Best rod/real combo for kayaking?

[Limunious]

Thinking about buying a rod/reel combo for my new kayak. Im going to be doing alot of fishing down here off hilton head. I was talking with Paul and he said Lami puts out a nice blank specifically for yakers and wanted to see if anyone was using it yet. also I wanted to see what reel you guys were using...spinning or conventional. Im going to fishing alot of red tail bass (redfish) i think theyre called, and cobia im hoping. Prolly some stupid black tip sharks also.

Phil

[AJ168]

When I'm out in my kayak, all the expensive stuff stays home. The cheaper stuff that I bought when I was younger is what comes with me. A piece of advice I can give you too is that a shorter butt makes the rod more manageable when you're sitting in your boat.

[barrell]

I like a 6-6 medium action with thin tip. Some guys like longer rods. Like AJ said bring the cheap stuff in the yak. Ugly sticks can take the abuse.

[dcahilly]

I use a 7 foot st croix with a shimano stradic 4000. if you use cheap stuff the fish will chew it up . minus side if you fall out like I did you buy new stuff. either way use a tether for the tackle bag and waterproof bagas for the electronics:thumbsup:

[LamiglasMike]

Shimano Spheros on a Lamiglas *LK 7230 S.

Lamiglas makes a line of rods just for kayaks!

Check them out:

http://www.lamiglas.com/prod_indiv.php?groupid=56

What else would Lamiglasmike use on a kayak! lol :thumbsup:

[WURK2FISH]

I'm using the Lami Kayak rods in conventional with Abu 7000's for large Stripers....just your run of the mill 7'-0"spinning gear for everything else.
Haven't put a fish on the new Lamis yet....but they feel nice! Have forgiving tips for use around and under the Yak!:D

W2F

[dowop]

6'6" Medium-fast. Can't beat the BPS Graphite Series (IM-6) or the BPS Bionic Blade (IM-8).

[AJ168]

By cheap stuff I mean old Penns on cheaper rods that can take the abuse but I'm not going to cry about like if I lost my custom built or one of my Loomis's.

[Limunious]

Thanks for the information. Those lami's look like one hell of a rod, but the butt looks very long for a kayak. Maybe its just the picture. Also, is there a high potential of dropping your rod? I would assume most of the time it is going to be tethered to the boat, even while you are holding it!''

Im not sure how big these reds are going to be down here, as well as what kind of fight they put on. Barrell, u guys have been down south fishing reds before, do they get big, and do they put a work out on the rods? I know a cobia will for sure!
Phil

[barrell]

The reds we were catching were up to about 32 inches. But I fish an ultralight alot in my power boat for fluke and have found you can catch some big fish on a thin wimpy rod. I have never tethered a rod in my life. I have never used an anchor in a kayak in my life. Dont let all the kayak websites confuse you into thinking you need this or that accesory. Start with the basic kayak ,its pretty much ready to fish and aquire a few things as you see the need for them. One thing to keep an eye out for is a short handled wide opening ,deep net. It is realy needed for fluke and comes in handy on fish up to 36 inches if you find a deep one.

[Rick..still casting]

Everything you value you tether. Yes, keep tethered while fishing you learn how to hold it tethered. Here is an example of dumb things that happen,, I'm fishing in yak at nite recently, I wear my hat backwards w/ light on my head, type w/ elastic band, I lean back and yawn, bill of cap pushes down on back a little and light pops off, I get to watch it plop in water, priceless.
See how we differ,, Barrell doesn't tether,, I do,, different strokes diff folks,, I sorta believe in Murphys' Law.

[Librarian]

Do redfish get big?

Remember that redfish and red drum (think Hatteras) are the same fish.
World record is 94 pounds.

It would be interesting to see a location vs size for red's. I don't recollect ever seeing something like that.

[Limunious]

i thought red fish were a bass? some even call em spot taill bass down here

[CAPTKIRK]

Thanks for the information. Those lami's look like one hell of a rod, but the butt looks very long for a kayak. Maybe its just the picture. Also, is there a high potential of dropping your rod? I would assume most of the time it is going to be tethered to the boat, even while you are holding it!''

Im not sure how big these reds are going to be down here, as well as what kind of fight they put on. Barrell, u guys have been down south fishing reds before, do they get big, and do they put a work out on the rods? I know a cobia will for sure!
Phil

I have to agree that the Lami kayak rods have a long butt and I don't understand the design. Didn't buy one for that reason. I do practically all my fishing from the yak anymore and have for the past 7 yrs. I have never dropped a rod or paddle and don't tether anything. Maybe I've been lucky as I've never dumped the yak either. If I spent alot of time busting thru the surf I may consider not using my good equipment but as much time as I put in the yak I prefer quality stuff and thats what I use.

[Librarian]

All fish have multiple names, but when people talk about redfish from Florda and Texas they are usually referring to juvinile red drum.

http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/drumred.jpg

Red Drum (redfish)
http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/drumred.html

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Sciaenops ocellatus
Description: chin without barbels; copper bronze body, lighter shade in clear waters; one to many spots at base of tail (rarely no spots); mouth horizontal and openng downward; scales large.

Similar Fish: black drum, Pogonias cromis.

Where found: juveniles are an INSHORE fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30 inches (4 years) and joining the spawning population OFFSHORE.

