Advice needed on what reels I should keep/get Fishing in SE Asia

[Hoosier81]

Hello! I am new to the board and am seeking some guidance on what I should keep or get for fishing around Indonesia.
My wife & I are planning on moving to where she is from in the next few years and I love to fish and plan on continuing to do so only issue is we currently live in Indiana and all I know is Bass, Panfish & Northern Pike.
With her Indonesian citizenship we are allowed 1 container of goods duty free everything has to be used and more than 1 year old to qualify.
My budget is always slim I tend to have Champaign tastes with Miller Lite Budget. I can usually spend more especially if I get a deal where I can get rid of some stuff to offset the cost of what I want.
Somehow this summer in the middle of Indiana a auction house had a truckload of Bass Pro merchandise that was all salt water related I ended up with
Daiwa Tanacom Rod
Daiwa Surf rod 10'
2 Offshore Angler ocean master boat rod 6'
St Croix mojo inshore
Daiwa Harrier Rod
Ugly Stick Tiger Rod
And several sizes and lengths of Offshore Angler Tightline Spinning rods
I really want to stay with these rods as I got them for extremely cheap and my wife would kill me If I would have to go buy more like these for full price.
For Reels I got the following
Vintage Penn Squidder 140
A new China made Penn Senator 4/0
Penn Spinfisher VI 6500 spinning reel
At a estate sale I ended up with the following
a Ton of Zebco cardinal 4's
several Abu Garcia cardinal 4's
1 zebco Cardinal 4x
2 Zebco cardinal 7
1 Zebco Cardinal 6
Dam quick 330n
2 Abu Ambassadeuer 5000
1 Abu Ambassadeuer 6000
Which leads me to what I am struggling with what reels should I keep and what do I still need to get?
I plan on fishing from both shore and boat in Indonesia
One major issue is I need stuff that is rugged and can keep going the duties in Indonesia are very high so bringing in new gear or parts will be expensive.
So I need to limit myself to what is good in terms of durability and life span
Sorry this is so long of a post any advice is welcomed & appreciated

[Swami805]

Welcome!
Sounds like an adventure! I'd bet there's some crazy good fishing down there.
Reel wise I think I'd stick with the penns and ambassaduers simply to be able to get parts.  Some other very nice reels in your stash but parts could be a problem. Also a few of those are worth some $ that could be used for other gear.
My 2 cents anyway

[philaroman]

I'd guess you should stock up on the most ephemeral parts for ALL your reels,
while still here (aside from PRC Penn, maybe)

if I were bringing rods to Asia, I'd go w/ vintage glass
prob., unload some modern rods...  esp., Asian-made & LONG(packed)
without you mentioning power/action, or describing new fishing envirment, these jump out:

Daiwa Tanacom Rod
Daiwa Surf rod 10'
2 Offshore Angler ocean master boat rod 6'
St Croix mojo inshore
Daiwa Harrier Rod
Ugly Stick Tiger Rod
And several sizes and lengths of Offshore Angler Tightline Spinning rods ?
I really want to stay with these rods as I got them for extremely cheap and my wife would kill me If I would have to go buy more like these for full price

sell the extra's -- money packs better than 10' Surf/6' Boat,
that could be repurchased competitively...  make sure w/ relatives, that IS the case
more importantly, make sure wife understands: TACKLE SOLD NOW = MONEY FOR TACKLE LATER

[Midway Tommy]

If you really like spinners the highest quality and most bullet proof reels on your lists are, by far, all those Cardinals. The 5000s & 6000 are great conventionals, too. ABU & Cardinal parts should be easy to come by in Indonesia. There's a lot of Cardinal collector interest there. They may not be the best options for saltwater though. Your Penns would be good for that. I would try to figure out a way to take them all.

[oc1]

All of those rods and reels are durable enough that they could out-live you.  There is no way to predict exactly what, where and how you will be fishing.  So, you have to take everything.  It would be just one small sliver of space in a container so, yeah, take it all.

Oh, and welcome.  We expect to see some Indonesian fishing adventures.

[Hoosier81]

Welcome!
Sounds like an adventure! I'd bet there's some crazy good fishing down there.
Reel wise I think I'd stick with the penns and ambassaduers simply to be able to get parts.  Some other very nice reels in your stash but parts could be a problem. Also a few of those are worth some $ that could be used for other gear.
My 2 cents anyway

Thanks Swami805 thats one reason why I joined this site was the professional level reel rebuild tutorials. I was going to try and stick with Penn & Abu. My biggest issue is what am I missing being landlocked I have only fished in the ocean twice and would like to have my bases covered.

