Starter Gear Recommendations

[Beer Me]

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

[Dannowar]

what will you be targeting?

[LawDog]

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.

[makobob]

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

[Beer Me]

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.

[Beer Me]

Originally Posted by Drake

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.

Saw the "Hello Kitty" rod and reel set at Turners yesterday. At 9.95 it was a steal, I still didn't pull the trigger though.

I'm leaning towards the Avet reels and still looking into the Seeker rods I mentioned.

[Dave k]

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.

[alanw]

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.

[Fishwhisperer619]

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

[Beer Me]

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.

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.

[Hunters Pa]

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

[otterpupster]

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

[RobFish]

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.

[Beer Me]

Checking out the deals at Turners now. Big sale on Seeker Blue Lightning Inshore II rods. 15-25 8' for 134.98. Good price?

[wiredantz]

i use a bamboo stick and a handline.!!!! it works!

[Beer Me]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

i use a bamboo stick and a handline.!!!! it works!

Tempted!

[easyday]

Ive never even heard of jerry Brown

[tacmik]

Originally Posted by easyday

Ive never even heard of jerry Brown

He uses the alias "Moonbeam"

[easyday]

Originally Posted by tacmik

He uses the alias "Moonbeam"

I know exactly who tje the moonbeam jerry Brown is I was referring to tje fishing line haha