RE: East coast fishing
I agree - bait fishing with 4oz of lead will be a tad much for your average fresh water pole. However, I'm talking about a rod to cast artificials such as bucktails or soft plastics. People catch billfish on flyrods and there is quite a light-tackle fishery in salt water. Look at bonefish and tarpon in the tropics. I'll have a Penn 50VSW, Senator 9/0, two 4/0s and an 8500SS spinning outfit onboard and always have an 8-pound outfit at the ready. On the way in it's great to cast bucktails at the rocks on the jetties or at bridge pilings at night. When you have a school of 3lb bluefish busting on the surface, you just cast into the fray and have some fun. I always keep a light-tackle rod with me for just such an occasion. Catching weakfish on bucktails, FinnS or Bass Assassins is perfect work for a fresh water bass rod.