Advice on buying beachcaster and type of reel - fixed/multi?

Hey guys,

I am new to sea fishing. I have done pike fishing in the past down the shannon and my biggest bike is a 20lb one. I have a pike rod. It is a D.A.M 11 feet, five inches tall. It has a casting weight of 80 - 150grams which is about 2 - 5 ounces. It is a great rod in all fairness and is perfect for pike fishing.

I doubt this rod is suitable for beachcasting or fishing off piers etc??

I can't remember how far I can cast...it has been a couple of years since i last went fishing.

So I am interested in buying a beachcaster type rod that would also be suitable for fishing off the pier...

I live in Dublin very close to Dun Laoghaire and Killiney beach and greystones and Bullock harbour etc...

Can you recommend me a beachrod for this purpose? I will more than likely be buying it off ebay as I tend to get items far cheaper here but if there are good deals around I would obviously go for that option.

Also, I would like to know what type of reel to use. My friend has an Abu garcia 6500 mag elite and loves it. He says it is brilliant. A multiplier reel but Ihave never used one before...do you think I should get a multiplier or fixed spool reel? I hear multiplier is better but far more complicated but Iknow i like fishing so will be interested in learning.

Andy how are you. firstly ignore the notion that a multiplier is better!! this simply is not a true statement. it depends what you are looking for and what you like.
there are good anglers that use fixed spools and there are good anglers that use multipliers.
if you are used to a fixed spool then it is probably best to stick with it? after a while you will them be able to make up your own mind as to why you want a multiplier and not just because someone told you they were better!
however if u really really want a multiplier then maybe u should buy one and get it out of the system!!?

the pike rod you have is ideal for calm days for light legdering, spinning or floatfishing for pollack and wrasse. it will be more than fine for catching whiting off dun laoighaire pier on calm winter evenings.

a beachcaster comes into it's own over rougher ground or maybe when there is a lot of weed in the heavy seas. it will also allow you to cast heavier weights that may be needed to hold bottom when the currents are strong. also if you have chose the rod well it will give you better bite detection in different conditions. this is very important! watching for a bite is one of the biggest joys in fishing! if you can't see the fish bite you will get bored very quickly! hope this helps!

what rods ya been thinkin of??? :lol:

my biggest bike :shock: is a 20lb one.

Nice one - certainly beats my 15 lb shopping trolley :lol: .
Hi Andy ,
If you browse thru the "Shore Angling " and the "Hints & Tips" forums you'll find several really useful debates on this , together with recommendations as to makes/ models of both types of reel .
I'd agree with m.b3's comments in his first 2 paragraphs .

If , like me , you are only an average distance caster and are used to a fixed spool you should ask yourself whether you actually WILL put in the extra time ( tuning etc ) and potential hassle ( birdsnests ) that multipliers seem to involve until you get used to them . But then some people have no problems at all .
Good luck either way .

I would say unless you have used a multiplier before and liked them do not bother. When fishing off a pier you do not need to cast that far and fixed spool reels are alot easier to use. if you find later on you want to get into serious long range casts like from a beach you might want to go that way. I have a multiplier and they are very satisifying to cast but only when the cast is good. A birdsnest can take up to half an hour to untangle and leave you with damaged line.

For your first sea reel I'd say no. you do not need it. Get one of those Okuma's for around 30- 40 euro I have 2 of them and they seem to be pretty good.

rod wise something 12ft that can cast 3-6 ounces seems to be the norm again these can be picked new from €30 up. so if you wanted to do this cheaply you could. If you are buying on ebay go for a brand name you have heard of so at least you have some idea of the quality of merchandise.

id reccomend the ron thompson range good quality well biult rods its what i started off with and still use it now ang again these can be picked up quite cheaply around 60stg with an ocuma inpact reel

Hey guys,

Me again...thanks a lot for the replies. All very helpful and appreciated.

Here is a rod I found just now on ebay, seems too good to be true. Are DAM a crap brand or something as this is very cheap no? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... _Stores_IT

I really have no idea what type of rod to go for...

Ok So I decided to register seeing as I will be using this place a lot I reckon...

http://cgi.ebay.com/FISHING-TACKLE-BRAN ... dZViewItem

That is the link I meant to post as opposed to the last one which is a pair...

