Conference wahoo::fishing

    Surf rods can range anywhere from medium-light 8' to the big 10-12'
    sticks used by meat (bait) fisherman.  A lot depends on the type
    of fishing you plan to do.  My personal preference is a 9' rod with
    a fairly stiff action and a large open faced reel, something long
    the lines of the Shakespear Model 060 with 17-25lb test line.  This
    setup is not really designed for casting chunks of bait with 3-6
    oz. of weight 1000 yards out like those big poles...instead, I like
    to use a lot of large (7-10") plugs and the like. My primary interest
    with this rig is for blues and the hard-to-find striper.  I do use
    bait on occassion with about 1-2 oz. of weight and am able to cast
    a considerable distance. I see no reason why this kind of setup
    wouldn't  work reasonably well from piers and jetties.
    
    $200??  That seems a bit steep although Penn equipment isn't cheap.  
    You should be able to get a fairly good rig at Zyla's in Merrimack, NH 
    for $100 or less.
    
    Good luck!
                                              
    -Joe-

    May sorta depend on where you are going to fish.   If you are going
    serf fishing where you can reach some deeper water with a 50 foot
    cast then you might be able to use a large-small rod (or is that
    a  small-large rod?).  If you have to toss over 50 feet of white
    water or in an area where the beach is flat then the 9-11 foot
    pole is what you should be looking at.   
    
    Joe didn't mention it but I think he meant a spin outfit!  (-: (-: 
    I still have a conventional (drum) outfit, and I even break it out
    for those times when I want to burn my right thumb or pull bird's
    nests out.
    
    \s\Rick
    

    I have been surf fishing for quite some time and would like to throw
    in my 2 cents. The equipment you will want for surf fishing will
    not really be any good for pier fishing unless you still need to
    cast a great distance from the pier. I agree with the other 2
    replies in that you will need a rod at least 8 ft long and maybe
    as long as 11 ft, depending on conditions. Spinning gear is best
    unless you are accomplished at casting a conventional reel, and
    respect the skin on your thumb. I would highly recommend all of
    PENN's equipment. I presently have a PENN 704Z spinning reel
    which you should be able to buy for between $40-50 at a discount
    store. I also just picked up a second rod from Sears, of all places,
    for a lousy $25 for a Daiwa graphite rod of 8 1/2 ft with aluminum
    oxide guides. This is not the best rod I have used by any means
    but would be a good starter and would not be too bad for pier
    fishing. I also have a 10 1/2 ft. oldie that I use when I need
    to cast further but it is more tiring to use, especially if you
    are casting lures. One more plug for this line of PENN reels...
    they are easy to take apart and clean, something that will be a
    necessity when it gets dropped in the sand or after a long day's
    fishing. Have fun!
    

    I too have a few years (too many) experience in the surf and have
    to second the opinion for Penn reels. Down here in Jersey Penns
    outnumber the "rice grinders" (-: and freshwater brands (Shakespeare,
    Zebco) by about 10 to 1. I don't know that you have to go as large
    as the Penn 704, which gets mighty heavy if you're plugging for
    a few hours. I would reccommend a model 710Z (300 yds 12 pound line,
    slightly less for 15#). For a few dollars more you can go with the
    550ss or 650ss - about the same size but quieter, smoother and with
    skirted spools (the reel can't eat the line).
    For rods, something around 9 foot seems to be the norm, if it is
    rated to handle 1-3 oz. lures/sinkers. Personally, I don't think
    distance is a big factor (except at Hatteras). Probably 80% of my
    fish (blues, stripers, fluke, weaks) all hit within 100-125 feet
    or less of where I'm standing. Remember that if the rod is rated
    for 3 oz, with care you can go almost to 4 oz (no snap casts!!).
    If you can afford $200 - figure up to $70 for the reel, and you
    can probably get a nice custom fiberglass rod made. These are usually
    custom fitted to you and if the rod fits, you cast longer (distance
    and time) and easier.
    Hope this helps. If you want, you can call me at (dtn)332-2225 and
    we can get into details.
    Tight lines,
    Rich   (Beach Bagel)

    Kevin, What kind of gear did you eventually get???
    
    
    When we spoke you mentioned an upcoming trip - how did you make
    out?
    
    Rich - Beach Bagel.
    

    
    	I have to agree that the Penn equipment is hard to beat.
    
