Best Starter Set-up

I live in Capitola and just purchased my first kayak. I have no idea on what set-up (rod-reel) to purchase. I grew up in Mariposa and have only fished for trout and bass my whole life. Please point me in the right direction as to what to purchase. I have maybe a few hundred bucks to get started.
thank you

What price range?

I would say look for an Ugly Stick seven foot rod, with an ABU conventional reel like the 5500, with perhaps fifteen pound test. Seven foot is a minimum length for extending the tip of the rod around the bow of your boat, so don't go shorter.  You can probably get the combo for about 130.00 or so. It's good solid equipment, but not so pricey that you'd cry if you abuse it a bit. I can afford higher end stuff, but I love this combo anyway.

Figure out a way to secure all your gear for surf launches, either by stowing inside the boat or using leashes. If I think the surf zone will be challenging, I put my reels in a dry bag, with my radio and fishfinder and other vulnerable items.

Even more important for your budget is to make sure you have the necessary safety gear:  PFD, wetsuit, VHF radio, paddling top...

Good luck and go get em!

Really like my Uniden voyager VHF$149.00 West Marine, Osprey PFD is nice, but looking for something like

it with a stap that secures around the waist, looking at the " Chinook ".  You can go to;

nrsweb.com

and find a nice wetsuit 3mm with a zipper in front $115.00( VERY IMPORTANT! )

 and PFD $75.00 .......... Danglin

Hi Jeepboy  ,

In addition to buying your gear, I highly recommend that your first priority if you are new to paddling is to take a paddle class on basics: how to paddle properly and learn to self resue. Also consider hiring a guide before venturing out in the big blue - lot's of things to learn. Allen bushnell is a super guide based in Santa Cruz - he goes by Scallen in this board.

See you on the water soon
Ben

Thank you all for your input.

 I am really looking at the rod and reel setup. I plan on taking lessons, fishing from allen.

I have around $200-$300 for a setup.

Thanks

Shimano Tallus rod + Avet SX or Shimano Torium/Tekota reel. This is not what I use but if I had 300 bucks it would be.
Good luck,
PK

Sin Coast,
What do you use? If what you use is cheaper, then I will have extra to spend on other things. Let me know.

I am a big fan of the Shimano Trevala rod. i have a 6"6' version and I can still stretch it around the bow, although a 7" would be easier. You can get these for around $99 from  Tackle Direct
That is a link to the 7" that should be perfect with a ABU 6600.

Find Abu 6600s on Ebay for between $50-$60. Spool it up with 20-30 pound braid

So there you have a setup that can tackle anything you might run into out of Capitola for right around $160. You really can't go wrong with this setup IMHO 

Oh and you have to get the ABU to Alan Tani at one of his reel seminars of send him a PM so he can hot rod it.

Here ya go!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Abu-Garcia-6600-C4-Baitcaster-fishing-reel-USED-2_W0QQitemZ270161387916QQihZ017QQcategoryZ1494QQcmdZViewItem


 Good luck ........ Danglin

Everybody is different, but I would get 2 or 3 setups with that money rather than one fancy one.

What two or three setups? I am all ears to this. I am new to the sport of kayak fishing.

I don't mean want to speak for John but you can get away with getting 3 of the same if you want. It gives you more options on the water. Everyone is different, but this is a good tactic. You can rig one for bait, one for trolling and one for jigging or example. Bring them all with you and you are ready for anything!

I like to go with one rod but I am a glutton for retying on the water 

Hi Jeepboy  ,

In addition to buying your gear, I highly recommend that your first priority if you are new to paddling is to take a paddle class on basics: how to paddle properly and learn to self resue. Also consider hiring a guide before venturing out in the big blue - lot's of things to learn. Allen bushnell is a super guide based in Santa Cruz - he goes by Scallen in this board.

See you on the water soon
Ben

Amen to that! Don't go out there blindly....I spent the weekend camping / kayak fishing at New Brighton State Beach with Kevin and Martin / Yakuza (Stuart and his family came by to visit)...we watched  some kids with a sail boat come in on a surf landing and crashed it hard...lucky no one got hurt...they simply made the mistake of not waiting long enough for the smallest set of waves to come in 

Like Ben had mentioned = take lessons form a pro.

Good luck and paddle safe (buddy system) 

I started kayak fishing three years ago and kept the costs low while I experimented with what I liked.

I like to have a few of these abu garcia ambassadeurs as the basic workhorse norcal kayak fishing reel.

http://www.ffo-tackle.com/ has them for $35 now. But you can pay $120 for the record (bling) version if you want.

I went with used (or new) ones on ebay that ranged from $20 to $50.

they are light, fairly reliable, easy to service, parts available everywhere, upgrades galore, http://www.mikesreelrepair.com, http://www.smoothdrag.com and the parts from one can be used on another. They work for trolling in freshwater with 4lb mono or jigging the coast with 30lb braid.  gives you a lot of options.

They might explode on big sharks, batrays, giant salmon, sturgeon or albacore. you should be so lucky! If you dunk them in the water, you do need to do the quick take-down, rinse them, let them dry overnight, re-lube them and put them together in the morning. All mine still work after 3 years of kayak fishing and a few dunks.

I caught the halibut in my avatar on a $20 used ambassadeur from ebay mounted on a $40 graphite 10-20lb bass rod.
Did have $20 worth of 30lb braid on it tho!

There are other options for reliable cheap reels, the shimano TR-100G, maybe the penn seaboy 185. both less than $50. I'm just familiar with the ambassadeurs.

Just consider getting two or three of them. at least one of them will always be working. If you use the same model, in a pinch, like on a trip to deepest baja, you can take the parts from two broken reels to make one working reel.

As bill says, you can have one rigged for bait, one with a lure.

For rods I personally like longer graphite 2 piece rods, like an 8'6" steelhead/salmon rod with the butt cut down a bit for fishing from a sitting position. Most 'serious' fishermen like 1-piece in the 7' range cause that is what they see being used on powerboats, but a longer 2 piece seem to work better for me on the yak, and it's a nice feeling to stow the rod in the hatch for a sketchy landing. I zip-tie pipe insulation to the foregrip so they float if I drop them. I don't like the ugly sticks (have two) since they have zero feel, and bottom fishing with a jig is much better (less snags, more fish) with a sensitive graphite rod even if it is 2 piece. I do have a $300 custom rod these days but it's basically a luxury with a bunch of personalized small touches that puts some extra joy into fishing. a graphite blank is a graphite blank. they are all sensitive, powerful and light. Less durable, but again, I have broken and lost zero rods so far (cross my fingers and hope to die!).

cabelas has a lot of killer deals at the end of the season, like november. Saw graphite catfish drift rods for $22 one time.  got one, gave to my friend, he pulled up a ling with it. Shakespeare makes a cheap series of graphite rods, the Agility series, they are about $40.

Get yourself a few cheap rods, one 7' and one 8'6", maybe an ultralight koke rod for trolling for bass/trout and figure out what works for you. your budget should allow you to have 2-3 setups and some bonus tackle!

have fun,
John