If you could take just one....

[LeftyReeler]

Friend of mine is in the market for an all around setup, not an avid fisherman, but likes to get out maybe 3-4 times a month during the summer. More fair weather fishing than any, light bottom species w/blues and stripers mixed in occasionally. I have given him my recommendation but would like to hear what others have to offer. Again, he is not particular to all the absurd/crazy things we all worry about so an intermediate level set up with the versatility to do all is what I would like to advise to him.

The constraints are as follows:

Budget: $250.00

Option A

Type: Party Boat Fishing

Target Species: Inshore (Fluke, Sea Bass , Blues, Stripers)

Rod: Off the shelf non custom (please specify taper and length)

Reel: Conventional (Mono or Braid capable)

Fisherman: Right Handed Retrieve (I'm a backward lefty)


To make a few changes to spice things up I would be interested to see what people would change given the above would read as follows:

Type: Private Boat/Charter

Rod: Custom ONLY

Hope to see some interesting replies....

[Mark215]

A little past your budget but this is a nice set up, I just found these prices from one site. Your might be able to do better.

Rod - maybe Seeker east cost rod BA-85 I think there around $142
reel - Newell 229 around $134

[Capt. Jerry P]

For an all around rod for sure

A.Kevin Bogan Fish Poison

and

B.Kevin Bogan Fish Poison

Great all around rod for anybody... We have caught all the species above on the rod and it was great for all of them! Many of our customers went out and picked up one of kev rods

You can go get it the way ya want or pick one off the shelf and Kev will help ya pick the right one for no extra charge! He will match it with a real for ya!

Oh and it fits right around your pals budget!

[Ol Pedro]

Real simple the Duck Or Bleed Special . A 40 to 80 lb 6'6" Uglystick and a Jigmaster 500 filled with 30 lb mono .

[Flukinator]

Honestly, the Kevin Bogan basic tog rod I got is probably the perfect rod for just about any inshore fishing all summer long in the ocean. I'd match one up with a Penn Jigmaster if you want to go on the cheaper end, or maybe a Daiwa Sealine 20SHA and would dare anything inshore other than big bluefin to mess with my gear.

If you're talking private boat and more bay fishing than ocean fishing, I'd go lighter, but all-around inshore ocean fishing I think that set-up is tough to beat for the price.

[fishpro28]

Rod:Kevin Bogan ....the poison series is not much more expensive then a rack rod.
Reel: to fit the budget you can get a Takota 600 for around $100
..............
What I would buy on a 250 dollar budget:
Reel: a used Avet SX....$150
Rod: a used Lamiglass rod rated at 20-40lb...$100

[AndyS]

Penn 155L for 40 bux, when he is done with it he can give it to his grandchildren and so on, check the flea markets for the older models.

Any rod will do.

[Life's A Beach]

Originally Posted by LeftyReeler

Friend of mine is in the market for an all around setup, not an avid fisherman, but likes to get out maybe 3-4 times a month during the summer. More fair weather fishing than any, light bottom species w/blues and stripers mixed in occasionally. I have given him my recommendation but would like to hear what others have to offer. Again, he is not particular to all the absurd/crazy things we all worry about so an intermediate level set up with the versatility to do all is what I would like to advise to him.

The constraints are as follows:

Budget: $250.00

Option A

Type: Party Boat Fishing

Target Species: Inshore (Fluke, Sea Bass , Blues, Stripers)

Rod: Off the shelf non custom (please specify taper and length)

Reel: Conventional (Mono or Braid capable)

Fisherman: Right Handed Retrieve (I'm a backward lefty)


To make a few changes to spice things up I would be interested to see what people would change given the above would read as follows:

Type: Private Boat/Charter

Rod: Custom ONLY

Hope to see some interesting replies....

don't think an off-the-shelf Lami or Tsuami are considered custom?

[frugalfisherman]

Go on ebay. You can pick up 2 vintage made in the USA Penn Special 3/0Senators(3.7 to 1 retrieve) for $30 to $50 each depending on how pretty you want them. They are like the AK47's of reels. If you learn to take them apart and put them back together you got it made. Then find someone with an Entertainment book. There is a coupon for Dick's for $20 off a $100 purchase. Take that to The Sports Authority( they take Dick's coupons) and pick up a couple of Ugly Stick Tigers( the SA usually has a large selection of Ugly Sticks) with solid stainless guides not those ones with inserts. One heavy and one mh. Depending on whether or not they are on sale you should walk away $110-130 with tax for both. There's a set-up with a back-up and you still have enough left over for a couple of 30 packs.

[LeftyReeler]

Thanks for the advice so far gents...

I leaned him towards the avet SX (workhorse IMHO) non-magnetic cast
08 model saw on ebay for $129 new, and then told him to get either a Tsunami trophy series 12-25 Med action which I think retails inside $100.

If he wants to spend a little more dough, I would no doubt point him in the direction of Kevin Bogan fish poison. I picked up a composite poison rod a few weeks back for my old man for his B-day (Jerry this is the one you are talking about) and for $160 this baby was sah-weet.

I'm so jealous of it - I'm tetering on just getting my own. All black no wrap with foam butt and rubber gimbal.