I wonder if you guys could help me out. i am buying a surf outfit for a friend that is a beginner to surf fishing. He has fished before but he is from bermuda and would always fish from boat mostly trolling for tuna and wahoo or reef fishing for snappers. He bought a house in Rhode Island right across from the beach next to the rhode island school of design. i figured he has to have a set up living right across from the beach and i thought it will be a nice house warming gift.
My question is what should i get him for that area of naragansett bay. i would like to see him be able to walk along the beach and throw plugs and not be exhausted by the 10th cast but occasionally be able to sit around and bait fish as well. I was thinking of a shimano baitrunner. do you think is that ok for surfcasting while walking up the beach? rod ??? i have no clue about surf rods. i will going to the expo next weekend so any advise would be appreciated.

thanks
David

Rainshadow 1088 or 1087 ( depending on what size plugs) for a rod. Have MikeCC make it or Saltheart.
For a baitrunner, put a 4500 on that 9' rod and he would be all set.

or if you want one right off the shelf, get to the show first thing Sat. AM and hit CMS booth and grab a 1088 from them ( $160-170 )

Right on the water eh? :smash: that's awful nice of you:)

kav, a lot depends on what exactly you or him plan on doing, budgets, and type of outfit. spin or cast. spinning would get you by in that area fine. what you plan on throwing? an outfit w/ a lure range between 1/2 and 1.5 oz wil get you by fine. how long a rod do you like? an 8' - 9' rod would be fine. do you want custom or production? there are a number of nice production rods on the market w/ reasonable prices. these include lamiglas and st croix. there should be plenty of outfits to check out at the expo. as for a reel, the new penn slammer line is very nice, simple, and depandable. or, go w/ the reliable penn z series.

Slip, I find my 4500BR a bit heavy (weight-wise) for plugging.....but then, I don't have your "gorilla arms".....;)

I use the 3500BR for my plugging rod......but also find the 3500 doesn't have the line capacity I need for chunking (on Mass South Shore, anyway.....might get away with it in Rhody, though)

Thanks for the replies i was hoping to get away with a spinning outfit. i guess i will go with a 9ft. i am not familiar with the penn slammer reel ( just the rod ) i will look into it at the show but i do know about the z series. i was thinking the baitrunner because of the two drags and i use them on my boat and figured it would be easier for him to set the hook while bait fishing instead of dealing with tightening the drag while a fish is on. i wasn't sure if it was the desired reel surfcasting. As for the budget i am certainly not buying the guy a $500 reel but i am willing to spend some money on the outfit , maybe it will get him out on the coast and fishing new england. i have seen him big game fish but and i would like to see him get into striper fishing since he has moved up here.

1087 Rainshadow & a spinning reel like a Penn 5500SS or 5000 Stradic Shimano - there are many others to consider too....

This outfit will throw to light / mid eels, bombers, etc... I wouldn't throw a 4OZ pikie with it though....

David,

I'm currently building the new 9' St. Croix surf blank that came out this year. I plan on putting a 460 Slammer on it.

I had a 360 on a cheap 8' PENN rod last year but just moved it over to a 7' Rainshadow I built. (Plan to use the 7' from a yak.)

I think the Slammer is a nice reel.

Good luck,
Rob

BTW:
This is a nice gift you are giving your friend!

MNTBRZ, yes i thought it would be a nice gift for him. thanks for the advice i will certainly look into the penn slammer reels at the show. good luck on the st croix your building.