new rod, multiplier & braid

I'm looking for some advice for those seasoned pro's who regularly use the forum.

Firstly at the moment I'm using mono on a fixed spool reel on a 2-3or4 oz rod (very bendy), it's a 'Ron Thompson' 'Sea Bass' and a perfect rod for spinning (courtesy of IDPearl - cheers for the trip to webbs on sunday, sorry about the hat!), so I'm plannig on going to the Angling show near the airport on the second day and chancing my arm on a deal for a new rod 5-6oz, multiplier & braid.

My question is what should I look for and how much should I pay for the rod, reel & braid?

cheers :D

I know it looks easy, but I really wouldn't recommend a multiplier as your first serious beachcasting reel. I was a year on the fixed spool, getting the hang of casting and clearing snags etc. before I moved onto multipliers. Braid is another matter altogether. With a multiplier, the amount of concentration on the reel to begin with is 100 times that you need with a fixed spool. With a fixed spool, you make sure you have enough line out so you can cast the rig, put the line under your finger, o-pen the bail arm and concentrate on the cast. When the lead hits the water, you let some more line come off the spool and then wind down.

With a multiplier, everything changes. You have to make sure the reel is balanced with the correct line lay to begin with. Make sure the mags are set correctly so the line doesn't fluff up and tangle during the cast. Ensure the leader knot isn't going to tear into your thumb when you cast. Ensure your thumb is tight on the spool and release the gear lever. Deliver a smooth cast to prevent the spool suddenly racing at the beginning of the cast and birdnesting. Drop the magnets off mid flight to increase the distance if necessary. Slow the spool with your thumb if you want to reduce the distance. Slam the thumb down on the spool as the lead hits the water or you will have a horrendous mess. Let a little more line out to allow the bait to sink. Set the clutch or ratchet to control a sudden take and to prevet a passing bird wrecking your gear as it runs into the line. Then, on every retrieve, if you done have a line guide, you have to lay the line manually on the spool on every retrieve. Braid can skin your thumb or cause worse injuries on a multiplier if you get caught up in it during the cast!! Mono is more forgiving as well as being cheaper. I was scared of braid to begin with, now I have a healthy respect for it, but I would not recomment it to a beginner.

Fishing, like most things should be done by building on experience and learning to walk first. I hope I haven't offended you or put you off, but I fear if you go out and buy a load of gear which doesn't suit your experience, you will get frustrated and give up. It's better to be comfortable and upgrade than to go all out and end up in a mess.

I kind of knew that was the answer I'd get, true though - cheers

It's just best to keep it simple to start with, until you are more comfortable with casting, getting the right distance etc. Otherwise it's a bit like trying to fly a plane before you've got your car licence. If you're planning on any night fishing, it's very difficult with a multiplier anyway, no matter how long you've been using one. The fixed spool is almost cast and forget it.

Look out for a decent fixed spool like one of the Okuma range or a Jarvis Walker or the like and a half decent 6oz casting rod that you can bend and get some decent distances with. The Okuma's come with two or more spools so you can have a heavy line of 25lb on one spool and a lighter, say 15lb, line on the other for beach work.