I'm back in Edmonds and getting into salmon fishing with some friends here. Need advice about getting a spinning set up for throwing bjuzz bombs, plug cut herring etc. Waht preference line, rod length, brands. Have some old level wind reels and rods that work for trolling, but think my Mitchell 300 might not be the best option. Thanks!
Non-Fly Advice for Spinning gear for Puget Sound
- Thread starter Bakerite
- Start date
Divad
Whitefish
Spinning reel: hard to beat the value in a Penn Pursuit IV for under $60, sealed and stainless bearings. Good warranty service too.
For a rod, I prefer a medium action but if you want to throw cut up chunks of sh*t then probably MH with a line weight range that expands into the 20s. I use the 13Fate Steel rod 8’6 Medium and throw 1/2-1oz buzz bombs no problem. It’s a very light swinging rod that won’t fatigue, uses cork and carbon, name brand SS guides and was $90. There are a lot of rods that work, stay 8ft or greater and foam grips suck.
Line: 20lb braid with a short fluoro leader. And get the small hard beads for fly tying as your buzz bomb bumpers. I hate setting hooks on full mono setups, plus I run a 3000 reel so the braid helps with capacity for king runs.
For a rod, I prefer a medium action but if you want to throw cut up chunks of sh*t then probably MH with a line weight range that expands into the 20s. I use the 13Fate Steel rod 8’6 Medium and throw 1/2-1oz buzz bombs no problem. It’s a very light swinging rod that won’t fatigue, uses cork and carbon, name brand SS guides and was $90. There are a lot of rods that work, stay 8ft or greater and foam grips suck.
Line: 20lb braid with a short fluoro leader. And get the small hard beads for fly tying as your buzz bomb bumpers. I hate setting hooks on full mono setups, plus I run a 3000 reel so the braid helps with capacity for king runs.
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FerrousTortoise
Steelhead
For fishing buzz bombs from the beach I use a 9'6" Fenwick light rod. Personally, I prefer the light - medium/light action from the beach. For a spinning reel the Penn reels work well, I also like the Pfluger President series.
Line: I tend to fish a lighter braid 10-12lb with a mono leader. Like Divad I feel the braid works a lot better when setting hooks, especially when the fish are way out there.
I think you will find a lot variation in what people prefer, but out on the beach it seems like a lot of the old timers perfer a 9-9'6" rod.
Line: I tend to fish a lighter braid 10-12lb with a mono leader. Like Divad I feel the braid works a lot better when setting hooks, especially when the fish are way out there.
I think you will find a lot variation in what people prefer, but out on the beach it seems like a lot of the old timers perfer a 9-9'6" rod.
As far a lures go, besides buzz bombs also consider rotators.
SF
SF
Scudley Do Right
Life of the Party
I use a light or medium light 9'6"-10'6" moderate action for throwing spoons. The lighter braid cast a lot further than mono. I use a mono leader though for tying knots. I'm not a big fan of chucking buzz bombs.
9 or 9'6" spinning rod. Mine is a TFO.Daiwa 2500 mid range$$ reel, Power Pro 20# braid with a 6 or 7 foot 15 or 20# maxima ultra green for mono or seaguar sts for flouro if you prefer.
2 or 3 inch Chartruse Rotator with small cerise hootchy on a barbless 2/0 siwash hook.
That rig will cast a mile with very few to zero coiling or tangling issues.
I use the rig described and it is a lot of fun to fish with.
Thanks everyone! I ended up getting a penn reel. It came with a 6 1/2 foot rod for the same price as just the reel, so have been using that rod. Have my dad's old Roddy 9 foot steelhead rod and another old fiberglass one of mine Iwilltry too. So far, very good results both on the beach and out of my friends boat, catching pinks. Setting up for fly fishing too, but hard to get going on the crowded beach i have been on or out of 17 foot boat with three guys.
