Advice needed

[Sean83]

Hi so I have recently got back into fishing. Planning on doing some dropshot and spinning. I currently have a Daiwa Laguna 7.6 foot heavy rod (half to 1 and a half oz rating) and a Laguna 5bi 4000 reel with 30lb gator braid. I know the braid is a bit heavy but this gator braid is only .14mm thick. I am happy with the reel. I plan on using that setup for dropshot and lighter spoons. Just bought a Laguna 11 foot xh rod today its rated at half to 3 oz. I want to get a reel for my new rod I have found the Daiwa Opus Plus E5000 for R1050. It has 5 ball bearings and comes with a spare spool, the other reel I am looking at is the Penn Fierce 2 5000. Would you reccomend a 5000 size reel for my 11 foot? Looking at the R1000-1300 range. Both reels come with a spare spool I plan on fitting one with braid and the other with mono for throwing some bait for shad/pompano ect. Will use the braid spool for plugs/spoons

[REEFMAN]

That 4000 laguna reel is probably way too big for the 8ft rod. If I was you, I'd take the 4000 laguna and use it on the new 11 ft rod. Then get yourself a much smaller reel (and braid) for the 8 ft rod... something like a 2500 Shimano Sedona, with 8-10lb braid on it. Then you're gonna have fun!

[Sean83]

Thanks. Maybe I will get the Laguna 2500 for my smaller rod. And what like 10lb braid? Will try get another spool for my 4000 for mono

[FishStyx]

   What the Reefman said. Just up the braid to 15lb.

[Sean83]

Thanks. Any braid you would recommend? They don't have anything smaller then 20lb at my local shop so I will order online and have to wind it on myself. Will use some mono backing

[REEFMAN]

Thanks. Maybe I will get the Laguna 2500 for my smaller rod. And what like 10lb braid? Will try get another spool for my 4000 for mono

Sean the Daiwa sizes are much bigger than the equvalent Shimano's. So a 2500 Daiwa on the 7ft might still be a little too big to be well balanced for throwing 1oz dropshot jigs. There are some great value Shimano's in the 2500 size - Symetre, Sahara, Sedona etc. Shimano tops the Daiwa's in budget spinning reels of this size.
Order braid online from Basilmanning.co.za - their service is brilliant. Gosen, Sufix 832, Sufix Pro 8, PowerPro superslick are all great braids, so is the new Daiwa J-Braid (made in Japan  ).

[REEFMAN]

Here's your reel...     http://www.basilmanning.co.za/shimano-symetre-fl-14932.html

[Nick A-S]

I've got a Quantum Tour 7'6" spinning rod, matched with a Shimano Nexave 2500 reel with 15lb braid, as well as an 8'6" Quantum kinetic spinning rod, matched with a Shimano Solstace 4000 reel with 20lb braid. I find the balance of both those setups great and they both work for me for throwing smaller spoons and dropshots. Whilst I have tried the diferent reels on the different rods and they do obviously still work fine, I find the setups above work best!
An 11' rod (which I also have) is great for targetting snoek and other gamefish that are typically a bit further out, but for throwing spoons for the likes of shad, smaller kingies, needlescale queenfish etc the lighter set ups are magic!

[Sean83]

Thanks for the help guys. I am ordering a Shimano Exage FD 2500

[Sean83]

Ok so I just ordered the Exage 2500 FD with Gosen 12lb braid. They didn't have stock of 10 or 15lb and I figured 12lb would he a happy medium. R750 for line   

[Sean83]

  now to catch something haha

[REEFMAN]

Ok so I just ordered the Exage 2500 FD with Gosen 12lb braid. They didn't have stock of 10 or 15lb and I figured 12lb would he a happy medium. R750 for line   

Great choice! 

[FishStyx]

Great choice Sean. Keep us posted on your catches.

[Sean83]

Thanks for the advise guys you helped me from going down the wrong route 

[Sean83]

So my Shimano just arrived and I must say it seems pretty nice! Had the spare spool lined with Berkley Trilene Maxx and got Dropsoc covers for it and my Daiwa

[FishStyx]

Tight lines bud... post your 1st catch 

[Sean83]

Going to Champagne Sports resort for the weekend so gonna test it out on their bass dams