Starter Gear Recommendations
 

While I have the upcoming months to try and save some money for a kayak, I'd like to start acquiring gear piece by piece so I have enough to get me going when the kayak hits the water.

I will be fishing inside the wall here at Channel Islands with jaunts outside as my confidence builds. I also hope to head out to the local islands via mother ship.

I can gather up info on the kayak, but the gear is scattered and fragmented. When I look at all the pictures, videos, and guys fishing the local area, everyone has multiple fishing poles, stressing 4 pole holders for their kayaks etc. I'd like to start out with two and keep it simple. I'm looking for some recommendations for a basic startup kit, i.e., rod length, type etc. same goes for reels, do I go with narrow, wide, one or two speed, blah blah blah. I'm completely open to 2nd hand equipment, yet I believe you get what you pay for. Cosmetic appearance means nothing, I just want dependability.

Does anyone have the spare time to help and give me an idea of what you think would work best if you could do it again?

Rod(s)
Reel(s)
Tackle
Tackle box(es)

PMs are welcomed as well.

Thanks in advance :you_rock:

what will you be targeting?

Really depends on your target species and your own confidence. Gaff, and stronger or game clip are a must if you plan to keep anything. As far as rod and reel you need to be specific on type of fishing your intrested in. One of my favorite combos is a 7ft 6-12 lb rod and a small 2000 series saltwater spinner. Good for bass and croaker. If you want halibut I prefer a soft flexible rod and medium conventional reel. As you venture out bait tank, and sabiki setup are a must. It's not really rocket science but every type of fishing has a different type of setup.

When you narrow it down, try fishaholic here on BWE he has tons of good used gear.

I will be targeting anything that is hungry. I'll probably be avoiding the sharks, but will be looking for halibut, rockfish, the local tuna species, and the most extreme should be WSB I've seen being caught just north of here. I will be fishing for fun but for consumption as well. I apologize for the vagueness, or covering the spectrum of species. I will be fishing from the kayak the majority of the time so I'm looking for gear best for that platform. Trolling, fishing off the bottom, etc. Am I asking too much for only two rods?

Don't be scared to try those Little Mermaid and Spider Man starter rods from walmart. I've seen plenty of spotted bay bass landed on those rigs and it'll certainly save you a few bucks. They are super light weight and compact, you could definitely carry a few on your kayak without exceeding the weight capacity. I don't think they come with gimble fittings so I wouldn't suggest trolling with them.

2 rods is plenty to start with. I'd recommend one bait casting setup for bass and shallow rockfish, and 1 conventional for bigger stuff and deep water rockfish. Load both with braid and adjust the top shot/leader dependin on what you're doing that day.

As to the specifics, a lot will come down to personal preference, but as you mentioned you get what you pay for.

Reels: Daiwa Lexa is really tough to beat for the bait caster. Awesome reel for a pretty good price. For the conventional reel I'd recommend the Daiwa sealine series. Not as pretty and shiny as some stuff, but it's got plenty of guts at a good price. There are plenty of options, these are just a couple examples.

Rods: personally I fish everything 8' and longer but I also do a lot of fishing off private boats and like the length for getting around the outboards. I'm so used to 8'ers that anything shorter just feels awkward. I'd say something in the 12-25 or 10-20 range for the bait caster and 20-40 for the conventional. Tons of options. Spend some time at a tackle shop and pull on some to feel the differences.

Those 2 very versatile setups. You can use the lighter one to catch bait too once you start targeting big stuff.

I know this is pretty vague, but it's a big question that I could go on forever about. Hopefully it helps some.

I fish up your way quite a bit, hit me up if you want to fish. I've got extra yaks too until you get one.

The truth is to start all you need is a PFD, net, and whatever poles/tackle you already have.

For extra gear you can start at http://www.bigwatersedge.com/index.php?page=checklist. There's also a few good posts around here about what gear to get, but almost any setup you like will work.

Get a USED Daiwa 20. Spectra 50 or 65 on it. You can pull out every fish that you will catch from a kayak out here. Change your leader to fit your situation.

Should be able to pick a 20 for about 6o bucks.


This is the final word on reels.

I know everything....ignore all other posts!:D

Thanks for the info, it's appreciated. It's like I'm asking for honey holes or something. 250+ views and not even 10 replies. Awesome! :cheers1:

Understand that of those 250 views, 230 are probably wondering the same thing and came here looking for answers.

