I just picked up a nice Abu big game 7000 and want to pair it with a 10 foot rod, I will be throwing plugs, tins, maybe even eels 1 to 3.5 oz I would like one rod to do it all. any suggestions would be great

I have been using spinning for all my saltwater fishing but I am not new to baitcasters it is all I used to use in fresh water before I switched to saltwater fishing.

Thanx Bob

I have a custom Pac Bay 1208 that I use for your listed purposes with the same reel. Overall it has worked out very well.

Bob - before you buy, we have to get together. I have 5 rods that you can try with that reel. You hve seen me use at least two of them.:soon:

Yes Don we are do for coffee and some fat chewing anyways

I use a Tica 10' light and can handle anything change the tip guide for use with braid it's the UEHA style
if you want FLASH go witrh the big names but you won't be dissapointed with this rod, I have at least 10 tica rods for all applications
just my O2
Link
ps fancy wraps and flaslh looks good but as far as a durable rod for everyday use
like I say with my SEMI The shine don't pay the fine the chrome don't get you home but my stainless steel has SEX appeal
link:gu::scatter::sleeps:

Bob,
Like Link said, everyone I've talked to likes the Tica lineup. I use Tsunami rods. Lots of bang for the buck. Will fish side by side with my St. Croix and Loomis rods. Sorry, I can't stand Lami, so I can't compare. That will get a lot of sneers around here, but I've tried a few and don't like them.

Is the reel the narrow or wide spool? I like the wide spool for throwing 3 oz. plus, not as good for lighter weights. The narrow is better for the range you specified imo. Try to put the reel on as many rods as possible to try out. My all around rod is a 10' Tsunami conventional with 7000 HSN. It used to be a 10' St. Croix with 9" cut off tip and 6500 Abu with sweet spot around 2 oz. and good to about 3 oz. The Tsunami is more comfortable on the top end with sweet spot around 2 1/2 oz. but good up to 4 oz.

I live and die with the Arra 1205C, never leave home without it and either a 6500 mag elite or 7000 big game (black)

I use a 1205 conventional (with Newell 229 or Calcutta TE 400) for plugging and like it very much. More of a 2-4oz rod, with lots of lifting power to handle decent fish in rocks/current. Throwing 1 oz, particularly off a big reel like a 7000, is not its thing. You'd do better in that range with a 1081L/6500 setup. I do not have any experience with the 1204 or 1201M to compare, though I have a 10' Kennedy Fisher and I much prefer the 1205. If you are near the Falmouth area and want to cast it, just pm me.

1205

The rainshadow SU 1208 is a versatile stick too.

Though 1 oz will be on the light side with with either stick being conventional.

1205, light stuff ain't happening

1201m

Bob,

I would suggest the Lamiglas. I find all my Lami's are my go to rods even over my St Croix Avid Surfs and Ben Doer's. My ABU Big Game and ABU 7000ci3 are on my Lamiglas rods

I'd also suggest that any attempt at throwing 1 oz. will be difficult on your conventional.

If you are looking at something that's less money, but still a good value, look at a Tica Dolphin TC3 as they are around $100.00

Another happy 1205 user here. Definitely a 2-5oz rod, but I dont think youll be throwing much under 2-2.5oz using the 7000 anyway.
2nd choice would be the 1201m

Bob - before you buy, we have to get together. I have 5 rods that you can try with that reel. You hve seen me use at least two of them.:soon:

Hey Don. :wave:

1205 is my go to rod for eeling and 2 oz or larger plugs.

Hey Don. :wave:

Hi Jeff - Happy New Year!

THanks everyone for the advice, I was thinking the Lami 1205 or the 1201m before I posted, I am going to spool up the reel and try some rods with it and see what I like, I will most likely be using 2 to 2.5 oz needles, 2.5 to 3.5 pencils, and eels.

I've used a friend's XRA 1205 spinner before and I honestly don't see why people like the blank . That is just my own take on it.

