Offshore Angler Ocean Master Surf Rods

[ReelFishingProblems]

Greetings Ohana,

I just bought an ocean master 12' heavy surf rod after reading quite a few reviews.
Even watched a nice video from a guy tossing lead in Waipio.

I plan on pairing this with a suped-up XN squidder.

Looking for feedback/thoughts  from the community on this setup. (I still birdnest the reel 33% of the time with 50lb PowerPro)
I need to force myself to practice and get good at distance casting a conventional

Thanks,
Nick
Tampa, FL

[Ron Jones]

I'm not sure what the target species is in Tampa. Unless it is something that is going to give you a really long run, you should be fine. That reel should hold somewhere around 200 yards of that line, assuming a 75 to 100 yard cast, you still have a good bit of line on there. I would probably fish that rod with a 146, but that is only because I have options.

I'm guessing most will say you need a bigger reel.

The Man

[RowdyW]

I don't think a XN Squidder is the right reel for a long surf rod. You should at least use a standard width or a wide version so that the diameter of the line on the spool doesn't change that much during the cast causing an overrun. An XN is more useful as a jigging reel. JMO            Rudy

[1badf350]

I have several of these rods for drum fishing. My suggestion on reels is to forget the squidder and ditch the braid. Go with a more modern reel with magnetic or centrifugal brakes such as:
Penn Squall 15
Penn Fathom 15
Daiwa Saltist sttbg30h
Daiwa Seagate
Penn 525 Mag
Seriously, don't use braid. When it birdnests you will be hating life. Mono is so much easier to work with and casts very well. Load it with 16-20lb mono such as Berkley Big Game, Suffix Tritanium, or even the Offshore Angler brand at Bass Pro.

[Cor]

In have several of these rods for drum fishing. My suggestion on reels is to forget the squidder and ditch the braid. Go with a more modern reel with magnetic or centrifugal brakes such as:
Penn Squall 15
Penn Fathom 15
Daiwa Saltist sttbg30h
Daiwa Seagate
Penn 525 Mag
Seriously, don't use braid. When it birdnests you will be hating life. Mono is so much easier to work with and casts very well. Load it with 16-20lb mono such as Berkley Big Game, Suffix Tritanium, or even the Offshore Angler brand at Bass Pro.

Mono casts far easier then braid and braid  gets worse as the gets some "use".   Absolutely agree with choice of magged reel for casting.
If rod is as heavy as I think, then I would go for stronger mono and good leader.    What weight do you plan to cast?

[Tiddlerbasher]

I echo what has been said. 12-20lb mono with a 50-60lb shock leader. For the reel a magged Abu/Akios 6500 (maybe a 5500 if you go with 12lb mono - lighter line casts better). When I used to beach/surf fish I used an Akios Shuttle 551 with 12lb mono - 150yds plus was usual (sometimes the bait stayed on as well ). A lot depends on the fish size and structure you are fishing over.

[Swami805]

On the flipside fill the squidder with 20lb braid and have at it.If you can become proficent at casting that you could cast just about anything. 20lb mono and a bigger reel would be ideal.

[ReelFishingProblems]

I appreciate all the help.

I'll only be in Tampa another 4 months, then it's up to DC until the summer.
Then it's to a place on the Mediterranean that is NOT known for great fishing.

None the less, I plan on tossing lead from the rocks as far as I can reach.

I'll start looking at the reels suggested.

Nick

[ReelFishingProblems]

Besides the abu 6500 TPC, what should I be looking for in a 6500?
Also looking at squall and fathom 15

[conchydong]

Here is another that has decent reviews. Never tried it though.
https://amzn.to/2zgNDZz

[thorhammer]

I appreciate all the help.

I'll only be in Tampa another 4 months, then it's up to DC until the summer.
Then it's to a place on the Mediterranean that is NOT known for great fishing.

None the less, I plan on tossing lead from the rocks as far as I can reach.

I'll start looking at the reels suggested.

Nick

Yo. It would appear things are moving as you mentioned which we can discuss later. Text me what you are fishing for and weight you are trying to throw and I'll see if I can send you a reel- Regular Squidder w/ 20 mono or 501. 6500 is a good choice. You were born with cast control- called an opposable thumb...

A good bet is a Daiwa SlSH 30...they can be had cheap used...525 Mag pretty much bring what they brought new.

[oc1]

Geez, I disagree with just about everything that has been said; except for the part about getting a reel with modern brakes. 

I squandered my youth with a 140, 20# mono, and a long surf rod.  I put in the hours, but never did get any good at casting the thing.  When I pick up that rig today it seems huge and heavy considering the task at hand.

Proportional braking, either centrifugal or magnetic, is the great equalizer.  Just throw that thumb away; you don't need it any more.  Backlashing can become a thing of the past.

Braided spectra was the best thing to happen to fishing since the earth worm.  Compared to mono, braid will greatly reduce the size of the spool for the same line yardage and pound test.  The smaller, lighter spool and smaller diameter line will always cast farther.  A backlash can be more difficult to pick out when using braid but, hey, backlashing became a thing of the past.

Compared to the older reels and mono, a modern reel filled with braid is not only more effective, it is more ergonomically efficient.  There is less weight to carry around and less fatigue at the end of the day.  It is like the difference between graphite and fiberglass rods. 

You went with the modern graphite/glass composition rod.  If you're going to handicap yourself with the squidder then you might as well get an old harnell or tobacco rod to go with it..... in my opinion.

-steve

[ReelFishingProblems]

Thank you all for the dialogue on this.

I'm not sure what I will be targeting yet.
For the next four months I will be workin on my cast close to home into the Tampa bay. Where i'm located, it is a nice silt/sand bottom with no structure.  I can cast, retrieve, repeat.

I may take it out to the Clearwater, FL beaches on the Gulf of Mexico for snook/reds/drum/etc.

Nick

[thorhammer]

Squall 15 is basically the modernized 525, a great reel. If you go 6500, get a CT model (no level wind).

[Ron Jones]

On the flipside fill the squidder with 20lb braid and have at it.If you can become proficent at casting that you could cast just about anything. 20lb mono and a bigger reel would be ideal.

This. Never anything wrong with figuring it out.

The Man