I own the Sage 590 Graphite III, 9', 5wt.? What brand and type of line would you match to it, for PS SRC beach casting? So many options out there to sift through. Thanks.
I started fishing the sound about 10-11 years ago now. Finding the right line is as important, if not more than the rod IMO. It’s worth the time and money spent finding the right line for your rod. There is a whole thread here on beach lines that’s worth a read if you have not already.
It's a topic we go over and over in the saltwater forum. Hoping we can collect our thoughts on all our old favorites, the latest and greatest, what rods they work well with, clear or not, sink rates, taper and head length, grain weights and whether to upline or not, features we like or dislike, etc. Specify if you like a line for specific species, beach type, or other reasons.
There is a poll just for giggles but there are too many to list and I can't think of any others right now. I'll edit additional info in later to help kick it off.
If I were fishing the beach exclusively, I’d fish a 6. I do fish a 5 sometimes for SRC from the boat because the maneuverability of a boat allows you to manage wind, casting direction and distance better than being a shore bound angler.
Another benefit of using a 6 are the line options you’ll have over a 5, which IMO are more important for coho than SRC. I use them for both because I see no need to have two sets of lines just because. There seem to be more intermediate, type 3 and type 6 lines out there to choose from for 6+ weight rods. If you plan to fish a floater only not an issue. That said, though a floater can be effective even fishing subsurface, they cannot beat the effectiveness subsurface lines for the sound IMO.
Regarding switch versus single hand…again, both can be effective and the arguments above…effectively fishing the last 30 feet, versus time spent fishing, fatigue, etc. are all valid. For me, the sh rod with a compact shooting head for coho works because I can spend just about as much time fishing as a switch caster with 1-2 false casts and I can cover more water in close. That is the benefit of compact heads for coho IMO. They are clunky and not nearly as fun casting as traditional lines but you can get max distance with minimal false casts. That said, double hauling casts with a heavy headed line for hours on end will put strain on even the best casters body so something to consider. I prefer sh rods for SRC as well because of the versatility direction and distance wise they give me.
In the end, try a bunch of stuff to get yourself dialed. I am pretty sure you could get some used lines to try for cheap/next to nothing. I certainly have some rejects gathering dust that might work for others!
