If you had R3000 for a new spinning setup

[emjay]

Hi everyone.

After recently getting into shore based spinning, I'm keen to get a new shore based spinning setup. My budget will be about R3000 for rod, reel, and braid. Looking at a 11ft rod with a 4000 to 5000 size spinning to cast 1 to 2oz lures from the beach for shad, kingies, snoek, etc

If you had 3k, what would you get?

[Visenvryheid]

For light shore spinning..I'd take all that cash and buy a stradic 5000..then leave it in the box and fish with what I've got till I've saved enough for a new roll of 300m braid and loomis 11ft rod (best rod with fuji kr layout you will find for around a grand), or had the eyes on my old rod redone..

[Half-Pint]

Shimano Vengeance 10 foot (R700ish? BM currently out of stock so new stock may be more expensive)

Send to Fishatic and have KR guides fitted (R1500ish? Haven't re-done a rod in too long so not certain on price)

Shimano Symeter 4000 - R1600

HMP 25LB - R250

Total: R4 050.00

You could skip getting the KR guides but they are what takes a R700 rod to competing with any top class amia etc. You could also maybe drop down to the Shimmie Sedona which saves you R500.00

[emjay]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I do like the "buying in stages" idea. At the end of the day I'd end up with a higher quality combo, but I'd also be more scared to take the combo out and use it. I'll be fishing off rocks as well so I don't want to be scared of hopping around. As for changing the eyes of a cheaper rod, good idea but then shouldn't I start off with a better blank to begin with in order for that to be justified?

Hmm OK seems like I'd have to bump up my budget to about R4000 to R5000. In that case....

For the rods I've been looking at the following on Basil Manning's site

. Assassin Spin Zero 11ft heavy - R1400
. Assassin Amia Zero 11ft heavy - R1900

Reels:
. Okuma Azores Z in size 40 - R1200
. Penn Conflict II in size 4000 - R2100
. Shimano Symetre 4000 - R1600

What above mentioned rods and reels would you choose?

I know nothing about casing braid so need to do more reading up for that

Those rods and reels were just ones I'm interested in on Basil's site. I'm open to other suggestions

[Kes]

Hmm OK seems like I'd have to bump up my budget to about R5000. In that case....

For the rods I've been looking at the following on Basil Manning's site

. Assassin Spin Zero 11ft heavy - R1400
. Assassin Amia Zero 11ft heavy - R1900

Reels:
. Okuma Azores Z in size 40 - R1200
. Penn Conflict II in size 4000 - R2100
. Shimano Symetre 4000 - R1600

What above mentioned rods and reels would you choose?

I know nothing about casing braid so need to do more reading up for that

Those rods and reels were just ones I'm interested in on Basil's site. I'm open to other suggestions

I would give those Assassin rods a skip and get a Loomis Archipelago 12ft. The rod was designed by Brandon and comes with alconite guides. I spoke with Brandon before buying mine and according to him, there is no need to modify the rod from where it is. They sell for R1350.


On the reel side, I would look at the Shimano Sahara or Nasci 5000. The Nasci is more expensive at R1700 as opposed to the R1300 that the Sahara sells for.


On the braid side, I would go with the HMP 20lb or 25lb. Not sure if they make 20lb but if they do then go with that..


Grand total if around R3400 is you go with the Nasci reel. Around R2700 with the Sahara.

[Half-Pint]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I do like the "buying in stages" idea. At the end of the day I'd end up with a higher quality combo, but I'd also be more scared to take the combo out and use it. I'll be fishing off rocks as well so I don't want to be scared of hopping around. As for changing the eyes of a cheaper rod, good idea but then shouldn't I start off with a better blank to begin with in order for that to be justified?

Hmm OK seems like I'd have to bump up my budget to about R4000 to R5000. In that case....

For the rods I've been looking at the following on Basil Manning's site

. Assassin Spin Zero 11ft heavy - R1400
. Assassin Amia Zero 11ft heavy - R1900

Reels:
. Okuma Azores Z in size 40 - R1200
. Penn Conflict II in size 4000 - R2100
. Shimano Symetre 4000 - R1600

What above mentioned rods and reels would you choose?