I like any of the GSB/surf & jetty line of blanks so the 1201 m, or an Allstar 1208 ( you can still find them around) or the Batson Rainshadow SU1208.

I would go for an Lami SB 121-3M and have some fun slingshoting stuff out. :) Some snobs would never consider a fiberglass rod, but that is their own loss..... LOL.

Conventional = Honey GLASS!

The rainshadow SU 1208 is a versatile stick too.

Though 1 oz will be on the light side with with either stick being conventional.

thats wat i got for christmas... cant wait to use it

Its a personal choice of what designed rod action you want. The XRA 1205 10' was specifically designed to achieve many surfcasting tasks well, such as jigging, plugging,live eeling,live lining and bottom fishing with bait. It is very easy to handle, especially for a new surfcaster. The rod has a category of an all around rod which is pleasing to most ardent surfcasters. This is the reason why some surfcasters like the performance and want to own one. This new year we are offering the 1205 in a factory conventional model along with the existing spinning model.

I've used a friend's XRA 1205 spinner before and I honestly don't see why people like the blank . That is just my own take on it.



I think Redlight had a 1205 spinner built after using his 1205 conventional for a few years and was disappointed in the spinners action. To stiff in that configuration. Most people, self incl., seem to like the 1205 conv.
Its a powerful blank that remains parabolic. Where a lot a strong sticks become useless because they're to stiff, the arra toes the line and comes up big when you NEED big, but is useable in an everyday way.
I know DonM has a 1205 Arra as his conventional go to stick as well

I am getting ready to have a 1204 built conventional......any thoughts on the 1204? Will be throwing plugs between 2-3.5 ounces!

Its a personal choice of what designed rod action you want. The XRA 1205 10' was specifically designed to achieve many surfcasting tasks well, such as jigging, plugging,live eeling,live lining and bottom fishing with bait. It is very easy to handle, especially for a new surfcaster. The rod has a category of an all around rod which is pleasing to most ardent surfcasters. This is the reason why some surfcasters like the performance and want to own one. This new year we are offering the 1205 in a factory conventional model along with the existing spinning model.

Ron,
In your casting video which my son gave me for Christmas this year which rod (or rods) were you using?

My Lami Super Surf is my all time favorite.

Grampy, I hope you enjoy the movie, it certainly was lots of fun making it come together with the talented producer Mike Laptew . To answer your question -first of all, the rod used on the field for tournament casting was a Zziplex Quatra Sport conventional 13'6". The conventional casting on the beach was a custom XRA 1322 11' one piece, rated for 1-5oz lures. The spin casting demonstration was employed with a custom XRA 1321 11' one piece rod, rated for 1-3oz lures. The casting standing on the rocks at Beavertail RI was the original factory version spinning model, XSRA 1204-2 two piece 10' rated for 3/4 - 2 1/2 oz lures. Thanks for your interest and I hope you have a great New Year and you must be proud to be a "Gramp"

The XRA 1205 will not cast 1 oz well. It barely does 2 OK. It is great for 3 and 4 and will do 5 marginally. Its probably my favorite rod at this point. I built it conventional and fish it with a BG 7000cl. Great canal rod IMO. Casts what I need an no problemo so far with fish up to 35 pounds in current. I think I could do without almost all my other rods if I have a 1205. Maybe need a very light spinner for 1 OZ and under but the 1205 is versatile enough for most everything else.

For 1 to 3.5 oz , I think you need to go to a Lami 120 1 L. That is if you really want 1OZ. There are good rods for 1 to 3 in 9 footers. Lami also makes a composite rod at 9 feet 6 inces which I think might work. its a CSB Maybe CSB 114? I built one for Eugene , forget his screem name now but he fished it a lot and said he liked it.

Someone mentioned an SU 1208. I don't like that at 1 oz either but at 2 to 4 its a great rod.

There are so many choices.

Anyway , the GSB 120 1 L is way more versatile than people give it credit for and will do the low 1 oZ stuff and I think would be fine at 3.5 OZ too.

