Groundfish rod and reel suggestions

I love using a light weight spinning rod for rockfish. It's a fun challenge getting big Lings out of the rocks and sometimes holes.

My rod reel I am using now is the trevala M spinning with a Sedona reel. 30 power pro.

Sounds pretty fun. I like the fish having a good fighting chance!

Bro Go to Pacific Outfitters up there. they have some cool combos. they have a Squall 20 with Squall rod that is good.

I'll try and check them out tomorrow when I'm home from surf fishing. Maybe they'll have some good deals like you mention. Thanks for the heads up.

Hookton Slough is basically just the bay.  I've seen halibut caught there, but the more likely biters are sharks and rays.  Same with Mad River Slough and Ryan Slough.

The suggestions for an Uglystik and basic Penn are good ones.  As long as your drag is smooth you have the potential to catch any of a number of big fish around here.  I use Uglystiks with various old Penns, and they've caught me tons of rockfish and lingcod, lots of salmon, and even halibut and thresher sharks.

See ya around Humboldt. 

I've been on a few trail areas along the slough that I've seen people fishing from. I'm not sure how to get to all the other areas though. I'm all for snagging some rays and sharks. I don't intend to keep them - just enjoying the sport! I'll take the Ugly Stik and Penn reel suggestions and see what I can come up with. I just want this new rod and reel to be functional for kayak fishing, from the jetties, and what ever else for heavier salt water stuff.

See ya around too. I'm already excited for the Rockfish Wars later in the year. I'm really looking forward to being able to participate in it!

Tiger stick, med heavy, Penn 209 w/20# mono.

Run this with 30lb braid backed with mono.  Use a 20 lb mono leader behind a banana weight for your bait fishing or a little heaver for your plastics.

If you are fishing here, you aren't allowed to target rockfish, cabezon, greenling or lingcod deeper than 120' so that's fixed for you.

Hookton Slough, as well as other sloughs around, have rays and sharks.  You can get into leopard sharks which are good eats.  It's fun.  I would run a spinning reel setup for ease of casting at night fishing the sloughs.  still something cheap.  40 lbs big game with a coated wire leader and you're in business.

Make sure you know the regs frontways and back.  There's basically nothing open that you would be targeting from a kayak until May 15 here when RCG opens.  Leopards are open year round in the bay and sloughs but not outside.

Have fun, I'll probably be seeing you around.

Awesome. I don't have to worry about getting line down deeper than that. Perfect. I'm super interested in fishing the sloughs occasionally. Is there a way I could use my same rod I purchase for groundfish for the slough fishing? Swapping out the lines or something on the reel? I have been doing some reading on the regulations. May 15th - I'm looking forward to it. Right after all my final exams too so that should be a nice start to my summer.   

Tiger stick, med heavy, Penn 209 w/20# mono. Simple, cheap, and I can afford to lose it. To each their own, but I take just enough to fish, and plan on losing everything but my paddle. Just my style.

Agreed, but would defer to Penn 500 for the better drag system, and higher line capsacity.

You gotta switch out the drag washers for carbontex, and grease them.  but that's easy to do, and make it a whole different reel for sure.

Bushy

PS I'd also go with 30# braid and use a 20-25# mono leader.  For RCG's.  Haibut, Salmon, all mono.

I use this setup for everything bigger than bluegill! That old Penn has been flawless, five years and no problems, have never taken it apart. Rinse it good, spray down with CLP. 

I've fished quite a bit at Hookton slough for Rays, leopard sharks, sand sharks, big Jack smelt, and my buddy Loren has caught a few CA Halibut there.  It's fun.  Not really productive tho. 

The Penn Squall is a good reel for about $100. And definitely can't go wrong with the Ugly Stick Tiger.  For the price it's a helluva rod for kayak fishing. 

Find a decent conventional reel, used or new, that can be torn down and cleaned, drags cleaned/greased/replaced...these simple maintenance jobs will keep a decent built reel goin for a long time.