I know nothing about casing braid so need to do more reading up for that

Those rods and reels were just ones I'm interested in on Basil's site. I'm open to other suggestions

The difference in performance of a top level blank vs a lower end blank is actually fairly small. A lot of lower end blanks are actually great rods they just have crap components and finishings. As an example my vengeance had a wonderful clear coat put on to it which added an enormous amount of weight. The guide set up was so poor that the line would slap almost 360 degrees. Brandon took it down to bare blank and fitted the correct eyes with correct spacing.

Now unless you have a Sierra or equivalent with the same guide treatment I can guarantee you will not find any difference in performance.

Guides and guide set up > blank

[Visenvryheid]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.cds-angling.co.za/hmp%20braid.html   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..  You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

[Visenvryheid]

I don't think anyone who spends enough time spinning with a light grinder will tell you anything different to above. Any other option will see you replacing guides/frayed braid and throwing your old reel in the sea in frustration, selling it off to some other sucker or giving it away and ending up at square one poorer for it. Another option is the new daiwa BG series, but I have not fished them..but if I would be in the same boat, well I have a stradic, owned the others, and have an older white FG model as the backup which has caught a ton of fish and is still fine..I would want no other reel..I'd likely turn down a stella 5000 I love my stradic so much..When I put in on a rod without KR guide layout...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH..grey hairs..windknots..FKK thats why I am fishing mono more these days, but for light .2 or so mm line for spinning you can't substitute for braid. For that braid..5000 size stradic..if you have cash to burn, sustain, twinpower then stella..I would not even look at the other reels on the shelves myself. That 5000 stradic is like little bears pudding, just right. The weight, the durability, the drag, the line lay, spool lip, the retrieve speed, toughness ( for a light reel)..all proven to be just right for what you what to do with it in the line class you are fishing. My stradic has been cast for a million casts, day in and day out..season after season..fish after fish. The only thing I had to replace was the drag washers after too many yellowtail and the earlier model was k@k felt, now they are carbon off the shelf, I serviced mine with corrosion block off the bat and all bearings are still original even the line roller. Nothing to really improve on that reel for the intended task.

Another thing, had gamefish clearly chasing my leader knot and highvis braid right in front of me, with witnesses, more than once this year and different species of game fish. The stuff was firing them up more than the plug was so I'd have to recommend getting LOW VIS braid and that fish don't see the bright flourescent line is proven to be false to me.. 

[fishatic]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.basilmanning.co.za/hmp-dyneema-15027.html?cat=2634   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

This /\.
Really.
Great rod.
Super reel.
Matched well too..... funny that.
I have tried and trued and TRIED to find better VALUE braid.
HMP's 25lb 8 strand is super, super good.
Its a genuine PE2 and is slick even after lots of use.
For NOW it is only available in 25lb and up....
They will be launching thinner, lighter braids in the future (mostly for the light tackle / estuary guys.
Stick to the 25lb with a thicker (I like HMP's 35lb 8 strand for general use) leader.

[emjay]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.cds-angling.co.za/hmp%20braid.html   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..  You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

Wow. Ok I'm sold. I shall not play games, I shall buy once and buy right. I'll get this combo then soon enough. Currently working in the Cameroon for a few weeks, but when I get back I'll make a plan to get everything you mentioned above

I see the 11ft has a cast weight rating of 1 to 3.5oz. Wouldn't that be a bit heavy? I mainly cast 1.5oz spoons, so would the rod actually load properly at that weight? I could also go down to the 10ft that has a 3/4 to 2.5oz casting rating.... Jaaa I think I'll do that

  to you all for helping me out 

[Dewald Posthumus]

If it it was me, I would.....




Check the classifieds on this forum, I have bought some really nice tackle second hand from other members who looked after their tackle really well. The bonus is that if yo buy second hand, you can most probably get a really decent outfit for R3k.


Here's a good example: http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=22655.0 Aerocast and Stradic for R2500!

[Kes]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.cds-angling.co.za/hmp%20braid.html   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..  You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

Wow. Ok I'm sold. I shall not play games, I shall buy once and buy right. I'll get this combo then soon enough. Currently working in the Cameroon for a few weeks, but when I get back I'll make a plan to get everything you mentioned above

I see the 11ft has a cast weight rating of 1 to 3.5oz. Wouldn't that be a bit heavy? I mainly cast 1.5oz spoons, so would the rod actually load properly at that weight? I could also go down to the 10ft that has a 3/4 to 2.5oz casting rating.... Jaaa I think I'll do that

  to you all for helping me out 

The Archipelago is a HMG rod so its light.. Go with the 11ft. I have the 12ft and its lighter than my old brand new Assassin Spin 12ft which I have since sold.