[Hoosier81]

I'd guess you should stock up on the most ephemeral parts for ALL your reels,
while still here (aside from PRC Penn, maybe)

if I were bringing rods to Asia, I'd go w/ vintage glass
prob., unload some modern rods...  esp., Asian-made & LONG(packed)
without you mentioning power/action, or describing new fishing envirment, these jump out:

Daiwa Tanacom Rod
Daiwa Surf rod 10'
2 Offshore Angler ocean master boat rod 6'
St Croix mojo inshore
Daiwa Harrier Rod
Ugly Stick Tiger Rod
And several sizes and lengths of Offshore Angler Tightline Spinning rods ?
I really want to stay with these rods as I got them for extremely cheap and my wife would kill me If I would have to go buy more like these for full price

sell the extra's -- money packs better than 10' Surf/6' Boat,
that could be repurchased competitively...  make sure w/ relatives, that IS the case
more importantly, make sure wife understands: TACKLE SOLD NOW = MONEY FOR TACKLE LATER

Philaroman
I am lucky that we will have a container when the time comes so space won't be a issue.
The new fishing environment will be fresh water & salt water probably no deep blue fishing but there are some deep bays and channels.
Why do you recommend vintage Glass rods? Are they better at taking abuse?
Thanks for your suggestions it is appreciated!

[Hoosier81]

If you really like spinners the highest quality and most bullet proof reels on your lists are, by far, all those Cardinals. The 5000s & 6000 are great conventionals, too. ABU & Cardinal parts should be easy to come by in Indonesia. There's a lot of Cardinal collector interest there. They may not be the best options for saltwater though. Your Penns would be good for that. I would try to figure out a way to take them all.

Thanks Midway Tommy
I actually have read some of your posts on the those reels and am impressed your knowledge is impressive!
I am fortunate that when the time comes we will have a container to load everything in so space won't be a issue.
For parts I would have to order from Japan or USA and pay the hefty duty for them which is one reason why I was asking for bullet proof suggestions.
What would you recommend for Penn reels? I have a senator 4/0 but it is the new china made version and alot of what comes up on google says they are junk.
I also have a squidder 140 and I saw several posts on here where there are upgrades for it.
Thanks for your help and I am sure I will be reading more of your posts!

[Hoosier81]

All of those rods and reels are durable enough that they could out-live you.  There is no way to predict exactly what, where and how you will be fishing.  So, you have to take everything.  It would be just one small sliver of space in a container so, yeah, take it all.

Oh, and welcome.  We expect to see some Indonesian fishing adventures.

Thanks Oc1 and yes your right I need to try to get everything I think I could use.
I am not much a saltwater fisherman being here in Indiana would I be wise in picking up a bigger Penn reel?

[philaroman]

Philaroman
I am lucky that we will have a container when the time comes so space won't be a issue.
The new fishing environment will be fresh water & salt water probably no deep blue fishing but there are some deep bays and channels.
Why do you recommend vintage Glass rods? Are they better at taking abuse?
Thanks for your suggestions it is appreciated!

ABSOLUTELY more forgiving/durable & good vintage US/Japanese glass is BELOVED by many, esp. L/UL/Fly
something like a decent Fenwick or Conolon, would be much less accessible in Indonesia, I imagine
also, prob. some good Wright & McGill floating around Midwest, looking for a home
get one while you can, to see if you enjoy the different kind of action/feel (not as "crisp"/sensitive as graphite;
better for protecting lighter mono; better shock-absorption for zero-stretch braid)
if you like it -- get a few; if not -- keep one as trade-bait

[boon]

Perhaps a controversial opinion, but sell the lot, buy a slow jig rod when you get there. And a lightish popper/stickbait rod for shore fishing.

Two rods that are specific to the local fish/techniques are going to be a whole lot more useful than a dozen that aren't.

[the rockfish ninja]

Perhaps a controversial opinion, but sell the lot, buy a slow jig rod when you get there. And a lightish popper/stickbait rod for shore fishing.

Two rods that are specific to the local fish/techniques are going to be a whole lot more useful than a dozen that aren't.

The above answer I agree with, although a few of the Penn reels and the St Croix Mojo inshore (depending on the rating) might be useful.

Slow pitch jigging is very popular there, in fact SE Asia is "the destination" for the Japanese anglers that invented it. Not sure if it's best to get one over there or here price wise.

The other popular method Popping/stickbait lures is usually done with a top quality spinning outfit that can take the pressure from the warm water species down there. Keep in mind the fishery down there is similar to warm water destinations like Mexico, and the Caribbean, where the fish are more powerful and energetic than in colder waters, and a completely different world from freshwater fishing. Australia is big on this technique, lot's of info online from them on it.

