Need advice on surf rod

[josh24]

I have been using a 10' medium heavy action Daiwa Regal Strike (6729) graphite rod with a spinning reel these past 25 years surf fishing at Assateague Va. Casting weight is 1-4oz and recommended line is 16-30lb. It's on its last legs and I need a replacement. All the equivalents I 've seen in stores have rod tips that are too stiff/rigid compared to the Daiwa Regal Strike. Would really appreciate any advice on how I can lay my hands on a 10' rod with a sensitive tip that indicates even the slightest bite reliably. Thanks . Josh

[Dixie719]

Tica or New Tsunami's???

Or go Custom!Just depends on how much ya wanna $$$$!!!

[Tommy]

AFAW 11' Estuary. Rated 1-3 oz casts great and provides exceptional bite detection.

AFAW 10'9" Uptide. Rated 2-5 oz. A little more rod than the Estuary but still provides very good bite detection.

Tommy

[josh24]

Originally Posted by Tommy

AFAW 11' Estuary. Rated 1-3 oz casts great and provides exceptional bite detection.

AFAW 10'9" Uptide. Rated 2-5 oz. A little more rod than the Estuary but still provides very good bite detection.

Tommy

The Uptide is probably what I need . At Carolina CastPro the factory built version is $265 but I am sure it's worth . it would be great if I could find something in the $100 range. But many thx for the tip. Josh

[josh24]

Originally Posted by Dixie719

Tica or New Tsunami's???

Or go Custom!Just depends on how much ya wanna $$$$!!!

Thanks for the ideas. I will look into the Tica rods. I have a Tsunami but the version I have (its stats match my Daiwa Regal) has a very rigid tip. Josh

[Charkbait]

If you are dead set on the bite detection at that casting weight you may want to look for a glass rod, couldn't tell you where to find one these days but someone else may be able to.

[Steve]

Look at Diawa and Ocean Master from Bass Pro (not glass).

[ffemtreed]

I have a P.O.S. Okuma rod that CONSTANTLY has a fish on it, at least it looks that way. It throws 3 to 5 out there far enough to catch the fish behind the breakers! I think I paid $40 dollar for it (and it came with a reel) at Oyster bay Tackle when I first started surf fishing.

If you want to spend some money, the St. Croix rods usually have really sensitive tips on them.

Also if you really really like your current rod you can probably get it refinished with a new reel seat and new guides. Unless the rod is physically damaged and splitting apart. I would do this even if you bought yourself a new rod. If you read up on rod building you can refinish this rod yourself (I am just starting the endevour myself). But if you want to do it yourself a new reel seat costs like 8 bucks, guides about $25 (for decent guides), about 15 bucks for cork tape, 10 bucks for glue and epoxy and 6 bucks for thread! Poof brand new rod!

[Charkbait]

Jim, I've got one of those rods too, constantly doubled over. Tosses 8 well and is 20 years old, out fishes every rod I have consistently so I can't get rid of it. Did the guides and a new paint job and gloss last winter and did the seat and grip last week...can't get rid of it.

the bigguns usually come on the other rods but this one slays the blues and shorts in close.

[josh24]

Originally Posted by ffemtreed

I have a P.O.S. Okuma rod that CONSTANTLY has a fish on it, at least it looks that way. It throws 3 to 5 out there far enough to catch the fish behind the breakers! I think I paid $40 dollar for it (and it came with a reel) at Oyster bay Tackle when I first started surf fishing.

If you want to spend some money, the St. Croix rods usually have really sensitive tips on them.

Also if you really really like your current rod you can probably get it refinished with a new reel seat and new guides. Unless the rod is physically damaged and splitting apart. I would do this even if you bought yourself a new rod. If you read up on rod building you can refinish this rod yourself (I am just starting the endevour myself). But if you want to do it yourself a new reel seat costs like 8 bucks, guides about $25 (for decent guides), about 15 bucks for cork tape, 10 bucks for glue and epoxy and 6 bucks for thread! Poof brand new rod!

Will look at the Okuma (but what does P.O S refer to?). Will also read up on fixing my old rod. Thanks for the suggestions. Josh

[josh24]

Originally Posted by Charkbait

If you are dead set on the bite detection at that casting weight you may want to look for a glass rod, couldn't tell you where to find one these days but someone else may be able to.

Will keep my eyes open for a glass rod. One reason I prefer a more sensitive i.e. flexible tip is for casting. I am not able to cast well with a rod that is rigid all the way to the tip.

[ffemtreed]

Originally Posted by josh24

Will look at the Okuma (but what does P.O S refer to?). Will also read up on fixing my old rod. Thanks for the suggestions. Josh

P.O.S. = Piece of (use your imagination) When I go home tonight i'll look at the exact model, but I know for sure its an Okuma and its solid blue in color.

[josh24]

Originally Posted by ffemtreed

P.O.S. = Piece of (use your imagination) When I go home tonight i'll look at the exact model, but I know for sure its an Okuma and its solid blue in color.

Thanks for the clarification! Just saw some stats on a St Croix, one of your earlier suggestions, in their Triumph series: 10'//Action:Mod. Fast //Power: M//Line wt: 8-20//Lure Wt: 3/4--4. Looks really promising. I suppose that any rod which can throw lures above 4 ounces is of necessity going to have a rigid end section so the trick is to find 10' surf rods which are not designed to throw weights higher than 4 ounces (need 4 ounces at Assateaugue to hold bottom) but which also can handle much lower weighted lures--three quarter of an ounce in the case of this St Croix--because this suggests a flexible rod and tip. Josh

[ffemtreed]

at AI I almost always throw a minimum of 6oz, and usually go 8oz during the early spring and fall. Of course thats a very general idea, there have been days in the summer where I was pitching 12's and still drifting away. It all depends on the current conditions and it can change with the tide/wind.

I do use 2 and 3 oz weights when fishing in the bay though!

[ffemtreed]

Also you need to try rods before you buy them, don't blindly buy a rod just based on its weight rating. This is a VERY arbitrary number that varies greatly from manufacture to manufacture!

Example -- I have a Daiwa rod thats rated 6 to 8 or 10. The most I would ever throw on that rod is 4oz, anything over that and it just doesn't cast well at all, its WAY too flexible to cast. Almost feels like the rod is going to snap any second at the end of the cast.