[Kes]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.cds-angling.co.za/hmp%20braid.html   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..  You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

This here above..


New model Stradic, Archipelago 11ft and HMP 25lb braid. It doesn't get much better than that in that price bracket..

[emjay]

I know the Stradic has been suggested as the only reel to look at, but any views on the Daiwa BG reels? I see a helleva lot of good reviews on them on the net. I understand the 3000 size BG is very similar to the 5000 size Stradic. Apparently a good reel that punches harder than what the price suggests. If I get a BG it will be a grand cheaper than the Stradic

[LeerieLegend]

The Archipelago is a HMG rod so its light.. Go with the 11ft. I have the 12ft and its lighter than my old brand new Assassin Spin 12ft which I have since sold.



Your old brand new rod you say? 


I have a BG in larger size and have no complaints so far.

[adam]

http://www.ganis.co.za/pi993/fishing-reels/all-fishing-reels/conventional-spinning-reels/shimano-stradic-xg.html
http://www.ganis.co.za/pi2204/fishing-rods/spinning-rods/saltwater-spinning/loomis-hmg-archipelago.html
http://www.cds-angling.co.za/hmp%20braid.html   ....Get 25lb 8 strand..

R4300 don't play games and be done with it..you will not get a better combo for the price..  You do not want a rod for light spinning or braid spinning without a fuji KR concept guide layout. Period. Half pint 110% correct in here and the other thread, you can take a R500 master caster and put stainless steel and alconite KR eyes layout on it and it will out perform a R5000 rod with titanium pacbay eyes. No argument. Even if the casts land the same distance, or less with the cheaper blank, the lack of windknots from the stradic and nice quality dyneema 8 strand braid and those eyes will make up for it with you retaining your sanity! You cant even put stradic and azores or conflict in the same league of reel for spinning. The retrieve speed and lightness and smoothness also very important for the type of fishing you intend on doing with it..guess you didn't get the point of my above reply which was for the intended application and budget there is only one reel of all of them worth your cash really..and one minimum eye/guide standard, look for that in the rod/gear you choose..all else is secondary.

Wow. Ok I'm sold. I shall not play games, I shall buy once and buy right. I'll get this combo then soon enough. Currently working in the Cameroon for a few weeks, but when I get back I'll make a plan to get everything you mentioned above

I see the 11ft has a cast weight rating of 1 to 3.5oz. Wouldn't that be a bit heavy? I mainly cast 1.5oz spoons, so would the rod actually load properly at that weight? I could also go down to the 10ft that has a 3/4 to 2.5oz casting rating.... Jaaa I think I'll do that

  to you all for helping me out 

The Archipelago is a HMG rod so its light.. Go with the 11ft. I have the 12ft and its lighter than my old brand new Assassin Spin 12ft which I have since sold.

How is the durability on such a rod?  I mostly fish from the rocks and rods do take a lot of bumps and scratches.  This will obviously occur more when bait fishing.

[Visenvryheid]

It is an HMG so you must not knock it sharply I guess..for all round work I off rocks and not natal based light/distance spinning, I might choose a blank off the blue marlin superslim 30/50 or 40/50 range.. Which is an HMG and carbon composite of 30 or 40% HMG../50 means spinning model. For casting or spinning for a shorter rod the two last pieces of one of the longer blanks can be ordered and custom built to a spinning rod and they make beautiful rods. Another great series of blanks that I have fished like the Bm's are the DC ovals, 10'6" and 12'? Those can be customised to final length and action ...but that is another topic..
My next rod for the same or similar application is going to be a 10ft of the range in the Loomis and Franklin (not really beach spinning but light spinning off rock points and in   gulleys and looking at 10' for specifically 1.5oz lures and HMP 25lb   0.2mm 8strand and my stradic) ..but for the OP I recommend the 11ft.

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=107982&forum_id=115&highlight=Archipelago

"I've caught more fish on the Archipelago scratching with a
   2 or 3oz than I have caught lure fishing with the rod.
 
