hard enough to punch through a halibut's mouth. Moderate or Mod fast may seem to be slow, but they actually have the best blend of hook setting power and "cushioning" to prevent the hooks from ripping out. They also load up and cast the Lucky Crafts the better than other rods.Originally Posted by Justl1keRaven
I currently use a Calypso Beach Comber BCH-370/B Heavy Spinning Reel. 4.5:1 Ratio,
3 Stainless Steel Bearing Drive, 15/325 17/290 20/240 lb/yds. It's attached to a 8 feet rod, with a 15lb line. Do you think that is decent for surf fishing? I have caught almost everything that has bit on it--it never ripped out of a mouth.
Oh, here is the link to it http://www.gofishin.com/index.cgi?&s...=59421&cat=151
What are the specifics on the rod? That is more important than the reel for tossing the LC. Looking at the reel, I am guessing that your rod is going to be rated for 15-30lb line and 1oz-4oz. If that's the case, the rod is probably why you can't cast the LC very well.
The reel will work ok for the LC, but it is a lot bigger than you need it to be. It's much better suited to pier fishing or shark fishing from the beach than tossing the LC, and definitely won't work well for dropshotting with 15lb line. The whole combo you have is probably pretty heavy too, and that isn't the best for a technique that requires you to cast all day.
Basically, your reel and probably the rod are a lot better suited to soaking bait for sharks/rays from the surf than casting LCs for halibut. So, it's good for one type of surf fishing but not another. Not saying you can't toss the LC, just saying it's going to be more difficult and potentially less rewarding than if you used the right gear.
Maybe just a slightly high capacity.
You may want to try a reel with a bit less line on it and switch out to 12lb line. If you put 12lb line on a reel suited for 325 yards of 15lb, you might end up with 400 yards of 12lb line on your reel when you only need 150 yards of of 12lb max. This means not only are you casting extra unecessary weight all day tiring your arms out quicker, but you might be wasting some line you never get to use before it goes bad or crusty. Also, it will cost you more than twice as much as necessary to fill the spool.
Remember, your complaint was distance with the lure. To get it out there farther, you can decrease line diameter.
Most of the time when somebody chooses a lure, they will have to then build a correctly functioning setup to fish the lure accordingly.
That is the problem I find in this sport. I love and own tons of different lures, but I hardly have enough different setups to handle them all correctly. When you do match the setup to the lure, it can help bigtime to increase your catch ratio. Even changing something as small as the size and weight or hook size of the lure may work best with a completely different rod and reel.
For now, I would put 200 yards of 12lb "Ande" clear monofiliment line on your current rod and reel, and give it a try. Couldn't hurt. Spool of 1000 yards available at walmart for $10. Once you get a halibut and you know you enjoy catching them with the lure, I and many others here would seriously suggest looking into a more suitable setup. This does not mean you have to spend big bucks. You can get some pretty reasonable gear used and new at good prices as others have stated.
Last edited by tacklejunkie; 08-03-2009 at 04:49 PM.
Would the 3lb difference from 15lb to 12lb allow the line to snap more easily and therefore losing the LC? I normally use the rod now for shark fishing and it so far has been pretty rewarding.
Assuming my spending limit is from $100-$200 max ($200.00 is really pushing it). Could I get really decent/nice gears for LC fishing?
In addition, if I were to ask anyone for help in person for shopping, would anyone be able to? I can offer compensation.
1. Not if you set the drag correctly. 12lb is worth it because of the improved casting distance. Nearly all guys who toss the LC use 12lb or 10lb, so it definitely works.
2. Definitely. There are quite a few decent $100 rods and $100 reels to be had in this economy. $150 is good enough with ebay and a little bargain hunting.
3. I'll help out free of charge. Finding good deals on gear isn't hard for me, and I like to help people.
like i said bro get a shimano corvalus brand new at sport challet for 80 bucks and got to wal mart and pick you out a nice 6'6" or 7' medium action rod and spool that reel with 10lb line and ull be good to go. i use 6lb for drop shotting and caught 2 19" halis on 2lb test in the harbor.
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