The first few weeks of every season, I find myself feeling like I've brought an elephant gun to a squirrel shoot... My mid season favorite set up is a 1088 or 1265 with a VS200, 704Z, or Okuma epixor.

So before the bigger fish arrive, what is your favorite early season rod, which would also be fun for light tackle fun during those fall top water blitzes?

This is obviously going to limit the weight of plugs/tins, but then I don't throw big stuff early anyway. This is surf and rock fishing I'm looking for. Hoping it will be the right rod to cast from kayak as well.

Thanks for your thoughts!

(Can you tell I'm getting itchy already?????)

St. Croix tidemaster TC80HF

Bill,

What are the specs on that? What do you like about it?

Bill,

What are the specs on that? What do you like about it?

8' Fast action 1/2-2 oz.

the one Saltheart made For me ????>><>??

even though a lot of people don't think to highly of them here , for lite tackle schoolies i like the shakespeare ugly stick , cheap , tough , good guides , undestructable , durable . works for me .

I use an 8 foot Ande or a Tica with okuma epixor. Cant remember the numbers. Might go check & add it to this post.

Rainshadow 1264.................................... its Sweeeeet..... :claps:

Just got the St. Croix Triumph TSRS70M 8-17lbs, 1/2-2oz. Couldn't beat the price.

Was:

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=37679

Just bought a 7 foot Tidemaster.

Was:

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=37679

Just bought a 7 foot Tidemaster.

you shameless horsetrader......

Ross,

I have four schoolie rods that I like (unfortunately, I cannot get the specs on any of them as they are in the closet in Sydney's room and she just went down :hee: )-

Daiwa Light Tackle - 7-feet, I have taken fish well above 25 lbs. on it, they don't make it anymore but have other blanks exactly like it, but it's an excellent rod, very sensitive, work light jigs on it on up to 1.25 pencils, spooks, dannys, etc. Not heavy enough for fish that big off the rocks really, but from a kayak that is pretty much all I use as it has a short butt, which is critical for my kayak fishing ... easier to manage. I fish a Quantum Cabo 40 on it, had to put a different tip for the braid.

St. Croix 7-foot Avid - light tackle rod, I actually cut the butt down six inches to make it more manageable from the kayak ... a little lighter than the Daiwa, but works great.

St. Croix Ben Doerr 7-foot ml surf rod, this is a little meatier than the Daiwa, can still throw small jigs etc. with it, but can also fish eels without too much of a challenge from a boat that is ... also have landed fish up to 40-on it, the rod was under a lot of strain, I will say, if we were not in a light boat that the fish could tow, the rod may have faced a few challenges. Faster blank than those listed above.

Quarrow TideRunner - 8-feet, too long for the kayak, but it can manage a half ounce jig without too much problem - not as easily as those above, but can also throw a 2 ounce plug without a problem. Works great.

Loomis SUR 965S. It's what I have. But IMO Bill's Tiderunner is just as good and runs $100 cheaper ;) I just didn't like the short handle on the spinning model. It's a bit longer on the casting version, I think.

Both are great schoolie rods, but they both have the nuts to handle bigger fish if one comes along. I've landed a few over 20# on my Loomis.

I wait till the end of May, I don't like catching 1000 fish like 14 inches. But I had a 8' 6" Lami Triflex 1/2 to 2 oz. with a vs150 or a Penn 710

Loomis 7 ft. rod LR844S
rated 3/8 to 2-1/4 oz
great stick, lotta power
landed bass to 30 pounds on it but I love it for light tackle


PRODUCTS : GENERAL TACKLE : SALTWATER : LIVEBAIT

LR844S
Length: 7'
Power: 4
Pieces: 1
Spinning
Designed to fish up to 20-pound line and up to 2-ounce lures or live bait, this is one powerful spinning rod. It's strong enough to handle tarpon and other oversized creatures, and especially good for catching small grouper or snapper. It has large diameter guides for fishing heavier line and fairly stiff tip, making it a powerful fish-fighting tool that is surprisingly light.


