A few pointers for a newbie

[bozzie]

Hi
I've recently retired, did some beachcasting in my 20s , so starting afresh , I intend to get myself a basic set up , like rod ,reel , tripod , weights and lures for bass etc, but I do have a few questions if that's OK, not really specific but just for a general idea, they are:
What size hooks for general shore fishing for Codling, bass, flaties or whiting , is there a general size I should stock up on .?
Also what lead weight size and what poundage shock leader , I haven't bought anything yet but intend to anyday now.
Plus what poundage line , again a general size/ weight to get me started,
As an oldie on a budget , I want to get myself everything I need to get sstarted but realise it probably won't be the best money can buy if you get my drift, im ok with that, now I've seen some complete sea fishing sets on ebay that look promising , any views on these?
Any info or advice welcome.
Cheers
Bozzie

 

[Beach]

Have a chat with a tackle shop near the coast, they should be able to help.

 

[bozzie]

Have a chat with a tackle shop near the coast, they should be able to help.

Thanks, yes I'll be doing that tomorrow before I start buying anything on Ebay

 

[Ollieollie]

Incoming

 

[Trampster]

Hiya Bozzie!

For rods & reels, try to stick to known brand names - beware of the cheap unknown brands from China. Check the seller's details and address to check the stock is coming from the UK.
Even the lower range Reels from the likes of Daiwa, Shimano, Penn are good to start with, Rods - Penn, Shakespeare, Abu Garcia, Savage gear. Places like your local Gumtree are good for 2nd hand deals.

Veals are also a good place to look, either on their website or their eBay store. They've currently got a fairly good Penn Wrath starter combo on offer for £174.99. It would help to know your budget.

Penn Wrath II Surfcast 453 Combo - Veals Mail Order

Penn Wrath II Surfcast 453 Combo Rod & Reel combo deal Matching Penn Wrath surf rod and reel - Wrath II Surfcast 453 Rod Length 4.50m (15’) Casting up to 250gm 3 Sections Graphite composite blank Strong and responsive Screw winch reel seat Anti-slip casting grip Hybrid ringing Titanium Oxide...

www.veals.co.uk

The weights to use will depend on the casting rating of the rod. I tend to stick to 4oz or around 130gms as I use 4.5 metre light Continental rods.
Re a shock leader (I guess you will be starting with mono line), the rule of thumb is now accepted as 10Lb of shock leader for every Ounce you intend to cast, + a 10Lb safety margin. So for a 4oz weight, you want a minimum of 50Lb. 6oz you would want 70Lb.
The Penn Wrath combo above has a casting rating of 250gms (or near 9oz) but you need to include the weight of your bait.
Your shock leader should be approx. twice the length of your rod, so that you have a few turns on the reel before a cast.

Hooks I would say a selection betwen size 1, and 4/0. Again, it depends what you intend to target. Our very own @kevothefish has some excellent rigs on his website, or if you want to make your own, Planet sea fishing have a very useful PDF download of different rigs you can make.

https://planetseafishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/new-rigs-book-2017.pdf

Plenty of folk on here that wil help you out, most of them with more knowledge than me!

 

[bozzie]

Hiya Bozzie!

For rods & reels, try to stick to known brand names - beware of the cheap unknown brands from China. Check the seller's details and address to check the stock is coming from the UK.
Even the lower range Reels from the likes of Daiwa, Shimano, Penn are good to start with, Rods - Penn, Shakespeare, Abu Garcia, Savage gear. Places like your local Gumtree are good for 2nd hand deals.

Veals are also a good place to look, either on their website or their eBay store. They've currently got a fairly good Penn Wrath starter combo on offer for £174.99. It would help to know your budget.

Penn Wrath II Surfcast 453 Combo - Veals Mail Order

Penn Wrath II Surfcast 453 Combo Rod & Reel combo deal Matching Penn Wrath surf rod and reel - Wrath II Surfcast 453 Rod Length 4.50m (15’) Casting up to 250gm 3 Sections Graphite composite blank Strong and responsive Screw winch reel seat Anti-slip casting grip Hybrid ringing Titanium Oxide...

www.veals.co.uk

The weights to use will depend on the casting rating of the rod. I tend to stick to 4oz or around 130gms as I use 4.5 metre light Continental rods.
Re a shock leader (I guess you will be starting with mono line), the rule of thumb is now accepted as 10Lb of shock leader for every Ounce you intend to cast, + a 10Lb safety margin. So for a 4oz weight, you want a minimum of 50Lb. 6oz you would want 70Lb.
The Penn Wrath combo above has a casting rating of 250gms (or near 9oz) but you need to include the weight of your bait.
Your shock leader should be approx. twice the length of your rod, so that you have a few turns on the reel before a cast.

Hooks I would say a selection betwen size 1, and 4/0. Again, it depends what you intend to target. Our very own @kevothefish has some excellent rigs on his website, or if you want to make your own, Planet sea fishing have a very useful PDF download of different rigs you can make.

https://planetseafishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/new-rigs-book-2017.pdf

Plenty of folk on here that wil help you out, most of them with more knowledge than me!

Thanks for that, all this info will help me get set up , and hopefully make some right choices in choosing my gear .

 

[bozzie]

Well I've just ordered a Shakespeare beachcasting beginners combo, along with a few rigs and weights etc , plus some shock leader and a Bass lure, plus a tripod, it's a known brand so hopefully when it comes I'll get out there and give it a go, I live on the coast so I'll get a tide table sorted.
I assume fishing is better on an incoming tide is that correct ?
Cheers
Bozzie

 

[Mike]

Hi Bozzie,

Welcome to the forum. It might also help to have a gander through our How To Guides on this site as well. We've got a guide for most of the popular species, plus rigs etc. etc. You can find them here:

How to Sea Fish

www.talkseafishing.co.uk

Cheers

Mike

 

[bozzie]

Hi Bozzie,

Welcome to the forum. It might also help to have a gander through our How To Guides on this site as well. We've got a guide for most of the popular species, plus rigs etc. etc. You can find them here:

How to Sea Fish

www.talkseafishing.co.uk

Cheers

Mike

Will do, and I think getting to grips ,and remembering knots will be fun.

 

[Trampster]

Well I've just ordered a Shakespeare beachcasting beginners combo, along with a few rigs and weights etc , plus some shock leader and a Bass lure, plus a tripod, it's a known brand so hopefully when it comes I'll get out there and give it a go, I live on the coast so I'll get a tide table sorted.
I assume fishing is better on an incoming tide is that correct ?
Cheers
Bozzie

I always think an incoming tide is better, but others may say different.
I know there are some marks said to fish better over a high tide, and some over low.
Somewhat limited ability now for me, so I stick to piers and waterside marks with relatively easy access. My favourite pier mark can be quite productive on the incoming tide, but once the tide turns, the fish never seem to swim back past on the way out!