Zebco (an inexpensive brand) and Offshore Angler (Bass Pro generic brand, and not one with a lot of saltwater experience) I'm doubtful will be up to the task, even the Abu's will only be able to tackle light duty over there.

If you have a little time between now & your journey I would suggest doing a little online research on what is going on over there and what gear they're using to get it done. Then you can use that info to weed out what you can use and what to get rid of.

You are planning on relocating to a bucket list fishing destination for a lot of people in the world, do your research, streamline your gear arsenal, and go make some memories.

.... and post some fishing reports here, good luck.

[Midway Tommy]

Thanks Midway Tommy
I actually have read some of your posts on the those reels and am impressed your knowledge is impressive!
I am fortunate that when the time comes we will have a container to load everything in so space won't be a issue.
For parts I would have to order from Japan or USA and pay the hefty duty for them which is one reason why I was asking for bullet proof suggestions.
What would you recommend for Penn reels? I have a senator 4/0 but it is the new china made version and alot of what comes up on google says they are junk.
I also have a squidder 140 and I saw several posts on here where there are upgrades for it.
Thanks for your help and I am sure I will be reading more of your posts!

Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate them! I try to share as much info and knowledge as I can. To me, sharing knowledge gained from experience is the least I can do.

I'm pretty much land locked here in the plains with no need or want to go to either coast so I'm not the person to give advice on anything that has to do with saltwater. About the only thing I do know is that Penn spinner you have are fairly decent reel and should handle saltwater as long as it's maintained well.

You've been given some good advice by others. Too bad you can't go over there for a little while and check things out before you have decide on what to take.

Good luck on your move!

[Gobi King]

Hoosier81,
which island are you moving to?

will you be fishing off the shore (salt) or fresh water too?

I would take some reels and rods if you already have them. You gots to understand that MOST of the fishing stuff gets assembled in Malaysia and neighboring countries.

They have sporting good stores there and some stuff is MUCH cheaper than what we have here.

With the price of container shipping costs, it might be cheaper to buy everything there.

I have a little experience buy stuff there, never fished salt though.

[jurelometer]

Greetings Hoosier.

Assume that you have family/friends in the area you are considering moving to.  They should be able to give you some info on local fishing.   

Since Indonesia is a ginormous country facing two oceans with thousands of islands, plus a land mass large enough to support freshwater fisheries, where you plan to live, and how often and how far you are willing to travel will help you narrow things down a bit and get better gear recommendations from folk that have not fished there.  If you are taking a container and have room, nothing wrong with plugging the empty spots with fishing tackle.  You can always give gear away which is one of the best uses for too much gear IMHO.  I wouldn't worry about acquiring more tackle for now.  Assume that 4/0 is a 113H.  The 113H  is is pretty much the standard ocean  trolling and live baiting reel for most of the planet.  A Chinese version will be good enough.  Something in the heavy freshwater/ lighter inshore  side like the 6000 or equivalent  in a  spinner, and then a ML spinner for freshwater and fishing beaches where only small fish are available.   Maybe a surf outfit also if you already have one.  That will have all the bases covered for getting you in the game for just about anything.

I think that folks living in western countries and watching fishing videos have a grass is greener view of some of these countries.  In reality, there is intense fishing pressure from locals sourcing protein in high population areas, and an invasion of foreign fishing fleets in remote and offshore fisheries.  In countries with limited resources and/or interest in enforcement, the fisheries can get beaten down pretty badly.    Indonesia has a pretty large population, it's waters are in close proximity to Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and not that far from China, so the pressure is pretty intense in that area.   In this sort of situation, you have to find an area that has some combination of  enforced protection, low population, rampant malaria/dengue,  local control of the fishery, or isolation that makes it uneconomical  to be wiped out by the commercials.   

That is not to say that there will not be some good fishing to be had if travel is an option, or that you might not have some fun taking a rod out to the local beach.  But tempering expectations is not a bad idea. I would not buy a bunch of gear  in advance of a move like this.

I have  traveled a bit around that neck of the planet, but  only a bit in Indonesia, and  it has been quite a few years.  I can't comment much on current conditions. I know that even twenty years ago, it took a bit of work to get  some distance off the beaten path and find decent inshore fishing.

It will be quite an adventure switching to a new life in a very different place than Hoosierland, and Indonesia is going through a lot of stuff as a country right now.  Fishing will probably fall into place once everything else gets sorted.   The good news is that Bahasa is the  most intelligently constructed language ever, especially for learning as a second language. 

Good luck on your adventure.


-J