What's happenin' everybody?

This is my first post, and I just wanted to thank everyone for the wealth ofinformation within this site.

My story: My folks have a home right near the mouth of the Bass River in West Dennis, MA, and I have been fishing the private marina right near their home since I was a little kid. This marina may be the easiest place to catch small schoolie bass in the world, and over the years I have probably caught 1000+ bass. However, all of those fish only yielded one keeper, and that was a few years ago. I am looking to change all that this summer. I have a friend with a boat that is on the exact same mission as well. So, this summer, I will be fishing the Bass River, Bass Hole/Chapin Beach, the Nauset Beach area, and most of all: boat fishing the rips of monomoy. I will catch a few hogs this summer - that you can count on.

However, I need a new rod/reel combo, and I have no idea what's any good. I know what lures, baits, and rigs to get, but I have no idea what I'd need for a good spinning combo. Could anyone suggest a good rod reel combo for the fishing I'll be doing?

Much Appreciated.

What kind of boat fishing will you be doing? trolling , drifting bait , casting plugs and jigs? Give us a little more nfo .

Don welcome aboard, one other question I had before input is, What price rage are you looking at?

Welcome aboard there DON . Need more info before I can help you out with a new rod .

Don "I will have you sleeping with the fishes" Corleone !

Sorry about the lack of info.

I don't envision any trolling for the boat fishing. It will mostly entail following the birds and casting. I won't be doing any surfcasting either. Pretty much just short cast, but I'm seeking something of an all around type rod.

The price range shouldn't be top of the line, but not bottom of the barrell either.

I use an Okuma reel 50-60 bucks and a shimano 50-60 bucks
And I love them. Jackie O

Sorry I should have been more specific , my daughter asked me for a ride and I was hurrrying. Okuma epixor and the shimano Clarus. To me its a good set up for about a c-note. Good Bye. Jackie O

Don get yourself an 8' Daiwa Sealine -x spinner. For reels Tica libra it has like 13 bb and is smooth, and reasonably priced.

Welcome aboard.

I have a couple shimano stradic 4000's... I have also used the 5000 on some strong southern fish.

I love the reel, very smooth, nice drag, but its around $115... however, cabelas and bass pro shops generally sell them with decent saltwater graphite rods as combo's for decent savings. My newest outfit is a stradic and BPS inshore extreme 7'6". It is a nice outfit for $160. I target mostly schoolies to small keepers and I got a med action for its sensitivity... that would probably be a bit light for you, but I would imagine the heavier models are nice as well.

I've only had the reels a year, so I can't speak for how long they hold up. But both the florida guides I've been out with and most of the guides my uncle has been out with all use the stradic, so that should mean they do pretty well... or shimano gives out alot of freebies.

Reels that I know last are the Penn's... the current SS series. I have a penn 5500, 7500 and 8500. I've had the 8500 for 7 years, the 7500 was a hand me down from my uncle (probably 15 years old) and my wife found the 5500 on the beach half buried in sand... hell yeah I kept it. All three continue to work great.

ps... I also may not be the best at maintenance. I always wash my stuff down with fresh water as soon as I'm in the driveway, but I don't often break 'em down and re-grease, oil, etc. The penn's are pretty hardy reels.

I use a small Abu Garcia set-up with Abu Garcia spinning rod. Cheap set-up, but it works really well on micros, schoolies and 30"ers. Anything bigger and I really have to play the drag and fight it just right. But that's the best part about it......

My advice.....go with a rod that is flexible and tapers well....go with a smoothe reel with as many ball bearings as possible. If you are looking for a heavier duty reel, look at a bait runner (Shimano makes a nice one)..

Thanks for the help everyone.

You can look forward to some mid-Cape reports from me over the course of the summer. Maybe even a few pictures too once my free digital camera (Thank you Verizon DSL offer with the cheapie free digital camera - we dubbed it the beach and boat model)arrives.

Tight lines to all.

Originally posted by Don Corleone
What's happenin' everybody?

This is my first post, and I just wanted to thank everyone for the wealth ofinformation within this site.

My story: My folks have a home right near the mouth of the Bass River in West Dennis, MA, and I have been fishing the private marina right near their home since I was a little kid. This marina may be the easiest place to catch small schoolie bass in the world, and over the years I have probably caught 1000+ bass. However, all of those fish only yielded one keeper, and that was a few years ago. I am looking to change all that this summer. I have a friend with a boat that is on the exact same mission as well. So, this summer, I will be fishing the Bass River, Bass Hole/Chapin Beach, the Nauset Beach area, and most of all: boat fishing the rips of monomoy. I will catch a few hogs this summer - that you can count on.

However, I need a new rod/reel combo, and I have no idea what's any good. I know what lures, baits, and rigs to get, but I have no idea what I'd need for a good spinning combo. Could anyone suggest a good rod reel combo for the fishing I'll be doing?
Hey Don!
i live on long island and i just got a spinning setup for myself, you might want to try a reel from Penn, thats what i use and i think they are the best, try the spinfisher ss series, i just bought the 6500 and its great, also i use st.croix rods but you may have your own preference, just wanted to help u out later
ron
Much Appreciated.

no ones sleeping wit da fishes are dey ? No broken casting arms ?