IMFSHN
Freshly Spawned
Thanks for the insight. I visit Washington multiple times a year (my basecamp is Everett) and was looking for a shore casting rod to start with. I like your TFO suggestion better than the BPS employee's suggestion of a cheap ugly stick. I'm doddling between your TFO Signature Series STS 904-2 9’rod, and a 13 Fishing Fate Steel - SSS86M-2 8' 6".
I like all my Shimano reels (1000, 200, 2500, and a 4000). My question is if I need to find a model that will handle the salt water and not corode out on me?
Tight lines from Minnesota.
If you rinse the reels after fishing them in the salt water they should be fine and not corrode.keep them well lubricated as well.
I rinse the rod and reel under the hose after an outing in the salt water.
The Daiwa Exceller 2500 has served me well.
IMFSHN
Freshly Spawned
The rinse/lube suggestion is super helpful.
Loved the Diawa reels I've had over the years -I just picked up a 1000 Fuego LT for a new crappie rod, but the week leading up to coming out here got a bit busy, so that hasn't seen its first cast yet. I was saddened when they stopped making their collapsible handles a handful of years back.
I asked the saltwater question because that was something the BPS guy mentioned when recommending a Penn reel to go along with that ugly stick. I could see and feel his frustration over the limited inventory he had to work with. I told him I understood, and asked him IF he had a full inventory, what would HE throw. Not much of a response to that, but he did have a handly recommendation of a crab ring net for the pier fishing. I hadn't seen those before (not a lot of crabbing in MN
) and are basically the same thing we do on the 40-60' drop down to the Garrison Dam tailraces at Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota - take the net end off the sliding handle, unravel a nylon rope into four strands and tie them to each corner of the metal net hoop and tie it off just below the water's surface.I'm hoping to get some gear set up here, so I can take a day or two to explore each time I visit.
Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and experience, as well as your time.
IMFSHN
Freshly Spawned
My apologies for another rookie question: What is a “cerise hootchy?”
Divad
Whitefish
Cerise is bright reddish pink color. And a hoochie is also called a squid skirt or skirt. They’re rubber dangly things that slip over your line, lure or hook. Some people swear by adding them makes a difference.
You can make your own if you want with a tube setup.
A hootchy is a plastic squid imitation and cerise is a color, kind of a hot pink.
In the photo is a chartreuse rotator and a 2" cerise hoochy.
IMFSHN
Freshly Spawned
Thank you so much for the photos and patient tutelage, Wanative.
Following your recommendation, I ended up ordering and shipping a TFO SDS 904-2 (Your STS was replaced by SRS, then SR -both discontinued, then finally by SDS. The TFO rep said it's probably their only rod that is still using the same blank as the STS.) so it's waiting for me in Everett.
It looks like every other tenticle of that hoochy is clipped, or is it made like that?
I'll be out there for two-weeks during Christmas. I suppose there won't be an opportunity of anything running the test it out.
Following your recommendation, I ended up ordering and shipping a TFO SDS 904-2 (Your STS was replaced by SRS, then SR -both discontinued, then finally by SDS. The TFO rep said it's probably their only rod that is still using the same blank as the STS.) so it's waiting for me in Everett.
It looks like every other tenticle of that hoochy is clipped, or is it made like that?
I'll be out there for two-weeks during Christmas. I suppose there won't be an opportunity of anything running the test it out.
I often pluck every other tentacle on my hoochys. I believe it gives the remaining tentacles more movement thus better action. The salmon seasons are pretty much finished in the Puget Sound for the year.
There are some limited areas in MA 13 unti Dec. 7
Chum retention opens in deep South Sound and Kennedy Creek, remains open in Carr Inlet
Chum retention opens in deep South Sound and Kennedy Creek, remains open in Carr Inlet Action: Opens chum salmon retention within portions of Marine Area 13 and Kennedy Creek listed below. Effective date: Immediately, through Dec. 7, 2023 Species affected: Chum salmon
wdfw.wa.gov
Pink Nighty
Life of the Party
Way to go man now the secret is out! Except the real ones know it's a cerise rotator and chartreuse hoochy that bring in the HAWGS.
A white glow hoochy is hot too.
Pink Nighty
Life of the Party
Shhhhhhhhh
