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Gear recommendations for newbies off rocks

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Ecko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Gear recommendations for newbies off rocks
    Posted: 27 Sep 2018 at 10:47am
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Good morning everyone

Long time boat Fisher converted to land based for the sake of ease and economy!

Me and a mate are trying to get out fairly regularly and looking for a one-size fits all if there is such a thing for land based snapper targeting fishing.

Referring to Rod and reel.

I like the idea of fishing stick baits as I've seen around here for snapper however can't imagine I'd always be doing that but if you all have any recommendations it would be much appreciated as I'm completely in the dark and want to make an informed purchase decision and investment!

Auckland based

Thanks in advance!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Ecko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 9:19am
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Not even a nibble!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote deacs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 9:46am
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Are you planning to fish bait or lures? For bait i would use a bait runner, the new shimano ones seem to be pretty average unless you get a thunnus (or an old 6500B if you can find it). I prefer longer rods and will fish 12-13ft rods but quite a few like shorter 7-8ft, for just off the rocks i think somewhere in between i.e. 10ft is probably a good length. In the shorter lengths you could get a stickbait rod some of them double quite nicely for baitfishing too. I have i think its a offshore 9ft rock rod and thunnus 8000 that can be for sale if you are interested
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 4:50pm
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Originally posted by Ecko Ecko wrote:

Not even a nibble!

There are two schools on this kind of thing in many forum queries of this type: one is you need something approaching a specialist rod for lures, and another for bait fishing etc; two is that you can get a rod to do all.

I'm in the former camp in your case, particularly if you are serious about stick baiting for snapper. From what I've seen, they use small sinking stickbaits, and you'd get best results on say 30lb braid, and a graphite casting rod.

Whereas, most of us would use something completely different to fish bait off the rocks - ie. a robust rod that will take the inevitable knocks (probably a composite) to match with a baitrunner or other spin rod with 8kg+ mono.

I have an Okuma X-Factor rock fishing rod, which goes nicely with a medium Baitrunner reel, and also use an Ugly Stik Black Tiger and an older Offshore E-glass rod. That's for typical lobbing unweighted baits into a berley trail.
If you want to achieve casting distance with weighted rigs over sand, which you may do more of in the Auckland region, you'd go longer in most cases. 
But you'd struggle to get good results with a small stickbait on that gear. Changing over the reel or a spare spool with braid would be the go, at a pinch, but sometimes spare spools cost almost as much as a reel. Also, it's time consuming when you're on the rocks. I'd rather have two set ups.

Your call.

Maybe tell us what gear you used on the boat, and I would imagine some of that could be put into service off the rocks - if in spin format or you can capably cast an overhead such as an Daiwa SL30.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Goobernator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 9:27pm
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Saw the shimano shadow x nano 10ft rock rod the other day. It felt like it could also be a good stick bait rod. Had a wiggly softish tip.

I reckon the closest rod to do it all would be a 9'6 -10ft+ shore jigging rod, they are a bit pricey though. In saying that a 12ft surfcaster is needed sometimes.
Its nice just taking one rod stickbaiting till sunset then snapper fishing after sunset. One rod will always be a compromise tho.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote vr4king Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2018 at 10:39am
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Hey I gotta mint 6500b in the for sale section...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Nawfland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2018 at 11:19am
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I use a daiwa 80s 15 24kg 7'10. Quiet a soft tip on it. So is ok for the smaller snapper. But mostly chasing big fish so it is ideal. Is a tough rod and can pick them up for 200. I use it with a 12000d with a spool of mono for straylining and a spool of braid for sinking stickbaits. Works well casting lures 40-60 grams. Good allround combo. And should have no problem handling a decent size kingi.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2018 at 11:29am
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Titanium
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Originally posted by Goobernator Goobernator wrote:

Saw the shimano shadow x nano 10ft rock rod the other day. It felt like it could also be a good stick bait rod. Had a wiggly softish tip.

I reckon the closest rod to do it all would be a 9'6 -10ft+ shore jigging rod, they are a bit pricey though. In saying that a 12ft surfcaster is needed sometimes.
Its nice just taking one rod stickbaiting till sunset then snapper fishing after sunset. One rod will always be a compromise tho.

I brought in a relatively inexpensive Major Craft 9'6" shore jig rod from Japan, with good specs and Fuji K guides etc. Really nice rod for the money. I match it with a Shimano Biomaster 6000 with 30lb braid and use it for harbour/estuary edge top water - for modest sized kingies, not snapper. I wouldn't want to hook a big kingie rock-based with that rod, though (dreams are free!!).

And you'd need to be fairly circumspect fishing bait off the rocks with a long thin graphite rod. Doable for sure, but I'm more comfortable with a rod that is less fragile on the rocks when bait fishing.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote fish i Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Oct 2018 at 7:08am
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Just bought a 9’ penn prevail 8 - 12kg 20 - 70g. Graphite blank, glass coating. Good rock rod and fits the gap of my quivers arsenal well.
6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SchnapperNZ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2018 at 8:34pm
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I use the x-factor 8.6” with the avenger 55 to not break the bank (go see Michael @ Smart Marine Lunn Ave) and have hooked up on all sorts and most landed without much trouble. Have a look at the 80 if you’re really wanting extra spool though for surf casting. I think it really comes down to understanding the runs vs dare I say semi bites with a tug regardless of what hook set you use.

I run a single hook KL/recurve for every trip as I get the chance to learn the way of micro jigging off the rocks and soft baiting 😆 if anyone has any tips for a new micro jigger off rocks please feel free!

Depending on what your budget is/targeting try the thannus 4000... which a stingray kindly took off me when i went for a mans duty in the bush without the drag/bait feeder on....
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote SchnapperNZ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2018 at 8:39pm
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Also, if you’re stick baiting off rocks, give these fellas a go as I’ve recently had decent chases from massive kahawais and kingies on 1/2oz 5/0 off the bricks. $10 for 3 pack at lunn ave smart marines on clearance.

Good luck and tight lines!

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 2018 at 9:04pm
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New Penn baitrunners are nice. They do a nice 10ft 2 piece that would cover snapper easy.
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