2017 Gear Recap
 

What came out this year that was really worth getting? I do not like to live on the bleeding edge and no longer buy the latest and greatest and fastest. What really good new things stacked up well over the past year in surfcasting?

What the hell do I know? I'm still using a 704Z even through I have 2 VS200. Got a plug bag that cost me $40 10 years ago even though I see $300 to $400 bags all the time. LL Bean breathable waders for $99 with a lifetime guarantee.
I did buy a new Lami graphite next gen surf rod that I love but I always fall back on my All-Star 1208.

Just living in the past I would guess.

Not sure if it was a 2017 release- but wetsox were a big improvement for me. They're basically thin lycra calf high socks that make sliding on a wetsuit 100 times easier. No more struggling hopping around on one foot trying to get your suit on.

*tiderunner surf belt... finally can make the most minor adjustments on the spot... and when switching between waders and wetsuit.

*and although not new this year, FOREVER worth mentioning: GRIP STUDS #1800 If you require studs on your soles and dont have these, I just honestly have no idea what the hell you are thinking... They are that good. i never even think about bend or lost studs anymore.

ODM jigster rod was a great addition to the line up this season

Picked up a pair of bootfoot orvis waders for the beach and back bays, things are great, easy on and off and comfortable, no more sand in the boots is great and super fast to get to the water

Lami 1321M OS was incredible in the surf and canal, rod can pretty much do it all, from throwing 1oz bucktails to 6oz and bait it handled everything and performed great
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The only new addition was the VR150. Fit my beach 10' Infinity with its light weight. Total package weighs in 28oz. Did have warrant repair 3 days in. Bad shaft seal. Rivers End expertly repaired it and changed everything. I got back a bag of parts and seals. Hope for it holding up next year in spring run. Use the rod as a crutch wading.
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After an encouraging end of 2016 season with the Sebile Glide baits I decided to purchase a special $40 Glide Bait for 2017. Cast all season and I never had a sniff on it. The few good bites I had in 2017 were on my old standbys - redfins, Senkos, and Redgill droppers for a week in June. Saved a lot of money... outside the glider.

Not new but blackfish jigs bc much more popular this year. If you didn't have Magic swimmers in some spots this year you got outfished 5 to 1.

White epoxy spray paint, put that 💩 on everything !
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The new Northbar darter. Did very well on it in the spring and it cast like a missile (at night mostly). Nice plug that I now have confidence in. Other than that, nothing new for me except eel hooks. I bought Compass wading boots at the end of the season and wore them once. Very comfortable and light. Will give a review once I get a chance to put some miles on them in the spring.
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Built a GSB 1201 M last winter KR, cashed in a bunch of gift cards for the Gosa 6K to go with it....
Pleasure fishing it, can't wait to get er going again :-)

Skonrads :)
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Nutin. What always has worked still will.
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These things ARE THE MOABS of studs.

DZ... did you say you caught with Senkos? I’m assuming that was for LMB in FW ponds? :) Otherwise DO TELL
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I'm going the other way, I've got too much gear and more plastic stock then I know what to do with. Gave my son one of my lightly used custom built spinner bait rods and a new bait casting reel, I'm down to the basic approaches in both fresh and salt now. I would like to find a light grapnel hook for kayak fishing, but I think I might have to build one, because anything you buy isn't going to get pulled straight if it gets stuck. In my old center console I had one made from rebar that I could straighten if stuck, but I'm not sure what to use for my kayak, because even standing you just can't put much pressure on it.

ps; Anyone need plastic let me know, I've got tons of the 7" to 13" sizes.

Ian - Saltwater - been using them a long time. Wrote a few things about them over the years. This season they worked very well once again.

I too fished a Lami 1321M OS this season. Mine was built by pbadad.

It has a bit more feedback than the current Lami 1321M, and is now my
overall favorite rod.

Other than that I did not buy anything that could be considered new
tech. I am feeling more like following Got Stripers and try to downsize. My lure wall is out of control.

Boat gas and treble hooks! Fished live bait most of the season. Never had a problem finding pogies or macs and had a great year. I tried several times to throw my 12' cast net in the yard and every time ended with four letter words and frustration. This is one of my winter goals - master the cast net. There are many methods out there on the interweb but none seem any better or easier than the others.

Ya, but the one with the sexy chick throwing is a must see, if you can keep your eyes off her you might learn it.. LOL

Crushed on 7” white yum senkos this season, mostly smalls but damn effective.
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Dennis they seem to resemble a eel bob. Great article BTW. First time reading it.

I HATE rubber but have to admit I did well with the medium sized rubber Sebile Magic Swimmers this Nov after Sauerkraut embarrassed me using them.

WetSox

Grip Studs

[QUOTE=numbskull;1134062]I HATE rubber but have to admit I did well with the medium sized rubber Sebile Magic Swimmers this Nov after Sauerkraut embarrassed me using them.

Doesn't happen often enough to get you reigned in humble.

Hoping for another blessing year of 2018 good health with some "new" tools. First, was a delightful "sand beach" outfit: Lami GSB 120 1M, Numbskull wrapped up for me for the 2017 season. He used all sorts of scientific voodoo spacing measurements and "uranium" guides. I matched it with a VSX 150.
This lightweight, but ballsey outfit made my late Fall beach fishing along the RI and NJ coastlines actually fun catching almost nothing.