Model Color Length Line Weight Lure Weight Action Power Handle Item# MSRP

GL2 Evergreen 7' 10 - 20 3/8 - 2 1/4 Mod-Fast Med-Heavy 25 11043-01 $155.00
GL2 Merlot 7' 10 - 20 3/8 - 2 1/4 Mod-Fast Med-Heavy 25 11098-01 $155.00
GL2 Neptune 7' 10 - 20 3/8 - 2 1/4 Mod-Fast Med-Heavy 25 10933-01 $155.00


I like that part of the description, tarpon and other oversized creatures :D

Always use the same stuff, Lami 121-3M, Abu 7000 or 525Mag with 50 or 65lb PowerPro. I usually go to 3 ounce plugs after 2 or 3 little guys, That weeds out all but the really dumb ones.:D

Schoolies?

6'6" light ugly stick.. and a cheap medium action shimano freshwater reel... the reel generally gets annihalated after a year or two.. but its fun while it lasts...

funny story...
my wife used it one night while we were out in the boat outside the maritime academy... all schoolies breaking everywhere... she isnt the greatest fisherman, but she knows how to bring in a fish.... she hooked on to something, and we started teasing her... she circled the boat like 3 times... we were still teasing her to bring in the schoolie... well 10 mins later she got a nice 15lber in.... i couldnt beleive it.... didnt think that would be possible for her with that rod.

Some white rod I bought at Ocean State for 9.99 including a plastic reel and line that looks and acts like a slinky. ;)

Tica 7ft and a stradic 4000.

Just went and took an inventory, and surprise, found a St Croix Ben Doerr Surf System SS80M 6-17 up to 2oz! Forgot about that one...psyched! (But my son does like to think it is his....)

Now to figure out a spincaster for the kayak....thinking 7 footer, short butt.

I've got a 10 yr old 6'6" lite ugly with a penn 4400 that has been a workhorse for me for a real long time.
Never caught a fish over 20# on it, but had some real big ones on for a long time.
It is a truly beautiful setup that I paid $64 (for the reel only) in 1997.
The rod was given to me by an old freshwater fishing buddy that broke my really expensive (at the time $80) one piece Browning.
I love it!
LOL,
Bomba

factory lami XS 81 MS 8' 1/2 - 2 oz 10-17 lb test

SMB842F

Lami GW84ML (10-17 test, 3/8-3/4 oz)- light as a feather so you can go all day, throws little swimmers well, has the backbone for 20 lbers. I don't know if they make it anymore - I found blanks on clearance for $28 a pop and bought them out. I've been giving them to nephews etc when I get them out there in the spring for the first bass of their lives (a great rod for kids)

7' Ugly stick w/a Penn 4400 and a 8' Tica w/a Stradic 4000. Favorite go to rods for early schoolies from the boat.

Lami xs71ms with 100 vs I use this early, all summer, and late. Use the bigger outfit when the cows are running.

my favoritre is an old snook rod that was originaly bought out of jerry sylvester's shop back in the 50's. its a noodle but can hum a cocohoe minnoe to the moon.

7 feet- rated 3/4 to 2 ounces....

St. Croix Ben Doerr 8'6" - Great little rod that will handle a decent fish too

TIS80MF St.Croix Tidemaster. I will also have a couple of custom rods built on Steelhead Blanks.

GLoomis SUR962S; (8') 1/4- 1&1/2. Sensi to the max but has surprising backbone to put up a fight against a rogue cow....paired w/ VS150, 710z or Sustain.

Snoopy rod..:faga:

8'2'' loomis greenwater 150vs,lite weight jig heads 1/2 oz.can take a keeper size fish if your lucky when fishing for schoolies.

The old white 7' team daiwa in ML. The 7' St Croix BEn Doer surf in ML. Both great little rods