    	I would recommend two outfits... one in the 8' class spinning
    	reel and about 12-15 lb. line... This rig could/would be used
    	for light fishing....3/4 oz to 1 1/2 oz lures and maybe
    	light bait rigs with a max 2 oz sinker. This rig is great
    	for light stuff and you can cast it all day.
    
    	In addition, a large rig is needed for the heavy gear...
    	10 - 11 1/2' or greater rod and 20 lb line mono for
    	spinning or 27 or 36 lb dacron/nylon for conventional.
    	This rig would be used for long distance and heavy lures
    	or bait rigs.
    
    	Now you have the gear then what. First it is generally
    	better fishing the tides. 2 before high to 2 after high
    	is good. But then again 2 before low to 2 after low can
    	produce fish. metal - poppers - swimmers - baits ?
    
    	They all produce. I've had excellant results with
    	the hopkins hammered metal and the castmaster...
    	Small and large sizes. I use these during the
    	day "never tried them at night".
    
    	I've had good results with atom and stan gibbs poppers
    	both day and at night. These poppers are designed for
    	distance casting. The trick to using them at night is
    	to wait a second before you retrieve. NOTE: They are
    	sinkers and only stay on the surface when retrieve.
    	Rather than pop them like you would for day fishing
    	reel them slowly and they will wobble slightly.
    	Excellant results.
    
    	Swimmers are good. The large " beer bottle size" and
    	small sizes work. Here again small rod small lure.
    	Large rod large lure. Rebels and rapala's catch
    	fish also. But I had guy borrow from my lure
    	bag because the couldn't hook up.
    
    	Baits... Sometimes they just like meat. My favorite
    	combo's are seaworms and a sliding sinker rig or
    	the good old slimy live eel. I only hook the eel
    	once through the bottom and cast and retrieve slowly.
    	Wait for the tick.. tick.. then open the bail or
    	kick the conventional out of gear. Count to 10
    	setup and let the line tighten and pull his dam
    	head off. You're hooked up.
    
    	I 've also had luck by removing the hooksfrom an atom swimmer,
    	 encasing itwith an eel skin and re-installing the belly hooks.
    	Forget the tail hook. This eel skin rig casts and swims
    	well and catches fish. Rap it in cellophane and store
    	it in the frezer for your next trip out "have fun convincing
    	you wife" "your better off not telling her".
    
    	The good old cut mackeral is also hard to beat for
    	either stippers or blues. Don't for get the wire
    	if they are blues.

    	Where do you fish. Plum island is excellant. In the Merrimack
    	River. I got three twenty pounders on live eels on a rock
    	in the merrimack one night. I like night better. Cloudy
    	days are good though. Narraganset R.I. to Matunic and
    	the Charles town breech way is excellant. Don't forget
    	the fort or Point Judith " those atom poppers work
    	good" right down from the light house.
    
    	= enough said JV
    

    Re: .6
    
    Gee, I didn't think there were many people left who knew about eel-skin
    plugs! While they are rather messy, they sure do seem to work when
    all else fails. These seem to be best put together using Atom swimmers.
    The old Atom Jr. (2 1/4 oz) is the norm, and skins to fit can usually
    be gotten at a good fish market (often for free since they toss
    them away). A few times I have seen guys rig up the "Spin Atom (7/8
    oz.) with a "shoe-string" skin. These are great when when there
    are schoolies in the surf and Redfins and Rebels are drawing marginal
    interest. These skin plugs seem to work best during the summer,
    from dusk on. During the day, they tend to draw blues, and since
    it takes (me) quite a while to rig these, I try to save them for
    bass and weaks. 
    If you want to rig these, you have to remember to get skins at least
    twice as long as the plug so that there is enough tail to make a
    pronounced "S" in the water on retreive.
    There is a variation on this set up that I haven't seen in years:
    some outfit used to make a jig type device that was a loop of metal
    with a groove towards one end and a wire running back to one or
    two hooks. The hooks were run down the inside of the skin to the
    proper positions, and the (head) end was then tied to the loop,
     with the thread sitting in the groove. This was easier than making
    rigged eels yet worked as well or better. Also, these could be frozen
    where rigged eels have to be stored in brine in the fridge. [My
    wife much prefers any bait to be frozen in a well labled zip-top
    bag- If she EVER found a jar of eels staring back at her...].
    
    Rich