TheBassMan

Just moved to the east coast. I live in PA, but it is only a 45 min. car ride to the Jersey coast. I was wondering what i could catch and where, i am a bass fisherman, so i have a lot of stuff for largemouth bass, and i also fly fish. I was wondering what equipment i would need.

Hoofers

You need bigger equipment than what you have. A bass rod is too small for the lures let alone the fish. A small scup, fluke or shad would be about it. You need a surf caster with 20lb test. Or do a party boat and rent a rod too. If you think a largemouth is strong you ain't seen *********** Hook onto a nice striper, blue or black fish and you'll be hooked! The world record striper was caught from shore in NJ. It weighed around 78lbs and took 1.5 hrs to reel in with 20lb test. Have fun!

BarnesX.308

I think you can do fine with your bass rods. You can catch plenty of weakfish in the 1-12lb range and stripers that range from 1-20lbs by casting bucktails at structure (jetties, bridge pilings, sod banks, etc. Where do you live in PA? We fish Cape May, NJ all the time. Also, in the summer there are a lot of bluefish near shore that are anywhere from 8 inches to 6 pounds. That would be fine with a 12-15lb class rod casting spoons or jigs. Bass Assassins and Finn-S lures work great here. You can get a salt water combo rod with 20lb test line from Wal-Mart for about $30. Use bottom rigs with 3 ounce weights and you can catch striped bass, flounder, weakfish, sea bass, bluefish, tautog, ling, small sharks, skates, rays, sea robins, kingfish (not mackerel), etc....I'll answer any question you want. I have my own boat but I've fished from shore and party/charter boats for years before that.

Hoofers

I don't know about where you fish Barnes but a bass rod is a broken rod where I fish! Yes, you can catch small fish but whos after small fish?

Bassman, There is nothing worse than not being properly prepared when the bite is on. If you do use the bass rod be prepared for failure! A 3 to 4oz weight alone will have that thing bent over, now cast it and it may break, if it does get you out there and a 15 to 20lb+ fish gives it a jerk the game is over. Either the line is snapped like butter or the rod too!

Go buy a cheap SW setup (around $40) with 20lb test and go have some fun. I've had 20# test snap many times on a big stripers, not to mention the blues with their razor sharp teeth. If the blues are around you should get some steel leaders or some 60# leader. Don't use freshwater steel leaders because the clips are too small and the fish will separate the connection. Get some 3 and 4oz weights(depends where you fish), some hooks, bait and a plug or two for sure. Do watch out when handling a blue.

Tazman

I use steel leaders exclusively any where Mr. Blue might be! Hoofers is right on, get yourself an inexpensive surf rod, do not skimp on the reel, but don't go over board either, a reel can go bad long before a rod will when you hook into a big one. 20 pound test will be fine for almost any surf fishing. Now if you are bottom fishing from a boat then get a stiff salt water rod and load that puppy up with some 30+ pound test line, there will be times you may actually have a pound of lead on it and that may be in water over 100 foot deep.

Oh yea and just to say it one more time, DO NOT STICK YOU FINGER IN A BLUES MOUTH!!!!! I know a guy who lost a finger to one.

BarnesX.308

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.

NovaScotianFisherman

Hello,
My grandfather caught a 32 pound striper my dad a 20 pound striper and me a 10 pound striper so far are our records. All using light gear so think we must be "reel" good. Runnin' up river banks all day for a few hours is tireing.

Fieldmouse

Never ever buy one of these rods if your a serious fisherman. Yes, if you look you could spend upwards of hundreds of dollars on equipment but there is a reason. Yes the $30 combos will work for the small 1-2 pounders but get into something with weight and you'll strip your gears or the rod won't be stiff enough to cast out where the fish are.

The cheap entry level surf rod I prefer is the Diawa Black Gold series reel and the ugly stick rods. The Black Gold are great and durable. They are a little less then Penns. The Ugly sticks can't be beat for price and performance. A good combo will run you $170 but will last for generations. If I didn't have a house fire and lose all my equipment I would be going on 16 years of fish fun. 10/yr isn't bad. When I'm done with my fishing days all of this equipment will be past on to my son.

BarnesX.308

That's a good point and I've had all the experiences that you've had. However, if you don't have the money or you're just getting started, they will get you by. Drifting for flounder or caching sea bass and croakers would be perfect for these rods. Same with weakfish. As your fishing career continues, you can accumulate better stuff.

Fieldmouse

If thats the case, invest in the reel. You can upgrade your rod later. I can't tell you how many times I've been fishing for something small only to have my reel smoking because of something big.