The truth is, there is no right answer. I followed the mighty internets suggestions on starter gear, and even after two years of west coast fishing I'm still constantly tweaking my quiver.

Go buy tho seeker stealths. They are cheap/durable and look good. I have landed every trophy in SD on mine. Get a 15-25 and 20-30# outfit. Stick two medium sized avets, tld 20 , Torium 14-20 or anything similar. It's really hard to go wrong. My buddy used a $100 penn combo from walmart with 30# pink ande and kills fish. It's personal preference and budget.

Basic inexpensive set up for La Jolla is a decent 30 to 40 pound reel and pole to handle it. Big Five have great deals on poles.

Start with the right line: Get high quality (PowerPro) 65 pound dark green braid and then some 30 and 40 pound flouocarbon leader and your good to go.

I like less expensive reels ( that still work good) because they can get lost somewhat easily kayak fishing ;)

Something I learned the hard way on my first couple of trips out was to be prepared to lose anything you bring out there. My first trip out of ob to the point loma kelp resulted in a lost trinidad on a phoenix rod due to a rogue wave $$$$$$$ I have other expensive setups but didn't start taking them out until I was comfortable and was properly outfitted with rod leashed and tie downs. A seeker on sale at big 5 along with a diawa sealine was my setup for awhile and it did very well for me, I still use it over some of my other setups. Even if I lose it, I won't have to break the bank to replace it. Hope my post helps a lil

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks guys. The comment regarding honey holes was supposed to be light hearted. I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers.

On a different note..What you guys call leashes, we called them dummy cords in the service. It's really hard to explain a missing sidearm to your CO, it might be just as hard to explain a missing piece of fishing equipment to the wife. Whatever won't float will be tethered!

Thanks again guys, the info is appreciated. :cheers1:

Another question... Of the brick and mortar stores, do some have better equipment and sales than others? One store that keeps showing up is Big 5.

Watch for the sales at Big 5. Normal prices are mediocre. Sales make the difference

If you think powerpro is high quality, you haven't done enough research. It's China made garbage. Charkbait has a great article about how poorly it is constructed.

Lucky me! I C&R'd An #400(+/-) Blue marlin on #80 powerpro "from china" once. 85% of my reels have #65 powerpro never a problem yet. The other 15% Jerry Brown rocks.......:D

Not to say the article is right or wrong but I could right an article myself telling you how bad something is, it doesnt make it true or accurate. I havent read the article so i dont know the contents of it but im having a hard time matching product flaw with performance results. Just becsuse its made in china doesn't mean its junk. All I use now is powerpro and I'm yet to have a problem with it. Ive used spiderwire, diamond braid, hi seas, that stren goretex braid, etc. And powerpro was in my opinion better than the rest, with a close second being that goretex one (wasn't limp enough in my opinion).
I'm not attacking anyone btw just expressing an opinion

Check out Ventura's Fred Hall"s fishing/boat conv I think its in April.

I've got 2 "go to" setups.

Seeker Stealth 15-25 with an Avet SX. Spooled with 50# braid.
Seeker Stealth 25-40 with an Avet MXJ. Spooled with 65# braid.

I've also got a jigstick, Seeker Pinhead LM9, 9' rated 20-40. Reel on that is a Daiwa Sealine 30, spooled with 65# braid, tied to a 4' leader of 40# flouro.
I'd rather have a star drag reel for the further casts.

I've rotated more gear through my garage than I care to mention. Tried this, tried that, different lengths, rod blank materials, line test ratings, etc. and the above mentioned gear is what I have narrowed it down to. 90% of the time, I fish in La Jolla, and 90% of the time I'm targeting either YT's or rockfish.

StinkyMatt is right on the $ when it comes to the Daiwa Sealines. They truly are a great reel, and can be found for amazing deals. A couple of months back, Turners had them on sale for $80. MSRP is $120.

I use Izor braid. I'm just not a fan of Shimano as a brand, and they "own" PowerPro. I try to stay away from their products in the bicycle world as well, although I do run a Shimano cassette/chain on my MTB. It's just a way they do business. Totally a personal gripe with them.

Getting started with gear from Big5 is a good move for the budget minded.
They have decent gear offerings that kill fish, and get your waders bloody.
Craigslist is a great place too, especially this time of year, as the "season" is over to some, and people are thinning out their arsenals, and getting a little extra $ for the upcoming holiday season.