Recommend top end reel / rod for mackerel and sea fishing?

Locanfetzava

I haven't fished for a long time now, looking for a good quality reel / rod for rock / pier fishing for mackerel etc. Any recommendations?

Pref a reel with bearings and something that is going to last. I had horrid experiences with cheaper stuff in the past.

.red.

Locanfetzava wrote: »

I haven't fished for a long time now, looking for a good quality reel / rod for rock / pier fishing for mackerel etc. Any recommendations?

Pref a reel with bearings and something that is going to last. I had horrid experiences with cheaper stuff in the past.

For banging out strings of feathers or spinners?
For feathers the salt mpv would be cheap enough but a very good value for money rod. An abu garcia soron stx 70 is a cracking reel with 11 quality bearing but its about €120.

For spinners the grauvell teklon concept is very good in 702 or 802 depending on what casting weight or lenght you want. Paired with a shimano aernos 3000/4000 and you have a good set up that will last a long time if looked after.

catastrophy

If I could only have one rod for all of your requirements I'd pick a good bass rod. All of the top brands have a model or two to suit your budget.

Personally I use multipliers for 90% of my fishing. I get the feeling your thinking of a fixed spool reel. Again, any of the top brands will have a reel to match.

As an extra dimension, if I could only have one rod for all my sea fishing exploits I'd pick my century tip tornado ld. Their available in multiplier and fixed spool versions. Essentially there is such variety that it will come down to preference and budget.

Locanfetzava

catastrophy wrote: »

If I could only have one rod for all of your requirements I'd pick a good bass rod. All of the top brands have a model or two to suit your budget.

Personally I use multipliers for 90% of my fishing. I get the feeling your thinking of a fixed spool reel. Again, any of the top brands will have a reel to match.

As an extra dimension, if I could only have one rod for all my sea fishing exploits I'd pick my century tip tornado ld. Their available in multiplier and fixed spool versions. Essentially there is such variety that it will come down to preference and budget.

I have never used a multiplier reel other than on a boat, would prob be too complex for me.

paddy147

Locanfetzava wrote: »

I have never used a multiplier reel other than on a boat, would prob be too complex for me.

Practice casting with one on a large empty section of beach on a low tide.


The more you practice you do,then the better you will become.


You need to match the reels spool speed to the weight you are casting with.

If the spool spins too fast then you will get what known as a "birdsnest" on your reel and you will end up spending a lot of time trying to unknot it all.
A "birdsnest" is where the lines comes off the reel faster than the speed the lead weight is travelihg at,so the line fluffs up and jams on the reel and you get a "birdsnest".

Worst case scenario with a "birdsnest" is that the line snaps and your tackle goes sailing through the air out to sea,never to be seen again


Some light oil on each side of the spool bearings can slow down the real and also speed it up.

Thicker the oil,slower the spool spins...lighter the oil,faster it spins.


You also adjust the pressure on each side of the multiplier reel so that you get the right drag/spool/speed setting to allow the line to come off the reel at the right speed.



Dont be afraid of it...its very easy to cast with a multiplier,once you get the hang of it.



I use a Conoflex 13 foot carbon/kevlar casting rod and an Abu Garcia multiplier casting reel (guide eye removed for improved casting distance).

I dont have any drag setting on the reel.I have the spool as free and as loose as possible.I feather/control the line speed with my thumb when I am casting long distances.

The reel is located 6 inches from the very bottom of the rod,and a 1.5 feet long carbon fibre/kevlar reducer is then slotted into the end of the rod,to aid with reeling in.This also is handy when you need some extra rod length when fishing out over ledges and reeling in and up over the ledges


This method uses all of the rods length and flex to cast longer distances.

Have fun.:)

catastrophy

Locanfetzava wrote: »

I have never used a multiplier reel other than on a boat, would prob be too complex for me.

You'd be surprised how easy they are to use, but fixed spools are now so technologically advanced it comes down to personal preference. In my opinion multipliers are much more versatile than fixed spool reels.

