Beach Combo

[zuluwoffle]

Hey Guys,

Long time viewer, first time poster here. Looking at finally getting a decent beach setup to get out the back of the gutters to hit some tailor and salmon at Stockton Beach and wanted to get some advice on what set up to get.

I'm looking at spending about $250 - $300 for rod and reel only and was looking at a combo of the Alvey 6500BCVRR and one of the following rods - Wilson MT7144, Wilson Sea Coaster or the Alvey 650 rod. Any thoughts on these guys? I haven't heard too much about the Alvey Rods and very interested to hear your thoughts.

Also I was wondering if there is any difference between the 6000BCVRR Alvey and the 6500BCVRR Alveys except cost, ie does the 6.5" cast further or have a faster retrieve and so forth.

Anyway guys looking forward to your feedback. Had an instance last weekend where there was heaps of salmon but just couldn't cast out far enough with my current rod. Now it's payback time hahahaha

Matt

[Crisp Bee]

Zuluwoffle,
I have a 650bcvrr and am happy with it.
the 600 is a smaller spool diametre than the 650. I think it means 6 inch against 6.5 inch. Therefore the 650 should hold more line, and also allow the line to peel of faster giving a longer cast distance for the same effort. The rapid retrieve is good off the rocks with lures...but the whoel thing gets heavy.
As for the surf rod, i don't know much about the rods you mention. I always thought that the Alvey rods seem to have a small stripper (first guide stainless steel). Some say that this would impeed your cast distance, but I am not sure.
I use a Gary Howard "Castaway" surf rod and am happy with it. It has paid itself off in Fish fillets over the last 5 years.
My mate has a 700 series Alvey, and he is able to cast further than me , but he is also taller, and has a different rod, and about 20 years more practice at casting.
Some guys will also say to upgrade the drag washers, but I have not done so.

[nigelr]

Check out the Silstar Crystal Power Tip 12 footer. Great rod for the $.
But if you want to cast big distance a 13'6" would be better.
One of the 13' or 13'6" Live Fibres, or the Gary Howards made up on the two (medium or heavy) Mag Surf 13'6" blanks. These options will be a lot more expensive though, but you never know what you can find shopping around.
If you are going with an Alvey, make sure the reel mount of whatever rod you decide on is in the 'low' position. Yes the 6500 will retrieve faster and IMO cast further with greater ease than the 6000. The Alvey is a simple, strong, trouble-free reel that is perfect for surf fishing. Some monsterous fish have been landed on them over many, many years.
Cheers and good luck.

[zuluwoffle]

Thanks guys for your feedback. I've decided to go for the KISS method and get a 650B Alvey and use the old Plam drag instead and spent a bit more money on the rod and got a 13' Live Fibre.

[PNG1M]

No thread hi-jack intended, but the best beach combo I've used in recent months I got from Mo Tckl.

A Daiwa Sensor Surf 10'6" with a Penn 6500 Spinfisher spooled with 14lb mono.
Caught a few tailor and a couple of mulloway on it last July at Fraser. Nice and light and easy to cast and looks the part too. Plenty of grunt when loaded.

Nearly threw the whole set-up (brand new) into the ocean off the Sand Pumping Jetty when my daughter stept in front of me right at the full momentum of the cast. I was committed and let fly but somehow the bail arm had flicked back closed.

When I let go, instead of the line whizzing out into the distance it stopped dead and the momentum nearly pulled the rod out of my hands over the side of the jetty. There was a fraction of a fan_y hair in it....!

I had a ball sinker and a whole ganged pillie on the end so the force was considerable. Just as well the sensor surf had the ballgrip on the end of the handle otherwise.....glug, glug (and mega-embarrassing given the number of ho-chi guys there who would have seen it).