I'm new to fishing with eels and I have an older lamiglas which is about 11 1/2' long - Model No. SB1363M.

I was wondering if this would be a good rod to use?...

I'm hoping to put together a decent setup exclusively for eeling at night on the surf...

Also, are there any good recommendations for a good spinning reel to best fit this monster of a rod?...

I mostly fish conventional, so I'm pretty white behind the ears when it comes to spinning gear...

I'm looking for something decent, but not too expensive to start out...

Any suggestions?...

I like penn reels, and for around $100 I think a 6500ss or for less $$ a 5500ss will do. The rod might get heavy after a while, but for just starting out, I think you'll be all set.

Most eel fishermen like 9 ft rods.
I had a 9ft rod, medium action Lami made recently for eeling. I have not used it yet. Mine cost $200, custom made.
I have no idea of the action for your Lami, but it sounds like a chunking stick capable of throwing a bank sinker and big hunk of bait. Saltheart would be the guy to ask...

Don - that rod sounds like overkill for eels. I would recommend a 9 footer as a primary eel stick. Something from the more inexpensive 1088 Batson to the more money Lami's, All Stars, St Croix and Loomis rods. You want to be able to load the rod up to get as much distance on the launch as eels travel only so far before a giant invisble hand comes out and slaps them straight down to the water. Unlike big plugs and metals, there is no balistic arc in eel fishing :rollem: .

As for a rod, you want something durable, relativly light, and with sufficient capacity of line. A penn 6500SS is probably a good baseline for a reel. Others will use a Nautil, Daiwa... and so on.

didn't some surf fisherman say "walk softly and carry a BIG stick"

A bait feeder type spinning reel might be wha tyou are looking for if you plan on drifitng eels at soem of the inlets. mikecc indicated that the Okuma baitfeeder reels were a good value.

I use a 10 1/2 footer, as long as you can load it up with a weight in the neighborhood of 2 oz you should be OK. 11 1/2 is pretty big though...

I may be involving Saltheart in another project then...

I would like to put together a decent primary setup & appreciate everyones imput as to the mechanics on this.

I was under the impression that a larger & more flexible rod would have been an advantage, but it apprears that my thoughts on that were incorrect.

Thanks John.

I'll probably keep the Lami as a standalone bait chucker to have a line in on the side when I fish.

I'm really trying to get away from bottom fishing with chunk bait because it can be extremely boring & un-rewarding in the sense that there is no technique involved with luring a bass to the bait...

I'm looking toward learning how to read the water in regard to tides, ledges, bowls, etc... so that I can participate more in the process of finding & luring a bass to hit a plug or an eel that is presented to them from the surf.

Much too often its been "I cast some bait into the air... and where it lands, I know not where..."

Hopefully some of you out there will offer to let me fish with you this year, just so I can glean from your experience on the surf.

You don't even have to take me to your secret spots... I would be perfectly content just to glean from your knowledge of the water and what to look for while being out there...

Tattoo is one of those people I would love to be able to follow around for a season, and I'm sure that there are others out there with similar knowledge who would be willing to pass on a legacy to those like myself who are willing to be taught.

If anyone is willing to teach... PM me!...

Or at least point me toward a direction that I can go to learn to read the water...

I would appreciate it more than you could ever know...

You can make it work with that stick. Back in the days before we had so many choices, we pretty much threw everything with that same blank. Had no problems and caught plenty of big fish. Although I think at the time in the mid 1970's the blank had a different model number. I still have one of those rods with about a foot or so cut off the butt. It still works but is heavy compared to what other options we have today.

You can throw on a Penn 704, 6500 or anything of similar size and catch with no problem.

I'd still stick with what you've got until you have a better idea of how and where you'll be going. Good equiptment doesn't catch fish, good and lucky fishermen do.

Don,

I have a pac bay rod for sale, I think I cast it twice, maybe three times. I just had it re-wrapped - I thought I would use it but I bought something else.

Set up as a conventional - Black and red metallic w/ gold trim. Sharp looking.

In the $200 price range...I'll have to see what I have into it. I'll post a description and pictures when I get home.

That would be great Mike. Thanks for the offer. :)

a big rod for eel? won't it take a toll out of your energies?

You need a big stick to catch my eels.

Originally posted by "uffah!!"
You need a big stick to catch my eels.


EEEEEEEEEK!!!!!! KING KONGER!!!!!!!

I broke 4 rods trying to cast that rat too!

what the heck is that thing? oh my god, it is huge!

Big fish...big bait

that's a ugly bait, man. ug, i have seen some chinatown restaurants sell live conger eels.

Don,

Here are the specs on that rod.

9' 6" pac bay graphite composite 1208 blank (used to be 10'. 6" cut off tip). same blank as a batson 1208. blank is not matte in finish. conventional wrapped. used fuji bnlg hardloy guides - start w/ a 30mm ring - 7 guides. fuji graphite trigger reel seat. fuji "mushroom" buttcap. doubled cork tape. rod has a lure range now of 1-3.5 oz, w/ it's sweet spot at 2-2.5 oz.


Working on pictures now.

heres a pic