Size: one of 27 inches weighs about 8 pounds.

*Florida Record: 51 lbs., 8 ozs.

Remarks: red drum are an INSHORE species until they attain roughly 30 inches (4 years), then they migrate to join the NEARSHORE population; spawning occurs from August to November in NEARSHORE waters; sudden cold snaps may kill red drum in shallow, INSHORE waters; feeds on crustaceans, fish and mollusks; longevity to 20 years or more.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.

[Limunious]

Wow, loads of great points in this thread about fishing from the yak! I have decided to go with a medium grade rod. I am not interested in the price tag from the lami's and I dont like the longer butt. I have decided to buy a real good light action rod/reel combo. Seems like the best play is an ugly stick coupled with some sort of shimano/abu reel?? I think im even more confused that before!! Also are these rods going to be custom rods, or something I can buy in a store?! Gimme an idea as to where to shop for things like this.

Phil

[Librarian]

W Gimme an idea as to where to shop for things like this.
Phil

Upstairs at Barrll's That's where I got mine. He has lots of rods and reels and you get to chew the fat about kayak fishing. No pimply faced young salesmen here trying to sell you the latest unobtainium rod there.

[Limunious]

I would love to be able to just hit up barrells store, but I live in Hilton Head now and its 12 hours to get there!
Phil

[akozols]

I go cheap on my equipment for the yak. Right now I'm using a $30 Shimano reel and a $35 BPS graphite 7' rod. So far it's handled being towed around a few times by giant rays. Now that it's getting towards the real striper season and there's a chance to hook into a cow, I might pull out the heavier gear. I have a 50 size Cabelas Salt Striker reel that I got in the Bargain Cave for $25, and a medium/heavy BPS rod that I'll use.

[Limunious]

Thos BPS rods are fresh water rods arent they? How are they holding up in the salt water?
Phil

[akozols]

Thos BPS rods are fresh water rods arent they? How are they holding up in the salt water?
Phil


They are about 5 years old and they are in GREAT shape. I rinse them down everytime when I'm done.

[dowop]

Thos BPS rods are fresh water rods arent they? How are they holding up in the salt water?
Phil

No problems at all in saltwater. Just like anything else, take care of them and you'll get years of service. The BPS Crankin' Stick is my favorite hard bait rod for the Kayak while working the banks. There are more sensitive rods but not for anything close in price and BPS will take them back no questions asked. When these are on sale, you can get them for $40.

[farfromflukin]

Anybody use the Berkley cobalt fire rod?...:thumbsup::thumbsdown:good or bad?

[Limunious]

lamiglas mike,
what size spheros are u using? A 4000? also, down here everyone is fishing power pro on their spinners. anyone have any experience fishing power pro on spinning rods and reals?
phil

[maine_sport]

The 3 years that I owned my Hobie Outback, I have never lost anything overboard or wanted to anchor my kayak. I use a 5' ultralight graphite rod and a reel spooled with 10# power pro for fluke. I also fish with a 6.5' graphite rod and a reel spooled with 15# power pro. The three most used accessories are a PFD, a Princeton Tech headlamp, and a 360 degree white light mounted behind me on a 2' pole. All available from Barrell at:

www.rbbsurf.com (http://www.rbbsurf.com)

Give Barrell a call for outstanding advise or before you buy a kayak/kayak accessories.

[Retainage]

I have been using a spheros 3000 w/ a 7' light action teramar rod for plugging and a 4000 boca w/ a 7' medium rod for trolling. Been using this setup for 2 yrs. now catching small to medium bass, blues, flounder.

[rwp]

shimano calcutta 250 and falcon fc-4-16 :thumbsup:

[Jim B]

I personally like Ugly Stick Tiger rods. They have lots of back bone and you can contort them at any odd angle without fear that they will explode on you. Most fiber glass rods (especially e-glass) are better suited to yak fishing than graphite rods. I pair mine with a Penn Z reel. Lots of balls and virtually indestructible.

[biggietalls89]

a 7 ft med tidemaster with a stradic 2500 just oil after every use stays working great

[snakiepoox]

Just to point out, Quantum makes a kayak rod, bout 7' or so that can handle 15-25 no problem.. tough rods w/ a nice bend.. think they run about 100.. if i was too cheap for a Shimano Torium 16/20, I'd go hit a pawn shop and pick up an old jigmaster for 20$ *something i've often seen back east, NEVER out here* and grab one of the narrow spool kits for it online, spool it up w/ twenty pound izorline platinum if I was planning on going after 15-30 lb fish, switch it up to a jigmaster with 25 or 30 lb XXX clear if i wanted to go for the bigger sharks/rays/cobia etc, with a fleurocarbon leader, makes a devastating rig on the cheap... of couse the torium 30 and saltist 40 are fantastic reels, capable of hammering down a 30lb YFT in 6 minutes on 30lb ande, but not the best for kayak fishing, due to excessive gear ratios, in my opinion...
D
p.s. if you dont oil the penns at least every other trip -EASY TO DO WITH A JIGMASTER, NO EXCUSES- the bearings will die in the course of months.. on the other hand, could replace em on the cheap/easy too.. don't forget to back off your drags before storage, regardless of reel manufacturer tho....