If you are looking for a fun and exciting fishing trip, it doesn’t get much better than dangling your hook in the wide open ocean. Sea fishing gives you a huge variety of both big and small fish that you can stalk. However, if you want to catch these fish you absolutely need the right equipment, otherwise you may end up with your fish getting off the line at best and at worst with a broken rod. Having the right equipment starts with having the right sea fishing reels and rods that match those reels.
The first step to finding the right ocean fishing reels is to match your reels and your rods to the species and size of the fish that you are going after. Larger fish like tuna and marlin will require the power that a bigger reel provides to reel them in. Keep in mind the type of fishing you are doing as well. Some reels will work for trolling, while others will work better for bottom-fishing. Your skill level matters as well, if you’re only a beginner you may spend all your time fiddling with a more expensive, sophisticated reel, and almost no time fishing. The variety of reels available today is incredible; make sure you do your research before you commit to buying any expensive reels.
Also keep in mind that the salt from the sea will damage some materials. Aluminum and steel resist rusting much better than many other substances so they are most often used in ocean-going tackle. They are also sturdier and a bigger help to reel in bigger, stronger fish. However, there is little today that is exclusively freshwater or saltwater tackle. With the new materials used in making today’s rods and reels, salt water fisherman can use everything from ultra light gear to the standard heavy surf casting tackle. Most rods built today can also stand up to the corrosive power of salt water if they are rinsed and dried properly after use.
Ultralight Sea Fishing Reels
Surprisingly, ultralight tackle has a place in saltwater fishing, especially for advanced anglers. The ultralight tackle will give you the most enjoyment you can get if all the fishing that’s available is fishing for smaller fish. These fish would be overpowered on strong gear, but by fishing for them on light gear, it takes a greater amount of skill to reel them in.
These reels are tiny and hold about one hundred yards of six foot line. Match them to rods that are five to six and a half feet for the best performance. Try your hand at fishing for bluefish, spotted sea trout, and striped bass for some good fun. If you’re really adventurous you can also fish for flounder and other bottom fish on this gear because you will feel bites much better and it will be a good challenge to reel the fish in.
Spincasting Reels for Sea Fishing
You can use every level of spinning reel for open water fishing. This includes everything from light to heavy spincasting reels. Light spinning reels are reels holding about 200 yards of six pound test line to 150 yards of twelve pound test line. They are usually matched with six to seven foot rods. They are most effective for use in bays and estuaries while searching for smaller sport fish and bottom fish. They can be used occasionally in the ocean while searching for smaller bottom fish and for wading flats in tropical waters for bonefish and barracuda as well.
Striped Bass Fishing with a Heavy Spinning Reel
Medium spinning reels are the next step up and have the ability to hold three hundred yards of twelve pound line or two hundred yards of twenty pound line. This reel is attached to a seven to nine foot rod. These are good for slightly larger game fish than light reels will and also some bottom fishing as well. However, spincasting reels will always be at a disadvantage where bottom fishing is concerned because they don’t have the power to pull many fish back to the surface.
The biggest spincasting reels you can get are heavy spinning reels. These bad boys can have up to 250 yards of twenty pound line or 300 yards of thirty pound line. They are so heavy, they are not intended to be used for casting all day. They are mostly used with surfcasting rods to enable you to cast your line far off of the beach and are also used when using large bait and heavy sinkers. Aside from surf fishing, they are also effective for fishing large sport fish and in casting lures for fish that like to run a lot.
Baitcasting Reels for Saltwater Fishing
Baitcasting reels are also versatile and can be used for almost any purpose in salt water, from light bottom fishing to fishing for tarpon. Originally developed for bass fishermen who needed to precisely place their bait, they are incredibly easy to cast but also have the same power a normal reel offers. . Baitcasting reels are generally paired with seven foot long rods. One of the most popular places to use them is in the Gulf of Mexico with redfish and sea trout Other uses for them are bottom bouncing for fish that you want to be brought up quick and casting, chumming, and trolling for larger fish.
As you can see, you have a wide range of options for sea fishing reels. You can use anything from ultralight tackle to heavy spincasting reels. A large amount of conventional reels is also available for the angler going after sharks and other massive game fish. Do your research, know the waters and the techniques you intend to fish, what sport fish you want, and your skill level before investing a lot of money in a brand name reel. This may seem like hard work at first, but it will pay dividends down the road when you and your reel pull in some trophy fish.
Related posts:
- Choosing Sea Fishing Rods
- Spinning Reels – Everything You Need to Know
- Different Rod and Reel Combos
- Alaska Trout Fishing: Monster Fish and Monster Excitement
- Sea Fishing for Trophy Fish