Hey everyone,
So I have been shore fishing primarily for sharks for a number of years. Have previously been using a 9/0 and kayaking my bait out till last year. Started trying to find alternatives to taking the kayak down and all the gear and started using my spinners. Went through a couple of Okuma reels and they did not really hold up too well to getting wet and sand etc. I tried to do the maintenance on them myself and I am just not cut out for that. Quite honestly took apart a couple, a Coronado 80 and Trio 80 and could not get them back together. Treated myself to a Spinfisher 9500 and it arrived last week. I could not see them in person so took a chance on a larger reel. The 9500 arrived and it is huge or at least much bigger than any one I have had previously. I have a 12 foot Daiwa Beefstick and 10-foot Ugly Stik, along with a 7 foot Bill Fisher Liveliner. I have thrown some 65 braid on there and have some 30lb mono top shot. I took it out to the yard and gave it a number of throws and it just sounds like there is a lot of contact when the line goes through the guides. It is also not casting as far as I had imagined. I have a 6oz weight on there now to just give me some weight but again it just does not sound smooth as it exits and goes through the guides. That of course means the throws are not near as long either. I have an Okuma 5000 with some braid on and a top-shot and that can really fly when I throw it but of course, cannot handle heavy weight. I am really trying to cast cut bait out as far as I can. I was hoping the 9500 paired with a 10-12 ft rod would get me the distance but I think the line combination I am using is not ideal but of course just a hunch. I plan on trying some different combinations of line and braid but was curious if anyone had an opinion? I would prefer to run straight mono and had originally been looking at 40lb but now I am wondering if that is too thick? I can run braid of course but was worried about cut-offs and sand bars destroying it, hence the mono. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Just now seeing and reading the article below regarding spinners and distance.
Do you feel like you are generating the rod speed you need on the forward part of the cast? That is, is the rod loading well and then snapping forward right before you release? 6oz. would prolly give me a sore arms workout if I tossed it enough times. How's the 9500 for winding line? Some surfcasters are designed with a slow oscillating spool to facilitate better line release.
What article?
vintage Penn spinners are [almost] parallel to rod, while modern Okuma have much more of a cant(lean)
I would specifically NOT expect, whatever guide spacing/sizes worked well for Okuma, to also work well for old Penn
the fact that 9500 is much bigger, throwing off bigger line coils, would prob. exaggerate bad rod/reel match-up
Everything mentioned above PLUS what size are the Guides and are they Ceramic,Teflon or what as Braid will work better on plain Jane old fashion non coated BIG EYE Guides INMHO.
BIG REELS NEED BIG ROD, BIG EYED GUIDES ....lol Go BIG or GO HOME as the say .
Gfish, I typed all that info in my message, hit post and then saw that someone had posted a message about getting more distance from a spinner. Felt like I was being redundant but seeing that I am a slow typer I left my post up there as well. Thanks
So I have been practicing in my yard and I think I am closer to getting it dialed in. The mono I may have been using previously might have been too thick. I have the 65lb braid backing and have been putting on 15, 20 & 30lb mono top shot with a 6oz weight. I am tying it to a 3 foot single strand wire to give me a real world idea. I am now really being able to get some distance behind my throws and continue to gain yardage. I've been tying my knots (double uni) and making sure the tag ends were nice and neat. My thought process is to spool with 80lb braid and tie on mono top shots with varying lb strength just depending on conditions. Thought I would provide an update. I was practicing with a 7ft rod and was getting some decent yardage but now have the reel on a 12 footer and getting great yardage on that rod. I am aware that the 12 footer is obviously going to get better yardage but really like the 7 footer. I really appreciate everyone always being so helpful. Thanks
I know it's been a while but try a slimmer knot where the mono tag points towards the reel; something like an FG. Will go through the guides a lot better.
I would just use, mono,or straight fluro carbon, or just braid on it own, 16 strand braid is much smoother than 4 strand, you wont believe the difference, till you try it.
Now no matter what line your using, turn your back to the cast area target, you want to hit, now you casting left to right,so place your right hand up the rod, hold the line near the reel with your left hand, now as your casting try to pull with your left hand, & swing the rod with your right hand, a shorter handle on the rod will help, as it wont get in the way of your body, good luck cheers Don.
Try look up a you tube on long casting, cheers Don.
Hi Saaben, have you had time to try more casting, cheers Don.
Pull your bottom guide off. But test first before you do that craziness. Many long 2 piece rods like that have the bottom guide on the bottom section. So tape the reel to the back of the reel seat and put the top section in backwards and try casting in your yard without the bottom guide.
Hey DonnyBoat, I am just seeing your question now. I have been very fortunate to be getting some time in the surf. I had to quit in the yard as I kept getting my tackle torn up in the occasional tree. I have a little Slammer 4500 I bought used that I have on an OceanMaster that came recommended by Daron, Sharkhunter. That reel can throw a 2-3oz weight pretty good. My other reel is the Spinfisher 9500 that I am looking at rods for. Been using a Daiwa Beefstick for years and looking to upgrade. Previous rod (12 footer) was an Ugly Stik. Thanks
Thanks for your reply, are you happy with your casting now, com paired to when you first started, cheers don.