Here is another type of beachcaster rod which is also quite cheap:
http://cgi.ebay.com/BEACHCASTER-ROD-12- ... dZViewItem

andy, others advise to go with RON THOMPSON range---i would agree as i have a RON THOMPSON 13' ZENSORFLEX beachcaster and a 7'ZENSORFLEX boat rod and both are smashing and great value for money
:lol:
also you mention a D.A.M. AFTERSHOCK featured on e.bay--guess what--i have a 13' D.A.M. AFTERSHOCK and it is also great
:lol:
one thing the two rod are the exact same just different colours....the RON THOMPSON is in black with a lovely reflective glitter finish,the AFTERSHOCK is in grey with lovely glitter styled graphics...
it obvious where i bought these rods-- good old e.bay and only paid approx £20 sterling + p+p--don't rush in and bid on the first one-check and see if the dealers on e.bay have others and if possible watch the end of the bidding on a deal finishing at a late on time as it can end up being a real cheap deal........ some dealers offer reduced p+p if you buy more than one thing--i.e. rod and reel :shock:

ron thompson do a range of reels as well--got one of those as well--just o.k. not the best in the world.. :?

as for the question of fixed spool or multi.i always used a fixed spool and hated multis....how times change-multis need a bit of practice and perserverence but it will be worth it in the end.i still use a fixed spool reel for heavy pier work or really weedy areas but i always have the multi with me and end up using it as some stage of the day.........

i would recommend either of these cheap rods as they are useable anywhere,but i would spend a little more and buy a good quality reel as they perform better and are a lot smoother--which means you won't get as tired out using them...also get a good rod bag as these rods come in a very light and thin bag

Mackers,

You say that the two rods are identical, Svendsen who own Ron Thompson also own DAM, that is probably the reason.

Just thought you might like to know 8)

My opinion for what it worth, their rods are OK for the money, their reels I wouldn't have one given.

Tom.

SO I WAS NOT WRONG,THERE ARE JUST THE SAME ROD JUST IN DIFFERENT FINISHES--NOT A BAD QUESS FOR A BEGINNER.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT THE ROD MAKERS....I WOULD AGREE ABOUT THE REELS-----THEY ARE KIND OF CHEAP AND ----------.. :!:

sorry,forgot about that fecking CAPS LOCK button again--anyone got any ideas on how to remove this button with out damaging the rest or the buttons on the keyboard.....
i have even tried letting my young son have a crack at it - but it still works......it's just i forget to turn the fecker off..... :oops: :oops: :oops:

i wonder if i told the wife it was to do with fishing would she try to break it for me - i keep blaming her for losing,sorry i mean misplacing my gear....i feel it may be on purpose to stop me going out fishing,because if i am taking my 5 year old son---i can find everything i need..... :?

i am now resorting to keeping gear in my car......now worried about those little sods roaming the street at night taking a fancy to it.... :twisted:

Mackers, sounds like you a new to computers so here's a wee tip. Forgive me if you already know this one. Sounds like you are turning the CAPS LOCK on for one letter at the start of a sentence. If you are, you can hold the "shift" key down and press a letter to get a capital and let go of the shift key and carry on typing. There are two shift keys on your keyboard, one left, one right and they both do the same thing. They are the arrow keys above the "Ctrl" keys on the bottom left and right of your key board. Hope this helps a bit.

Kev

I only wish i was new to computers.....it would be a good excuse..

i use a computer all day every day in work,but i have to use caps lock all the time.....

Thanks a lot for all the help guys....after research my setup is going to be:

Rod: DAM 13' (3.90m) three-piece
Casting Weight of 4oz to 8oz

Reel: SHIMANO BIOMASTER GTX 8000

SUPPLIED WITH 3 SPOOLS.

Features -
*
Gear ratio 4.6:1.
*
4 Ball Bearings.
*
Aero line spooling system.
*
Oversized power roller.
*
Polished alloy spool plus 2 spare graphite spools.
*
Line capacity (main spool) 350yds x 17lb.

That is it for now. If I can not afford the reel, I will just go for the Okuma Impact 90 reel instead.

Sound good to you guys?

with the shimano reels the gt version is better than the gtx its the cheaper version, i would advise to go the extra few quid and buy the original gt.
IMHO you are better putting that wee bit more money into your tackle like rods and reels etc and buying something which will last.ive had an aerlex gt8000 for around 10 years now, its hardly seen a drop of oil, gets a rinse under the tap after each session if its lucky! and still goin strong. a fellow club member bought one of the biomasters you mention but it doesnt seem as strong a reel.
hope this helps, phil.

Actually missed out on the GTX reel anyway....ending up getting an Okuma Impact 90 reel. Looks good and seems a quality low price reel.

Also I got the DAM Aftershock rod too.

Should be a decent setup for a while...now all i need to find are the conger!