BajaNomad - Fishing pole recommendation

Fishing pole recommendation

ehall - 6-23-2014 at 07:14 AM

I would like to pick up a new rod and reel before my next camping trip to Baja. I have always just used one of my small freshwater rods and am looking to upgrade. All my fishing is done from the shore. Any suggestions?

Pescador - 6-23-2014 at 07:19 AM

Fishing poles are only tools to do what you want to do. If you were successful with your fresh water gear but felt a little undergunned, then you might look to get a balanced outfit that is only slightly larger. A spinning combination with a little longer rod and 10-15 lb test will get you out further from shore and allow you to pull a little harder on a slightly larger class of fish.

It is easier if you know what you want the equipment to do.

chuckie - 6-23-2014 at 07:58 AM

Good advice from Ol Pescador....He KNOWS...

DaliDali - 6-23-2014 at 08:21 AM

No use spending hundreds ($500-600) on a top quality rod and reel if your going to only going to fish from the surf, rocks or shore now and again.

I would recommend a Ugly Stick 1 piece spinning rod, 7' in length, rated for about 15# to 20# test line.....fast action.
The price is right and they are durable.

One of the less expensive Shimano or Penn spinning reels will be fine.
Keep the sand out and rinse with fresh water when your done playing.

Go to your local tackle shop (if they have saltwater gear) and "feel" the rod....stay away from the floppy, buggy whip tips.

It's hard to describe the feeling.......just pull (have someone hold the tip while you pull) on a few different rated rods and you will know what I mean.

Load up on some Krocodile lures 1oz to 1.5oz in chrome/prism tape and some Berkley gulp ghost shrimp in "new penny" color 3" in length.
Some 1/2 oz. to 3/4 oz egg sinkers and some barrel swivels for Carolina rigging.

If your fishing the Sea of Cortez side......forget the Gulp baits, as the trigger fish will destroy them without a hookup.
They are however, dynamite baits on the Pacific ocean side.

willardguy - 6-23-2014 at 08:37 AM

take a look at the Quantum saltwater smokes. about $150

watizname - 6-23-2014 at 08:58 AM

It's a proven fact that the more you spend, the more and bigger fish you will catch. This is especially true if you're fishing from shore, because the shore fish have been fished for by the best, and are very wiley. You'll have to spend somewhere in the range of $1500 to even get them interested. Once you spend enough on your gear, you just walk on down to just about any beach, and cast on in. The fish can't resist that expensive stuff. This is absolutely true. My best friends brother in law had a friend once who knew a guy that did this and won every fishing contest he entered. He supplied whole villages with fish he caught from shore. Honest. Trust me. :tumble:

bajabuddha - 6-23-2014 at 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by watizname
It's a proven fact that the more you spend, the more and bigger fish you will catch. This is especially true if you're fishing from shore, because the shore fish have been fished for by the best, and are very wiley. You'll have to spend somewhere in the range of $1500 to even get them interested. Once you spend enough on your gear, you just walk on down to just about any beach, and cast on in. The fish can't resist that expensive stuff. This is absolutely true. My best friends brother in law had a friend once who knew a guy that did this and won every fishing contest he entered. He supplied whole villages with fish he caught from shore. Honest. Trust me. :tumble:

Love it. You do know how you can tell when a fisherman's..... nevermind.

I go with cheap freshwater gear, ugly sticks, etc. Key word is: RINSE. Every time. Too many times expensive gear grows feet and walks away from your camp.

ehall - 6-23-2014 at 09:59 AM

Thanks for the info-I think. I guess I should just stick to the pole I use for catfish around here. Liked the info on the bait selection.

DavidT - 6-23-2014 at 10:39 AM

Big5 has some decent setups for shore fishing.

http://www.big5sportinggoods.com/category/12980/-1/saltwater...

DJL - 6-23-2014 at 10:51 AM

The 7-foot , 2-piece Ugly Stik rated for 6-15 Lb. line (Walmart , $40.00) is perfect . The first one I bought my Wife is STILL in great shape , and still catching Fish ! Remove the reel , take the rod in the shower with you at the end of the day , or wipe w/ a damp rag (freshwater only) . Reels ? Same as DaliDali suggests - DO NOT submerge the reels , just wipe with a clean damp cloth (Cabelas Salt Striker reels are really nice , as well . And they hold up very well ) .

Small Plugs and Jigs are the ticket - using these ... my Wife has accounted for 50+ different species off the beach .

We use Trilene Big Game mono , 10/12 Lb. , cheap and strong . You want 180-200 yards of line on your reel .

Good luck !!

D.~

Genecag - 6-23-2014 at 11:16 AM

Costco is selling a good spinning reel and rod combo for about $70, i think. Looked like a good setup for shore fishing and rated to about 20lbs line.

