Kayaker to surf: looking for a bait & plugging setup

[sayn3ver]

Been into the kayak fishing thing for a few years now. The problem is I was new @ both when I decided to get in. I've been feeling my way with the help of this place.

I'm prompted to post this because I learned i will be spending a week in the outer banks at the end of august. However prior to this the itch to get in tue surf has been growing. While the kayak is awesome, the weather plays a big role in when I can be on the water. Surf fishing opens up more days when the wind is too snotty for the plastic boat.

I mainly fish south of Ibsp. I am first looking for a starter bait setup. Something I can soak clams, bunker, bw for bass and at the same time fluke and blues.

I really want to get into plugging. I want to grind away at this fishing thing and start figuring fish out a bit more than what piece of meat I should have on the hook.

I am more confident with spinning gear with light lures and head winds. Baitcasting/conventional I can do with heavier weights but still require more thought compared to spinning.

I'm sure you are all tired of these threads.

Price range: around $200ish per setup.

[RebelMusicNP]

Mosf of us never get tired of.these posts or helping people out. I am on the reverse mission of you...find myself searching for kayak spots more but the love is still feet firmly planted on ground. In my opinion there is not one magical setup. A light/medium 9' and a heavier (6-8 OZ RATED ) 10-11' setup will have you going. I fish mostly van staals, cabos, st croix, and century stuff....there is tons by tica, quantum, etc. That are excellent quality. I am finding that i constantlg want something new for the kayak....get ready for that same thing to happen in your quest.

[sayn3ver]

Not looking for a magical setup. I hear what you are saying.
Looking for a mid level setup for bait and a mid level setup for plugging.
Basically I want something more than that Walmart outfit for my first foray into the surf.

At the moment my schedule and knowledge only have really allowed me to bottom fish during the summer for fluke. My setups for my yak are cheap, with my favorite setup being a 7' mh all star graphite rod with a cheap Abu Garcia revo s reel. It's light weight and I can bucktail all day with it. My other setup is an old 6'6" mh ugly stick with a shimano sedonna 4000. Usually use it for float rig duty at the moment or bottom rigs of 2-3oz weight. I beat on these setups. Been hauling them on my trailer by strapping them to the load bars with bungee cords then driving 60-70 miles to the shore.

What I am getting at is as While I could buy something cheap then buy something nicer later but why buy something twice? I don't think I would spend $200 or more for a reel then another $200 on a rod only to abuse it. I rinse and service my reels and rods regulary but do use them and bang them and treat them like an old hand tool vs a delicate piece of fishing equipment.

I assuming for bait there is an average amount of weight it should be able to throw.

I know that plugging requires probably two different rods, one for light jigs and plugs up to 1&1/2 -2oz and one for bigger plugs.

One day I'll eventually have enough tools to have the right tool for the right job. I suppose I am looking to start my surf tool collection. Should I start with small plugs or big plugs?

[RebelMusicNP]

Maybe a tica dolphin series rod with a quantum boca reel. Both will fit into your budget and are quality in my opinion. As far as bait rods if you are throwing bunker the weight will already be a couple ounces before the weight get clipped on. Clams and worms will not add uch to your cast.

[Joseph Lamberty]

Been into the kayak fishing thing for a few years now. The problem is I was new @ both when I decided to get in. I've been feeling my way with the help of this place.

I'm prompted to post this because I learned i will be spending a week in the outer banks at the end of august. However prior to this the itch to get in tue surf has been growing. While the kayak is awesome, the weather plays a big role in when I can be on the water. Surf fishing opens up more days when the wind is too snotty for the plastic boat.

I mainly fish south of Ibsp. I am first looking for a starter bait setup. Something I can soak clams, bunker, bw for bass and at the same time fluke and blues.

I really want to get into plugging. I want to grind away at this fishing thing and start figuring fish out a bit more than what piece of meat I should have on the hook.

I am more confident with spinning gear with light lures and head winds.

I'm sure you are all tired of these threads.

Price range: around $200ish per setup.

Penn Battle reels run around a hundred bucks and tica rods are good mid quality rods. You can't go wrong with them.

[RebelMusicNP]

Agreed....the penn battle has a good reputation.

[LittleFish]

Im a HUGE fan of the battle! I would saty for a pluggin setup go with the battle 4000 ($99). I have the battle on a 9ft Airwave, seems to work for me. You can go with Tica, Airwave, or St. Croix Triumph.

[FarrellX]

star stellar lite for the plugging rod. i have a 9' and love it. i still grab that over the expensive st croix sometimes. i have a sargus 5000 on it and its a good fit, but the reel is a little heavy when you get used to using the lighter stuff. its rated 1-4 oz i think, but it will throw under 1 for sure, and WONT throw 4....i go up to 3 with it. you can try out any of my gear if you ever make it up this way...


ps. look used. you can stay in your budget and get better gear... or come in UNDER your budget for good gear as well

[sayn3ver]

Thanks guys.

For plugging, i should be looking at reels in the 4000-5000 sizes depending on weight?

Farrellx, Ive seen many recommendations for those star surf rods.
Do you use the same 9ft out front and out back too if you plug the sods and bay on foot?


The battle seems pretty nice for the money. How is breaking it down for maintenance? Difficult or pretty simple?

[Hurry Sundown]

Be careful that time of year lots of black tip sharks in the sound.off the beaches you will do good on blues and red fish but check the local tackle shops.go to Hatteras harbour and when the boat Godspeed comes in tell him Tom Henry bob frank and the boys from jersey say hello.jeremy is his mate he will guild you where to fish.also 6foot 6 ugly stick with a good spinning reels will work find.we fished there mar 11,12 this year and smoked the tuna look under Godspeed charters for pics.i surfed fished and they were doing good on black drum.have a great week.

[FarrellX]

Thanks guys.

For plugging, i should be looking at reels in the 4000-5000 sizes depending on weight?

Farrellx, Ive seen many recommendations for those star surf rods.
Do you use the same 9ft out front and out back too if you plug the sods and bay on foot?

i would like the weight of the 4000 with the size of the 5000 on my 9 footer.......

i use it out back too, yes. when i am not using my 7 footer.

[RhinoScores]

Tica's 9' TC2 or their Dolphin TC3 are both good rods for a budget. The black blank TC2 shold go for somewhere around $80-90 and the Dolphin a bit more $115-125. My 9' TC2 is matched up with a Shimano Sphero 6000 and even as a shorter guy I can cast it all day, although at my 50+ age I feel it the next day. I use this to throw wood and metals whem plugging and it serves as a seconf setup when throwing bait as it will handle a 6oz spudnick and a clam.

[sayn3ver]

about to pull the plug on a surf setup for vacation and thereafter.

for now its going to be a bait setup. still kinda scratching my head on that one. do i go cheap or do I go mid range? 5000 size reel?

I mainly want to get one before I go on vacation to OBX but want a setup for fishing here year round (NJ).