Fishing setup?

[alanw]

Most guys here would steer you towards a conventional reel. I like Avets matched with a Calstar rod or maybe a Seeker rod because they are excellent quality and Made in USA. You also can't go wrong with a higher end Shimano or Daiwa or Penn setup. You can make almost any gear work but you might want to hit up a good local tackle shop for pro advice.

For knots I go with a palomar at the swivel or hook, a seguar at a mono/flouro connection, or a bimini/loop or whatever you prefer at braid/flouro connection. Check out the seguar knot guide https://seaguar.com/applications/knot-guide.html or http://www.netknots.com/. I use sequar 30lb flouro and it isn't stiff so I've not had problems with knots.

[Ljs089]

Originally Posted by alanw

Most guys here would steer you towards a conventional reel. I like Avets matched with a Calstar rod or maybe a Seeker rod because they are excellent quality and Made in USA. You also can't go wrong with a higher end Shimano or Daiwa or Penn setup. You can make almost any gear work but you might want to hit up a good local tackle shop for pro advice.

For knots I go with a palomar at the swivel or hook, a seguar at a mono/flouro connection, or a bimini/loop or whatever you prefer at braid/flouro connection. Check out the seguar knot guide https://seaguar.com/applications/knot-guide.html or http://www.netknots.com/. I use sequar 30lb flouro and it isn't stiff so I've not had problems with knots.

Thanks for all the helpful information alanw, just curious , what size reel and rod would you recommend? I never played with a conventional reel before. The star drag reels sounds like something i would like though.

[addicted2sp33d]

If you're going on a kayak, I would recommend switching to Conventional.

I normally use Spinning reels also, mainly because they never birdsnest when casting a lot; but I use Conventional when I'm on my kayak. When I'm cranking and pumping, I found that the Spinning bail kept hitting things like my legs, leashes, the hull, or what-not. After one trip with a Spinning, I got a conventional and never looked back. Your experiences may differ.

As for rod strength, it depends on how much you want to fight the fish. There are guys on this board who land big fish on skinny rods all the time. On the opposite end of the rod-strength spectrum, I've seen guys out there with tree trunk rods and roller tips... looks like they're going for Bluefin Tuna or something! I think your current rod will be fine. I look for a good fore-grip (grip ahead of the real seat) so that I can get some good leverage.