looking for surf rod

I am looking for a surf rod to pair with my Shimano baitrunner 6500.  I found a spot in my basement that looks uncluttered and I have a need to fill it.    J/K, I'd like to try crab snaring.  I don't know anything about surf rods.  Longer = better?  Thanks

For crab snaring ... long, heavy, and cheap is what you're looking for. I have a couple of 12' Okuma Tundra and they more than fit the crab snaring bill. Plenty of length and enough heft to toss 8-12oz. without reservation. I wouldn't want to do anything but crab snaring or shark/ray fishing with them though. I think they were right around $30 when I picked them up.

I thought long heavy and cheap and bought a 12ft Penn Prevail II Surf Casting Fishing Rod 8-16oz, and I really don't think I made a good choice as it seems I cannot really cast the snare very far.  Just seems too stiff to me, but the reach is great for being taller than the waves.  Probably will try an ugly stick next.

I use a 11ft Ugly Stik and it casts fairly well.  A little heavy but overall works great.

I use two different set ups for surf fishing and crab snaring. I use a rockaway 11’ for fishing. Then a 11’ okuma longitude for crab snaring. Bought them from west marine. Both relatively cheap end of the spectrum.

Get a huge rod and look up English pendulum casting! I learned for snares and perch, but I think it casts to far for perch fishing lol.

Super fun technique. I got a okuma solaris on sale and its ok, the guides were not built on the spine of the rod so that was disappointing.

I thought long heavy and cheap and bought a 12ft Penn Prevail II Surf Casting Fishing Rod 8-16oz, and I really don't think I made a good choice as it seems I cannot really cast the snare very far.  Just seems too stiff to me, but the reach is great for being taller than the waves.  Probably will try an ugly stick next.

Do you use mono or braid on your snaring reel? Once I finally switched to braid(and a glove for casting), my snare casting distance improved dramatically.

I have a backup bait casting reel collecting dust, and I've been thinking of getting a 12' ugly stik to put it on. Out of the handful of surf rods I've felt in random stores here and there, the ugly stik felt the "bendy-est" if you will. Most of the higher end rods felt considerably stiffer to me, but that is just my in the store impression. Might be medium vs heavy too, most of the rods I've seen lately are heavy models. I pretty much never buy a heavy model rod, haha.

But, I also don't plan to crab snare with it either - looking at a surf rod for perch and striper.

Admittedly, I've also never caught a fish on the beach, which is sad given the (too ashamed to admit the true number) number of attempts.  100yds from the beach on a kayak, sure. From many different piers, yep. From standing in sand, nope. So, not the most authoritative voice here by any means, haha.

Do you use mono or braid on your snaring reel? Once I finally switched to braid(and a glove for casting), my snare casting distance improved dramatically.

Both now, actually.  I started with just braid, and it just felt like I couldn't cast well because the braid is so thin and the weight of the snare so much.  Last time I used it I tried putting 20 or so feet of 50lb mono so when I cast that I'm pressing on the mono.  I don't really think it helped, maybe I should give one of those gloves a try?

I also am on the hunt for the best snare for casting, any recommendations there?

But, I also don't plan to crab snare with it either - looking at a surf rod for perch and striper.

If your gonna just huck out some shrimp on a high low rig, yeah that will do.  But if you plan to throw any lures your gonna want a much lighter setup.

Last time I caught perch from the surf was on a motorcycle camping trip to Usal Beach. I just used a light trout rod with small Gitsits and caught several Redtails in the troughs 30' to 50' out, inside the larger break.

But, I also don't plan to crab snare with it either - looking at a surf rod for perch and striper.

If your gonna just huck out some shrimp on a high low rig, yeah that will do.  But if you plan to throw any lures your gonna want a much lighter setup.

Yeah, I kinda assumed a lighter setup is probably better for actual fishing, vice a heavier setup for crab snares.

https://www.amazon.com/OKUMA-RA-S-1002ML-Rockaway-Surf/dp/B076QDMDXW/ref=asc_df_B076QK9P3P/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312031058067&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14239313582040381625&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032552&hvtargid=pla-570057092639&th=1

I have this rod, its very nice and super light

"I also am on the hunt for the best snare for casting, any recommendations there?"

Haven't had much time to use it but had some good results in a short session a while back with snares from Sea Forager. I'm sure you can get the same from lots of places and probably cheaper, but I was happy to buy from them. I crammed jack smelt in and it worked well. Seemed way more effective than big round ones I inherited somehow. Smaller and easier to cast, and the small size probably means lots more loops of line all around the snare vs. a big round one... easy to get caught up in for a crab I'd think.

https://www.seaforager.com/swag-shop/handmade-crab-snares

Those do look good, and might kick Kirk a few bucks for the hell of it.  Everyone on YouTube has copied him from the beginning.  There is one I bought similar at Bodega Tackle, but it was thinner and didn't hold much bait. I'd like to get a squid and anchovy in there.


I bought some of these, but they are way too heavy for surf casting, better for off a Pier or I did use them jsut off my kayak a couple times: https://www.ebay.com/itm/275639248880