New lightweight surf setup (advice welcome!)

[oldgill]

Hello all,

I am not new to fishing, but would like to buy some nice gear for a change instead of the el cheapo Kmart stuff i have been used to over the years and judging by the wealth of knowledge i have read on here it looks like i could learn a lot from everyone.

I would like some opinions on what would be a good lightweight eggbeater setup (the rod is the main question)

I would like something fairly light and around 10 foot suitable for whiting, flathead, bream from beaches or estuaries and anything up to salmon or bonito off the rocks. I would like to be able to throw lightweight soft plastics, poppers, lures, normal baits and anything else into the surf with good casting distance. I would just like to be able to buy one rod for everything, surf beaches, rocks, estuaries but not have something too bulky and heavy for some situations and not to small to use on the beach also.

So far far i have read from other posts about the following rods:
1. Nitro Sniper 10'6 / 3-6kg / 9-40g ($369.95 available in some shops in Oz)
2. Daiwa Surf sensor 10' /12-20lb / 3/4-3oz (Roughly $200 from online shops in Oz)
3. Daiwa Saltiga Surf 10' /15-30lb / 3-6ox ( Roughly $220 from overseas online shops)
4. St Croix Mojo Surf 10' /10-20lb / 3/4-3oz (Around $220 from overseas online shops)
5. St Croix Mojo Surf 10'6 / 12-25lb / 2-6oz (Around $240 from overseas online shops)

I would really appreciate any advice from owners of these or similar rods, and advice about whether the lighter of these rods such as the Nitro (3/4-3oz lure casting weight) is really too light and if something as heavy as the Saltiga (3-6oz) would be a better all-rounder. Whatever your thoughts.

Thankyou for your time!

[oldgill]

6. Daiwa Seajigger 305/ 12-20lb / ? (Roughly $250 from Oz shops)

[kingcray]

oldgill for something slightly cheaper, you could check out the Gary Howard surf / rock range. I got myself a Breambo 4 wrap 10' 2 piece 2-5kg and have used it for everything you mentioned above. I currently have a tough old shimano slade 4000 on it with about 10lb mono.
Dean

[oldgill]

thanks, that looks like a nice rod also! How is the casting? I like the action of the graphite rods (stiffer). Is it good for lures and small baits etc?

[Tangles]

one question to think about, a nice crisp graphite rod on the rocks? i reckon will end in tears,

your really talking 2 rods as your asking one rod o do an awful lot, . A traditional light surf rod would do most of what you want but twitching poppers etc and soft plastics it will struggle, best get 2 rods and enjoy.

[theoldlegend]

oldgill for something slightly cheaper, you could check out the Gary Howard surf / rock range. I got myself a Breambo 4 wrap 10' 2 piece 2-5kg and have used it for everything you mentioned above. I currently have a tough old shimano slade 4000 on it with about 10lb mono.
Dean

Pretty hard to kill those things....


TOL

[kingcray]

yeah certainly gotta be careful on the rocks like with any gear.
TOL - the slade or the breambo? i couldnt kill the slade if i tried

[theoldlegend]

Ha ha, the both of them.


TOL