I have 2 7000s both on Tica heavy conventional rods with 65lb sufix braid. Lami-purists may turn up their collective noses at these rods, but they really do work well. I have several Lamis and I'm very happy with these two. Plus being two-piece makes them pickup friendly.

I added 4oz of weight to each of the butts, and the rods balance perfectly. The only thing I would say is that 1 oz will be light but possible, but with the 7000, 1 oz is light anyway - especially with 65lb test. These rigs are used to throw heavy wood (4+ oz), storm shads, needles, weight & bait, whatever.

A lot of my fishing is in river mouths and outflows, and you can fish heavy (12-15lb) drag with these.

1205 spinner is differrent than it is wrapped conventional. I have an ssu1201m that is the balls not as heavy as the gsb but can still turn large.

1205 spinner is differrent than it is wrapped conventional.

Right.

I have both the spinning and conventional 1205. The conventional setup loads more easily than the spinning. I would say 3-5 oz works best in conventional format, and I like the spinning for 2-4. Still the same blank, but a little on the stiff side for spinning, although mine gets a lot of use. I guess what makes the spinning setup less attractive to me is that loading the blank puts a lot of pressure on your casting finger via the braided line, and resulting cuts if you aren't careful.
Of course with a big badass like me, in addition to scorning level wind reels, I would never lower myself to wearing a glove on my feces encrusted casting hand, either.:angel:

Of course with a big badass like me, in addition to scorning level wind reels, I would never lower myself to wearing a glove on my feces encrusted casting hand, either.:angel:

Don't tell me you've become a Yankee fan too! See what spinning tackle will do to you. As the bible says " .....and on the seventh day the Lord gazed upon his work and found it good except for the difficulty transvestites and others with gender confusion were having with conventional tackle so, in his magnificence, he created spinning reels and in NY there was much rejoicing" Genesis 21: 15

Acknowledge the Lord, repent, free your eels, sell your Van Staals and buy good wood (or old plastic and scented rubber if going cold turkey is too much all at once). God Bless. Amen.

Don't tell me you've become a Yankee fan too! See what spinning tackle will do to you. As the bible says " .....and on the seventh day the Lord gazed upon his work and found it good except for the difficulty transvestites and others with gender confusion were having with conventional tackle so, in his magnificence, he created spinning reels and in NY there was much rejoicing" Genesis 21: 15

Acknowledge the Lord, repent, free your eels, sell your Van Staals and buy good wood (or old plastic and scented rubber if going cold turkey is too much all at once). God Bless. Amen.

Theology and [I]conventional[I] wisdom at its best:blush:

Don't tell me you've become a Yankee fan too! See what spinning tackle will do to you. As the bible says " .....and on the seventh day the Lord gazed upon his work and found it good except for the difficulty transvestites and others with gender confusion were having with conventional tackle so, in his magnificence, he created spinning reels and in NY there was much rejoicing" Genesis 21: 15

Acknowledge the Lord, repent, free your eels, sell your Van Staals and buy good wood (or old plastic and scented rubber if going cold turkey is too much all at once). God Bless. Amen.

George, you're being added to my "must fish with" list for 2008. I'll bring the wine.

"Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they(fished plugs and) caught nothing" John 21:3

Bob,

I was wondering if you picked out a rod yet?

I haven't yet, Grampy but I was thinking of a GSB 1201 either M Or L I want to check them both first

I haven't yet, Grampy but I was thinking of a GSB 1201 either M Or L I want to check them both first
That would be a big reel for the 1201L. I had a 1205 with a 7000HSN a few seasons ago that I sold...being new to conventionals I found the action too fast and it just pissed me off.

I've got a 7000 on a glass 1213m that's a neat rod for the bigger stuff and has the added benefit that you can pole vault with it if necessary :humpty:

But to be honest, ever since I put my VS on a 1201m I really don't use anything else unless I'm going to be throwing jigs.

-spence

That's a smart answer in picking out a rod. After all what maybe good for one person may not feel right for you.