So here's my dilemma !!!

Been looking around for a spinning rod that can handle a minimum of 1oz weight with 20lb test line. Everything I've found just isn't practical for casting/retrieving spoons and large soft baits all day long.
Normally I use a baitcaster but windy days and baitcasters tend to be unfriendly.

Any thoughts, suggestions or info on finding a rod for this situation would be appreciated !!!

we would just go to "the warehouse" and grab one off the rack for $60ish and go fishing.
a egg beater real and 6' rod should do that with ease a 8' better still, one or two piece a matter of price and ease of transport.
we use a couple of VERY cheap rods more often than not as they just easy to use and no dramas
personally Im buggered if I can see reason guys spend huge $$$$$ on penn/shamano/sage type fishing gear...its just not needed bit like buying a blazer .300superduperGaryCooperwhizzbangwhopperstopper to shoot feral goats at 50 yards.
keep it simple and life is easy.

Good point Elvis. I have an 8' Penn two piece with a Penn '6000' egg beater that I picked up as a combo from the local fishing store for under $100, although that is just one amongst my dozen or so rods.

I also have a couple of 12' two piece Shimano 'beach rods' that I put a 6" Alvey side cast reel on for beach and rock fishing...not that I get to go rock fishing these days.

Hey Chambered...not sure what type of fishing you are doing...estuary, river (freshwater, saltwater), beach or offshore...but I don't reckon you can go too far wrong with a 6' light to medium weight rod for estuary and a 8' heavier weight for those times when you expect bigger fish. Also, buy a couple of different reels...a '2000' egg beater loaded with 3lb to 10lb/12lb braid and a '6000' egg beater loaded with 20lb or better braid. Some of the braid lines these days are quite fine in profile so you can put an adequate length of line on the reel for your needs. Also buy some 20lb leader, either coated wire or mono-filament...or both, and you should have most of your fishing needs covered mate. It really all comes down to the type of fishing you are doing mate (you wouldn't use a game fishing rod for fly fishing in a creek).

If you are chasing BIG fish, I strongly suggest you buy quality mate. Nothing worse than getting a good size fish on the line only to have a part of your gear fail. I've seen rods snap, cheap line snap easily and even a cheap reel fail, just sorta locked up (stuffed the internals).

These two rods are probably my middle of the range, and my 'go to' rods. They aren't cheap and nasty, but they aren't "top of the line" either. The 6000 Penn has about 250 yds of 12lb braid on it and the little reel (a 2000) has a cheaper 4lb monofilament (gotta change it over to braid) on it mainly for estuary/saltwater river fishing.

I used to build my own rod out of blank fiberglass rod.
The local fishing store used to store different grade blanks that would meet almost every demand.
Not anymore tho.. nowadays everything come premade and no longer have as large a choice as before.

This rod would be for Pike fishing on windy days !!!

I've got rods that pretty much cover all my fishing needs from ultra light weight trout rods to heavy baitcasters suitable for smaller Muskies.

When winds pick up we sometimes drift fish out one side of the boat while throwing spoons crank baits and spinners out the other side. The spinning rod I normally use is to light and I'm unable to throw the size and weight lure I'd like to use.
I've thought about purchasing a better baitcaster that would probably have a better braking system but like Elvis I really don't want to pay the big bucks. In the end it really boils down to the fact wind and baitcasters can be challenging to master.

Like said before, everything Im finding suitable for throwing 1oz+ lures is not friendly to casting/retrieving for long periods of time.

Geland, Don't ever remembering to be able to buy blanks but I do remember a time when you could walk into a bait and tackle shop and talk to someone who actually knew something about fishing !!!

That's for sure Chambered

Chambered the Fisherman wrote:

...When winds pick up we sometimes drift fish out one side of the boat while throwing spoons crank baits and spinners out the other side. The spinning rod I normally use is to light and I'm unable to throw the size and weight lure I'd like to use.

Have you thought about using balloons to 'float' your bait out to where you want it on windy days mate? My brother does this quite a bit when he wants to get his bait 200 metres or more off the rocks. It is surprising how quickly the wind will move a couple of smallish balloons on top of the water.

It wouldn't be difficult to set up a release type arrangement to separate the balloons from the bait when you get to where you want it. I'm not familiar with pike fishing in your neck of the woods...are they bottom fished or will they take a bait at or near the surface? If they will take a surface bait you would need to worry about releasing the balloons.

Gelan wrote:

I used to build my own rod out of blank fiberglass rod. The local fishing store used to store different grade blanks that would meet almost every demand. Not anymore tho.. nowadays everything come premade and no longer have as large a choice as before.

Same here mate...my Dad taught us how to build our own rods from, as he called it, Rangoon Cane. The only place you will pick up blanks these days are from specialist fishing shops, and they will also build a road for you...for a price, read BIG price.

ok so what you really want is a semi heavy spinning rod with a decent sized eggbeater on her...a 7' jellytip rod with small surfcaster reel would fit the bill....guys use this sort of set up for targeting salmon if they dont own a big flash set up.

A couple of years ago we watched some folks shark fishing in the surf. They used a sit-on-top kayak to carry the bait out and drop it.

Now here's a fun option...in fact the concept is right up our alley...

Bait Launcher

So after some more thought, research and just talking with some more experienced on the issue I've begun to think about investing into a better baitcaster !!!

I do need another bc more so than another spinning rig or as some call them egg beaters.
It won't solve all my issues but I believe I can greatly minimize some trouble areas with a magnetic braking system, technique changes and some changes in lure selection.

Vince...... my first thought was how can this be modified to shoot a beer to a mate in need !!!

chambered221 wrote:

Vince...... my first thought was how can this be modified to shoot a beer to a mate in need !!!

you already can (pun unintended) buy a beer can launcher for use instead of clays


its a over sized "spud gun) PVC tube LPG and a petzo igniter

I'm pretty sure you could use one of these Bait Launchers with a bc reel mate...but I'd be ready to stop the line drum from spinning as soon as the bait hits the water otherwise you will have the line snarl from hell...and then some.