I've used a few fixed spools and rods over the last few years but my personal preference is still for multipliers (even when targeting mackerel).

However, one of my favourite types of fishing is spinning with a light rod and single spinner for mackerel especially when I'm just trying to pass an hour or two.

It's sickening to see bags of fish taken by people who have no intention of using them.

catastrophy

paddy147 wrote: »

Practice casting with one on a large empty section of beach on a low tide.


The more you practice you do,then the better you will become.


You need to match the reels spool speed to the weight you are casting with.

If the spool spins too fast then you will get what knows as a "birdsnest" on your reel and you will end up spending a lot of time trying to unknot it all.
A "birdsnest" is where the lines comes off the reel faster than the speed of the lead weight,so the line fluffs up and jams on the reel and you tget a "birdsnest".

Worst case scenario is the line snaps and your tackle goes sailing through the air out to sea,never to be seen again


Some light oil on each side of the spool bearings can slow down the real and also speed it up.

Thicker the oil,slower the spool spins...lighter the oil,faster it spins.


You also adjust the pressure on each side of the multiplier reel so that you get the right drag/spool/speed setting to allow the line to come off the reel at the right speed.



Dont be afraid of it...its very easy to cast with a multiplier,once you get the hang of it.



I use a Conoflex 13 foot carbon/kevlar casting rid and an Abu Garcia multiplier casting reel (guide eye removed for improved casting distance).

I dont have any drag setting on the reel.I feather/control the line speedwith my thunb when I am casting long distances.

Have fun.:)

Good advice Paddy, but there is more to it than that. You kind of simplify and complicate it all in one, lol.

paddy147

catastrophy wrote: »

Good advice Paddy, but there is more to it than that. You kind of simplify and complicate it all in one, lol.

Thick oil on the bearings for a newbie who is starting out,set the spool speed to the casting weight and have a few practice casts.

Then as you get more experienced in casting,lighten the oil on the bearings and let the drag off on each side a bit more.

Learn to "feather" the spool/line speed with your thumb....this prevents "birdsnests" and tackle losses.


Practice,practice,practice...will make you good at long distance casting.

Long distance casting can sometimes be the key between blanking and catching some nice fish.


Simples.:)

paddy147

Dont forget your shockleader line too....with regards casting from the shore line

General rule of thumb is 10lb breaking strain for every ounce of lead that you are casting with.

So if casting with a 4 ounce lead weight,then 40lb shock leader.
If casting with a 5 ounce lead weight,then 50lb shock leader
If casting with a 6 ounce lead weight,then 60lb shock leader.

Dont exceed the casting weight for the rod that you are using though.



Me personally.....I put 60lb Greased Weasel shock leader on all my multiplier casting reels and also on the fixed spool reels too.

I use long tailed 5-6 ounce gripper weights for my shore casting/fishing.

Geomy

The older range of century rods are good for mackerel fishing, I have the tip tornado sport or kompressor from the early naughties...

If you could pick up one second hand. ..

I kinda got away from the sea angling and out in the surfing and bodyboarding scene. .., if that paddy member is who I think it is he's spot on with casting. ...

He can Wang em a good distance. ..

Locanfetzava

.red. wrote: »

For banging out strings of feathers or spinners?
For feathers the salt mpv would be cheap enough but a very good value for money rod. An abu garcia soron stx 70 is a cracking reel with 11 quality bearing but its about €120.

For spinners the grauvell teklon concept is very good in 702 or 802 depending on what casting weight or lenght you want. Paired with a shimano aernos 3000/4000 and you have a good set up that will last a long time if looked after.

I took your advice on the Abu Garcia Saron STX but settled for the smaller 40 model. It got fabulous reviews, the 70 seems a bit heavy and big for the use that I would want it for, maybe for a beach caster. (Can't manage multipliers).


Any advice on a matching rod for the Saron STX 40?

Looking at the Abu Vandetta, any good?