  Biggest landed was a 45kg diamond, best was a 9kg Cracker (on bait) Many Bluefish and even more shad"

Posted by Craig Neil on the other forum about the 11ft..and below more on the range of rods.

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=105211&forum_id=10&highlight=Archipelago

[emjay]

I'm still worried that if I go with the 11ft Loomis instead of the 10ft, that it won't load properly with the 1.5oz lures I use since it's rated at 1oz to 3.5oz...

I hope I can find one in Durban. I'd like to feel the rod and reel together before making a purchase. On a side note I also prefer to support the local tackle shop instead of buying online, even though it might be slightly more expensive

[soupcan]

I know the Stradic has been suggested as the only reel to look at, but any views on the Daiwa BG reels? I see a helleva lot of good reviews on them on the net. I understand the 3000 size BG is very similar to the 5000 size Stradic. Apparently a good reel that punches harder than what the price suggests. If I get a BG it will be a grand cheaper than the Stradic

A few months ago I was also looking for a quality pure Spinning setup, and I was about to pull the trigger on the Stradic - then I read Alan Hawks review on the Daiwa BG and decided it was for me.  I bought the BG4000, which I now realise is actually a Shimano 6000 size (slightly smaller actually).  If was to do this again, I would buy the Daiwa BG 3000 and then get 8 strand 20LB braid on that. 

If you follow this Thread here - http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=19189.740
You will notice that Steenie has recently changed from a Stradic 5000 to a Daiwa BG 3000.  He's been playing around with many different rods and has recently moved on from the Assassins, only cause he's VERY specific about style and casting weights.  Why don't you ask his opinion - he has pictures to prove he's legit!

I was looking for a 10ft rod, as my Vengeance 9ft (old model) was just a little short for distance.  Tried the 10ft Scimitar and snapped it on a 2˝oz lure.  Changed to a 9˝ Assasin Spin XH and I'm not sure it's soft enough in the tip.  My mate with a Daiwa Exceler 10˝ ft outcasts me all the time with paddle tails.  They just don't fly too well...

And so my own journey continues but I can vouch for the Daiwa BG  - it's super smooth and priced much better than the shimanos.  It's my first Daiwa and the rest of my reel collection are Shimanos(4), Penn(1) and Okuma(1).  I would buy the Daiwa again in a heartbeat!

[emjay]

I know the Stradic has been suggested as the only reel to look at, but any views on the Daiwa BG reels? I see a helleva lot of good reviews on them on the net. I understand the 3000 size BG is very similar to the 5000 size Stradic. Apparently a good reel that punches harder than what the price suggests. If I get a BG it will be a grand cheaper than the Stradic

A few months ago I was also looking for a quality pure Spinning setup, and I was about to pull the trigger on the Stradic - then I read Alan Hawks review on the Daiwa BG and decided it was for me.  I bought the BG4000, which I now realise is actually a Shimano 6000 size (slightly smaller actually).  If was to do this again, I would buy the Daiwa BG 3000 and then get 8 strand 20LB braid on that. 

If you follow this Thread here - http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=19189.740
You will notice that Steenie has recently changed from a Stradic 5000 to a Daiwa BG 3000.  He's been playing around with many different rods and has recently moved on from the Assassins, only cause he's VERY specific about style and casting weights.  Why don't you ask his opinion - he has pictures to prove he's legit!

I was looking for a 10ft rod, as my Vengeance 9ft (old model) was just a little short for distance.  Tried the 10ft Scimitar and snapped it on a 2˝oz lure.  Changed to a 9˝ Assasin Spin XH and I'm not sure it's soft enough in the tip.  My mate with a Daiwa Exceler 10˝ ft outcasts me all the time with paddle tails.  They just don't fly too well...

And so my own journey continues but I can vouch for the Daiwa BG  - it's super smooth and priced much better than the shimanos.  It's my first Daiwa and the rest of my reel collection are Shimanos(4), Penn(1) and Okuma(1).  I would buy the Daiwa again in a heartbeat!

Glad to hear the BG is a good reel. I'm on the fence between the BG and Stradic at the moment, but it's going to be a good few weeks before I'm back in SA, so I've got lots of time to mull it over 

I've followed Steenie's thread religiously and have read it from start to finish about four times now  . His thread was what sparked my interest in shore based spinning. Learnt a helleva lot from that thread