SoCal advice needed

[CooldadE]

I live on the Ca Delta and fish mostly Sturgeon/ Stripers. A couple times a year I make it to Bodega Bay for a rock fishing trip. I'm looking to go down south San Diego way and cut my teeth on some 3/4 to 2 day trips. I've got a lot of gear all old school Penn stuff. All reels are upgraded.
I need advice putting together the outfits I would need to enjoy myself and not be under gunned. Ant adviice/ direction would be appreciated...

[Aiala]

I just got back from a 4-day. Mostly I used 25lb & 30lb test, also had a backup 40lb and a 50lb dropper loop rig. If the big BFTs are biting (they weren't on my trip) a 60lb might be a good thing to have.

Incidentally, I'm old-school Penn all the way!   

~A~

[Bryan Young]

When are you going?  My buddies are going in September and they are telling me that a 20#, 30# and 40# rig would be sufficient.  So we also gave him a 50# rig to round off the family.  Note when I say 20#, 30#, 40# or 50# rig, it's either main line or top-shot...so if you have, let's say a 113H with 80# braid, he is fishing with 40# or 50# top-shot, as an example.  I suppose he could go as high as he wants.

[johndtuttle]

I live on the Ca Delta and fish mostly Sturgeon/ Stripers. A couple times a year I make it to Bodega Bay for a rock fishing trip. I'm looking to go down south San Diego way and cut my teeth on some 3/4 to 2 day trips. I've got a lot of gear all old school Penn stuff. All reels are upgraded.
I need advice putting together the outfits I would need to enjoy myself and not be under gunned. Ant adviice/ direction would be appreciated...

The idea behind the numbers to expand a little bit...

When someone fishes a "30lb" rig they choose a rod that bends the way they like it with appropriate drag for 30lb test leader and around 10lbs of drag. Some fish lighter or heavier rods.

Typically this "30lb" rig is a rod rated either 15-40 (for casting very light baits) or 20-50 or so depending on how you fish the rod and how long your leaders are as well as individual preference. Some prefer 7' rods, others 8 footers. Longer make casting easier, shorter pull on fish harder.

The reel is your standard ~3/0 size holding about 400 yards of your braid choice. the important part is that it be optimized for live bait fishing which is the rule in SoCal and means Anchovies, Sardines or Macs. Spool bearings are important for casting and letting the bait swim.

The "30lb" reel is typically spooled with 50lb braid and then the leader on top depending on your choice anywhere from 100 yards to 4 feet. FWIW I fish very short leaders and softer rods to get bit easier and let your bait swim, imo, but definitely a softer rod helps you stay connected due to no braid stretch.

You can fish anywhere from 20 to 50lb leader on this set up depending on what the fish will bite. You always want to go as heavy as you can get away with. Tuna fishing is characterized by hours to days of boredom followed by a few hours of WFO fishing. You want to boat as many as you can while you can because the bite can shut off as quick as it starts.

Simply having this one rig, plus one spooled up with 60lb braid to fish "40lb" is all that you have to have to catch a ton of fish down south.

[Keta]

To add to the confusion, I fish short Fluorocarbon topshots and prefer a rod on the light end of the "rating" to give me controlled cushion.  So far I have never pulled a hook due to the lack of stretch.

[Aiala]

Although braid seems to be practically de rigeur these days (mostly, I would guess, to pack sufficient yardage onto the compact-size super-reels) I, being a determined atavist, choose to stick with pure mono... although I did unbend enough to try a fluorocarbon leader. 

~A~

[Keta]

Although braid seems to be practically de rigeur these days (mostly, I would guess, to pack sufficient yardage onto the compact-size super-reels) I, being a determined atavist, choose to stick with pure mono... although I did unbend enough to try a fluorocarbon leader. 

~A~

I fished a lot of Dacron before Spectra so it was an easy transition.

[Doug]

Aiala  I'm with you. I use only vintage penn's and mono. If I need more line on the smaller reels like the 100 surfmaster or 501 I use a thinner higher grade mono like Ande tournament or Momoi Hi Catch.   Doug

[Shark Hunter]

Senators and Mono all the way!

[Aiala]

...I use a thinner higher grade mono like Ande tournament...

Doug, I've been using pink Ande for over thirty years, and see no reason to change... ever.

Y'know, several of the old-school anglers hereabouts have expressed (theoretical) interest in a charter at some point using only classic equipment; an interesting notion, eh? 

~A~

[Aiala]

Senators and Mono all the way!

Hear, hear! 

~A~

[Doug]

Aiala  I use Ande pink on most of my old penn senators I just like to get a little more yardage on the smaller ones. An old vintage  charter might be a blast. I live in NJ so it wouldn't be possible for me .   Doug

[alantani]

swing by the house on the way down and grab a couple of two speed setups.  don't go spending alot of money just yet. 

[Aiala]

I live in NJ so it wouldn't be possible for me. Doug

Well, but with a year or so lead time...? I mean, NJ isn't on another planet. (I went to college there... but now that I think about it... hmm.)   

~A~

[Keta]

You are missing out by not converting to Spectra for most of your fishing.  Long term it's cheaper than mono and the increased sensitivity is a big plus and there is little stretch.  When I went to 20# spectra on my steelhead reels the improved sensitivity increased the number of soft take ups felt and fish hooked.  I would never fish deeper than 100' with mono again, well I rarely use more than 20' of mono (more often 10' Fluro) unless on a trolling rig, they have 100' mono topshots.

For older Penn reels I use 60# Spectra and have never had issues with the line getting between the ring and spool, thinner will cause problems.  Do not chose your Spectra weight by breaking strength, use diameter, 60# is a good size for up to 50# rigs.