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Decent budget friendly beach casting rod / reel

SteveKent

SteveKent

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
17
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31
Points
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Location
Kent
Favourite Fishing
Shore
Afternoon anglers,

Used to fish a lot with my grandfather who has passed away now.

Its been about 15 years and I want to get back into it and teach my sons how to fish.

Went down Dungeness at the weekend and drew a blank (so did all the other anglers there so must have been a bad day!).

I feel my gear is outdated now and I am rusty so want to buy a new rod and reel to get back into it.

Currently using a Daiwa Sandstorm 2 with an Opus 5500 fixed spool reel, cost me about £300 back in the day but surely there must have been some developments / innovations in the last 15 years.

Can anyone recommend me a decent setup which isnt going to cost several hundred pound?

Cheers
 
That rod and reel setup should catch fish, same as many others will, if you're happy using it and can get the distance required to find the fish (sometimes alot closer than expected), why worry about changing.
I'd concentrate more on when to fish and having decent bait.
 
Fishing the other night and all lads chatting bloke from shop said he would do for one of them with a great discount.

Just remember to ask when buying.
 
SteveKent said:
Afternoon anglers,

Used to fish a lot with my grandfather who has passed away now.

Its been about 15 years and I want to get back into it and teach my sons how to fish.

Went down Dungeness at the weekend and drew a blank (so did all the other anglers there so must have been a bad day!).

I feel my gear is outdated now and I am rusty so want to buy a new rod and reel to get back into it.

Currently using a Daiwa Sandstorm 2 with an Opus 5500 fixed spool reel, cost me about £300 back in the day but surely there must have been some developments / innovations in the last 15 years.

Can anyone recommend me a decent setup which isnt going to cost several hundred pound?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Rod lengths have increased with conti rods. Paired with a fixed spool loaded with braid. Easier to cast and allows you to fish lighter. Not every ones cup of tea though
 
Valleyboy said:
Rod lengths have increased with conti rods. Paired with a fixed spool loaded with braid. Easier to cast and allows you to fish lighter. Not every ones cup of tea though
Click to expand...
Not sure what them rods the lads were using the other night but they were similar in size and shape to my penn bass rod but obviously a bit different, reels loaded with braid and casting 150+ yds easy
 
Ollieollie said:
Not sure about the reel but a Daiwa rod is surely still up to the job
Click to expand...

The reel is also Daiwa, the Daiwa Opus 5500.
Sounds like I should stick with it for now.

Craig said:
That rod and reel setup should catch fish, same as many others will, if you're happy using it and can get the distance required to find the fish (sometimes alot closer than expected), why worry about changing.
I'd concentrate more on when to fish and having decent bait.
Click to expand...

Well Dungeness at the weekend was a blank!
Have joined a few local FB groups to follow catch reports etc.

Valleyboy said:
I've got a Sandstorm 2 there somewhere ,fine to fish with, a bit heavy and clunky compared to newer blanks but perfectly capable
Click to expand...

Very clunky, little flex / whip when casting.
Looks like I will stick with it for the short term :)
 
Welcome to the Madhouse Steve!

Your Daiwa rod should be OK, not come across that reel. One tip is to use the best bait you can get your hands on.
Also, 'match the hatch' - find out bait what others are using to catch fish in your location.
Fish can be finicky on what they go for at different locations and states of the tide.
Our very own fine fellow @Shirleycodlin is in your neck of the woods and might be able to offer some advice.
 
Trampster said:
Welcome to the Madhouse Steve!

Your Daiwa rod should be OK, not come across that reel. One tip is to use the best bait you can get your hands on.
Also, 'match the hatch' - find out bait what others are using to catch fish in your location.
Fish can be finicky on what they go for at different locations and states of the tide.
Our very own fine fellow @Shirleycodlin is in your neck of the woods and might be able to offer some advice.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome trampster!
Well I always used to use blow lug and rag worm back when I fished with my grandfather.

However went to my local bait shop and they were out of live bait so I ended up with frozen blacks and a pack of dirty squid.
The guy also sold me a pulley pennel rig (have only used flappers before) and found out from a recent youtube video I used it completely wrong :D

I was threading the whole worm on to the lower hook and then using the top hook to go through the top end.
From a video I saw you thread half of the worm on and then pull the hook through it and then go back in to the same worm with the lower hook and use the line to pull the shank inside. Maybe that was why I wasnt having much luck!

Just looking forward to getting back out again :)
 
Welcome to the asylum.
Tackle is fine.
It's a lot newer than the gear I use at any rate!

At Dungeness this time of year, night time is key to success.
Size 2, 2 hook flappers baited with worm will produce whiting and dogfish. Possibly bass and sole.
Leads are as ever dictated by the tide.

If you want to fish in daylight (other than feathering for mackerel) you'll want an onshore wind and coloured water, especially for bass.
 
SteveKent said:
Thanks for the welcome trampster!
Well I always used to use blow lug and rag worm back when I fished with my grandfather.

However went to my local bait shop and they were out of live bait so I ended up with frozen blacks and a pack of dirty squid.
The guy also sold me a pulley pennel rig (have only used flappers before) and found out from a recent youtube video I used it completely wrong :D

I was threading the whole worm on to the lower hook and then using the top hook to go through the top end.
From a video I saw you thread half of the worm on and then pull the hook through it and then go back in to the same worm with the lower hook and use the line to pull the shank inside. Maybe that was why I wasnt having much luck!

Just looking forward to getting back out again :)
Click to expand...
Nowt wrong with the way you were baiting up. Wouldn't have put the fish off nor stopped them getting hooked.
 
SteveKent said:
The reel is also Daiwa, the Daiwa Opus 5500.
Sounds like I should stick with it for now.



Well Dungeness at the weekend was a blank!
Have joined a few local FB groups to follow catch reports etc.



Very clunky, little flex / whip when casting.
Looks like I will stick with it for the short term :)
Click to expand...
Also better off avoiding filthbook as it's 90% bull.
 
I'm just about to get back in to beach work, refurbing my pair of 13' moonrakers (1-Z, 1-XS) to start,
rather than pitch up with the Kompressors & put my back out first cast :oops:
 
It's a welcome from me as well (y)
 

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