Braid line is stronger, less resistance in the water, and smaller diameters so you can get more on or top it off with fluoro or mono. After a season or 2 you can take an empty spool on a drill and reverse the braid and you've got basically new line good for another season or 2!

I can't say enough good things about my UglyStiks. Im still using one I pick-up when i was 16. Currently Im using the Tiger and Custom Bigwater. The Tiger is paired with a Penn 500 which I found at a Pawn shop in Eureka. A quick servicing and it works great so I suggest checking some of the Pawn shops. My Custom Bigwater (20-50) has an Avet SXJ.
Cheers!!

Didn't realize you were referring to a slough up in Humboldt. It's a different game up there.

All my other advice still holds, though.


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If you're not used to casting conventional reels, you're gonna have a hard time with 25lb mono (especially from shore). Braid casts so much better. But I don't want to dissuade you from getting a spinning setup either...because it's all about using something you are comfortable with. So much of fishing is based on your own confidence. Reels are more versatile than rods, so I'd get a nice reel (Penn Fierce or Battle, etc) then get whatever rod (even a crappy Shakespeare from Walmart is fine). 

Be a man! Hand line that sucker!

I really like the penn fierce combo with a 5000 (or bigger) reel. I'm guilty of not taking the best care of my stuff and I find the reel to be super durable even if you forget to rinse it off here and there. I like the 5000 because it's still pretty heavy duty but lighter than the 8000. When you are doing a lot of paddling and jigging all day you just want lighter gear. Nick and I use this set up and would both highly recommend it.

I do have to admit though, that hanging with these seasoned vets on here has led me to make the switch to a casting reel. This season I'm trying a way lighter setup- Shimano Trevala rod with a Shimano Curado 201 reel. I'm stoked because it seriously is so light but still haven't used it so can't say much more about it...

Basically, in my realm of experience, Im happy I started out cheap and I'm happy that now I'm branching out to better gear. I'm glad I didn't spend a fortune on a reel and learn the hard way about corrosion or mishaps that can happen on the water. Good luck to you on your search and hope you figure out a good setup for you!!


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FWIW I find spinning setups awkward on a kayak as the reel is basically in your lap when you're fishing or bumping the side of the kayak. That being said they will work and you won't be digging out the birds nests that you can get with conventional gear. These can be a real pain especially if you snag up on the bottom before you have it untangled. Ugh.

Good luck with the hunt and welcome to the madness.

Cheers,
Brad

   FWIW I have always been a spinning rod guy and I like casting into rocks/kelp holes I don't want to paddle into. I like a nice rod (I use a Trevala mid/light 20-50) with a $30 reel that feels nice. My pole feels like a light bass rod rated for more than my 30# braid. This set-up has good flex to make the small fish fun and the power to haul in the big ones. When you lose it in the surf you can toss the reel and grab a new one. I don't know if anyone actually makes a spinning reel that will live through the breaks but they get slam full of sand and are a pain to strip and clean correctly.

   Really any thing you feel comfortable with will work. I saw a guy in Costa rica haul in a 50# Grouper on mono rapped around a piece of plywood.

   The ugly stick mentioned here will make a good pole, I fished for 6 months with a cheap bass setup with 10# braid and only upgraded because my eyelets were worn out.

I've fished quite a bit at Hookton slough for Rays, leopard sharks, sand sharks, big Jack smelt, and my buddy Loren has caught a few CA Halibut there.  It's fun.  Not really productive tho. 

The Penn Squall is a good reel for about $100. And definitely can't go wrong with the Ugly Stick Tiger.  For the price it's a helluva rod for kayak fishing. 

Find a decent conventional reel, used or new, that can be torn down and cleaned, drags cleaned/greased/replaced...these simple maintenance jobs will keep a decent built reel goin for a long time.

Braid line is stronger, less resistance in the water, and smaller diameters so you can get more on or top it off with fluoro or mono. After a season or 2 you can take an empty spool on a drill and reverse the braid and you've got basically new line good for another season or 2!

