Advise on gear for the river

[Tightlines74]

Hello, I know this isnt the gear site, I'm posting here with hopes someone could advise on gear for river fishing from the shore, last time I posted there I did receive replys but they were very general and only about custom rods. We would need the whole set up, rod reel line, lures etc. Was thinking of going to a bait and tackle shop to ask but dont want to be sold much more then we need without getting other opinions first.

In previous years I took my son fishing at lakes for LMB, when we did river fishing it was for trout ( he loves the musky stevens state park area). He is looking to catch some different species and larger fish this year. We live in woodbridge and we're willing to both put in time finding spots ( thinking the raritan mostly and the passiac) and due our part to keep places we fish clean.

Thank you in advance, any and all advise is much appreciated!

[gwl2oneida]

I can only speak for my self but my set up is a 5'6" medium ugly stick. I try to use yozuri hybrid soft copolymer fishing line 6-8lb test. Copolymer resists sunlight damage, ties like mono and isn't expensive like fluoro. Hope that helps

[Sigma1073]

My gear varies a little depending on the type of stream I fish. For anything on the small side and with significant over growth I will pack 5''6" rod which makes it easy to maneuver around. For any of the bigger rivers I like a 6' -6'6" rod. I only target trout and I stick with 4lb flouro(Vanish). As for lures I mean there are just so many and most work to some degree, it just depends on what you like. A very easy go to is the inline spinner, and I am partial to Panther Martins. I would get a pair of hip boots at the very least and if you are really willing to spend some $$ then pick up a pair of breathable waders along with hole sealant. Lastly a vest and trout friendly net. When stream fishing you will be on the move so a tackle box is just a pain. Hope this helps.

[Tightlines74]

Thanks guys, all of the info is much appreciated!
After i wrote this i went to a store and posed the question about rod/reel for larger fish that i we may see river fishing and the first rod the guy broke out was a 7'0 ST Croix in shore rod @ $130.00 While it felt great in my hands I walked away from it as I was thinking it may be too big, from the posts above it looks like i made a good choice. Thanks again for the info!

[basspilot]

I personally only fish the rivers with a 6'6" to 7" rod, 20 to 30lb braid and an average sixed reel for the rod so 2500 to 3000 model. As far as lures it varies depending on body of water, target species, temp, water clarity, etc. My advice would be if your fishing the passaic you can't really go wrong with live bait as you'll get into a number of different species there. Good luck with your purchases try not to go to crazy like everyone else on here does myself included. BTW I got my first st croix last year and I absolutely love them now I have 3 so you didn't go wrong there. As far as reels are concerned check the reviews online there are so many makers and models its hard to reccomend just one. Tight lines maybe ill see you out there this year.

[stevejordan]

you cant go wrong with a 6' ugly stik and 10-20lb powerpro braid... shimano makes good reels and has a couple models that arent too expensive. spinners are good for multi species and i use mainly plastic worms like senkos for bass. good luck!

[Tightlines74]

Thanks for all of the reply's and really good info, it's a big helping narrowing down all the many set ups one could use. In regards to reels, which gear ratios do you guys use?

basspilot After holding that ST Croix today i can see why you have 3!

Tight Lines to all!!!

[ithaca10]

Big sale going on at Dick's this week.

[Tightlines74]

Big sale going on at Dick's this week.
Thank you! Definitely will be taking advantage!

[Lard Almighty]

If you're after bigger fish, I wouldn't go with any less than a 6 to 6.5 foot medium action rod. St. Croix is good, but multiple brands can get the job done. Get a good-quality spinning reel that can hold over 100 yards of 8-10 lb. mono. Gear ratio depends on the kinds of lures you will mostly be fishing. If you predominantly fish spinners, plugs, or other lures that are constantly under tension, you should go with a slower gear ratio (5:1 to 6:1), to prevent you from fishing the lures too fast. If you are doing a lot of finesse fishing with lures on a slack line, get a higher gear ratio (7:1 or higher) so you can quickly pick up the slack to set the hook. Line also depends on the type of lures; for steady retrieves I use mono, but when finesse fishing with plastics I'll go with braid and a ~10 foot fluoro leader.

I hope this is helpful. It's not the only way to do it, but it works for me.

[briansnat]

Not including my fly rods, for streams and smaller rivers I have a 5' Fenwick and a 5'6" Shimano Clarus, both UL.

I haven't done a lot of larger river fishing, but the few times I did I grabbed a 7' med rod and a 6'6" MH. I think those are the ideal size, unless you have to deal with a lot of overhanging trees, in which case you may want to go down to 6'

If you want a good rod that won't cost you a lot, check out the Berkley Lightning Rod, or the Berkley Lightning Shock. Both come in under $50. I have four of them now and and I like them as much as some of my rods that cost triple what the Lightnings cost.

[Tightlines74]

Lot's great ideas! Since I'll be shopping for my son and I we may mix it up. Been on dicks website browsing and going there to see how they feel in hand.
For those that fish the raritan and passiac we are looking forward to seeing you out there. Thanks again and tight lines to all!

[Deepdeckhand]

In my opinion it is hard to go wrong with Shakespeare rods and shimano fx series reel( bargin prices).My freshwater rigs are all@6 ft.. 8 lb test ande pink mono is my line of choice for most freshwater fishing.Live bait is always good, but sometimes kids like the casting as much as fishing- in which case a few rapalas will catch most things that swim. I like 2 in silver and gold models in floating and countdown depending on current and water depth...good luck out there and catch emm up!!!

[Super]

I'd start with the $20-$30 comb sets that they have at Dicks. They're agood value. Then, once you get experience, you can make a better judgment on what you prefer and what you need. Someone new to fishing won't be able to tell the difference between a $20 rod and a $200 rod.

And, remember...It's technique that catches fish, not the equipment.