BooJumMan - 6-23-2014 at 11:18 AM

I only shore fish on the Pacific. I'm not an expert by any means, but will use light duty rods and spinning reel with something in the 10lb test range. Carolina rig with around 1 oz weight depending on current... Usually will use sand crabs with eggs, or lug/blood worms, or mussels from the rocks.

You can catch Corbina, Halibut, Croakers, Surf Perch, Leopard sharks, guitarfish, along with many others with that kind of setup.

churro - 6-23-2014 at 06:26 PM

I have many rods and reels, sometimes I wonder why... I am fascinated watching the locals in Baja fish from shore with hand lines and pieces of rebar for weight... They out fish me EVERY TIME... I have seen these guys land huge grouper with their hand lines off pangas..... You want to know Baja fishing secrets? Watch the locals, they know what they are doing ... Its not about the equipment

vandenberg - 6-23-2014 at 07:19 PM

Right on the money Churro

freediverbrian - 6-23-2014 at 07:59 PM

Go with a bigger spinning reel 12 to 15 lb rated ,the small fresh water reels will burn out the drag after a week of fighting triggerfish.

[Edited on 6-24-2014 by freediverbrian]

redhilltown - 6-23-2014 at 11:41 PM

Gotta agree with most of the suggestions! On the Cortez side i would bump up to 20 lb line...rocks are sharp and the fish for the most part are not line shy. Small hook, some squid and a slider sinker and a Trigger dinner is soon to be had...bring a sharp knife! Gear can really get beat up shore fishing...especially if you are off road or hike to some out of the way places...something not too cheap in that it breaks and something not too expensive that you care when you drop your rig crashing down onto the rocks in haste to carefully cozy in that Corvina.

Skipjack Joe - 6-24-2014 at 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ehall
I would like to pick up a new rod and reel before my next camping trip to Baja. I have always just used one of my small freshwater rods and am looking to upgrade. All my fishing is done from the shore. Any suggestions?

It would help if you stated where in baja you intend to go. It you're fishing the pacific beaches (or even 'shell beach' on the cortez) and estuaries then your small freshwater rods are fine, and even enjoyable to fish with. But if you intend to fish anywhere near rocks you will need a rod with more 'muscle' no matter how small the fish may be.

One nice thing about the ugly stick that is seldom mentioned is that they are 'indestructible'. That is you can step on them and they won't fracture. I'm pretty sure that without the guides you could drive your car over them and not flatten them. You can also double them over into a U and they won't explode on you. They're hardy rods but a bit heavy in the hand. I'd bet over 80% or alaskans riverfish for salmon with these rods.

mulegemichael - 6-24-2014 at 06:07 AM

great comments, all....i would tweak the suggestions to include a 8 1/2 foot rod to assist in long casts. spooled with 20# braided line with a 15# mono "top shot" on a salt certified reel or it won't last long, i don't care how thoroughly you rinse it...when i fished on the east cape almost daily i would go through reels like potato chips until i started using "saltproof" reels...and even then ya gotta rinse them really thoroughly or they'll freeze up with that big rooster screaming!

Pescador - 6-24-2014 at 06:17 AM

Because we repair all those reels that are so carefully rinsed and put new bearings in them, allow me to offer a little advice on cleaning and rinsing. Use a small Dibble of water and do not put the reel under pressure. When you blast the reel with any pressure you will drive the salt and grit into the inner workings of the reel and it will usually attack the bearings. A light mist or Dibble is the perfect ticket to rinse off the reel. Unless the reel had salt water added under pressure (like getting soaked in a driving spray while coming home) do not try to clean with any more pressure than you would have had in the first place.

If you are reasonably mechanical, I always open new reels and coat the insides with a light coat of water proof grease like Yamalube. Then when I have to take the reel down, I do not have corrosion between the different metals. I also make sure I get a good coating of grease when I put the screws back in. We get reels that need maintenece and sometimes the screws are so corroded that you can not open the reel up and it has to be thrown away.

The Sea of Cortez is especially saline and works over reels more so than other parts of the ocean. A little preventative maintence goes a long way.

Russ - 6-24-2014 at 06:44 AM

I sure dream of fish like mulegemichael describes but here, Santa Rosalia to Mulege, large fish are mostly unheard of. I have lots of surf gear like those above and they all have great info. My 3 go to rods are #1- Finwick 8 1/2' med. hvy. bait caster and a Curado reel with 30# ProLine and 10 to 20 pound tippet,
#2- 8 1/2' med. hvy. uglystik and a cheap spinner with 8# mono and #3 my fun rod, is a 9' noodle rod and again a cheap spinning reel with 6# mono. Also like the 9' noodle rod with the smaller Curado and lighter line and tippet. I'd start light. Your cat fish gear and trout is a good place to start and the buy new stuff for your next trips. Have Fun!

durrelllrobert - 6-24-2014 at 07:15 AM

The rod and reel don't make that much difference as long as you have a kite to get the hooks out to where the fish are.