Do you fish from Hookston Slough along the turnout on Hookton Rd.? I'm thinking I'm pretty decided on the Ugly Stick Tiger right now. People seem to love it and it has an excellent range of capabilities.

 

I can't say enough good things about my UglyStiks. Im still using one I pick-up when i was 16. Currently Im using the Tiger and Custom Bigwater. The Tiger is paired with a Penn 500 which I found at a Pawn shop in Eureka. A quick servicing and it works great so I suggest checking some of the Pawn shops. My Custom Bigwater (20-50) has an Avet SXJ.
Cheers!!

Checking the pawn shops could be a good idea. I'll keep an eye on Craigslist too. Pretty sure I'm going with an Ugly Stik.

Didn't realize you were referring to a slough up in Humboldt. It's a different game up there.

All my other advice still holds, though.

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Well I'm talking about kayak fishing, jetty fishing, and fishing in the sloughs. Can a conventional reel be used on the jetties also? I only ever saw them as a trolling type of reel.

I really like the penn fierce combo with a 5000 (or bigger) reel. I'm guilty of not taking the best care of my stuff and I find the reel to be super durable even if you forget to rinse it off here and there. I like the 5000 because it's still pretty heavy duty but lighter than the 8000. When you are doing a lot of paddling and jigging all day you just want lighter gear. Nick and I use this set up and would both highly recommend it.

I do have to admit though, that hanging with these seasoned vets on here has led me to make the switch to a casting reel. This season I'm trying a way lighter setup- Shimano Trevala rod with a Shimano Curado 201 reel. I'm stoked because it seriously is so light but still haven't used it so can't say much more about it...

Basically, in my realm of experience, Im happy I started out cheap and I'm happy that now I'm branching out to better gear. I'm glad I didn't spend a fortune on a reel and learn the hard way about corrosion or mishaps that can happen on the water. Good luck to you on your search and hope you figure out a good setup for you!!


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I think having a light setup is a great idea, in general, and on kayaks too. I think I might have to make the switch to a casting reel and learn how to use that too. I can save my spinning reel for my surf fishing.

Light setup is almost a must for kayak fishing. Get the Ugly Stik Tiger Lite not the regular Ugly Stik Tiger.

Yep.  Hookton Slough Rd.   There's a day use area, parking lot, docks, and trails.  Gate closes at sunset. 

Does anyone have suggestions for the tackle setup for jetty fishing rockfish? I'm not sure what size or type of weights, the hooks, what jigs, swivels, or anything?

Yep.  Hookton Slough Rd.   There's a day use area, parking lot, docks, and trails.  Gate closes at sunset. 

Awesome! I know exactly where that is. The gate closes at sunset, but you can continue fishing at night, can't you?

I have a Penn Fierce in the 5000 series also  , I agree with Annue ,decent price and it does take a beating ..a little love and it has never failed ..

Sounds awesome. I'm pretty sure I'll be choosing a Penn reel and I'm decided on the Ugly Stik Tiger Lite. I tend to take good care of my things so it should last me a good amount of time with some love.

Light setup is almost a must for kayak fishing. Get the Ugly Stik Tiger Lite not the regular Ugly Stik Tiger.

Absolutely. It is decided!

Getting ready to pull the trigger here on an Ugly Stik.

People suggested the Tiger Lite over the traditional Tiger. For reference I'm 6' tall so which length of rod should I be getting? Someone mentioned a 7' would be good.

I see three models on the Ugly Stik website.

• 6'6", MH power, 1 piece, 3/4-4 oz. lure, 12-30 line rating
• 6'9", M power, 1 piece, 1/2-3 oz. lure, 10-25 lure, 10-25 line rating
• 7', H power, 1 piece, 1-5 lure, 14-40 line rating

And again like I mentioned in my editing OP, what gear ratio should I be looking for on my reel? I'm going to get a conventional from Penn most likely.