Landbased Topwater setup recommendations
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=88386
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2026 at 5:14pm
Topic: Landbased Topwater setup recommendations
Posted By: EditB
Subject: Landbased Topwater setup recommendations
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2013 at 7:42pm
|
Hi all, I'm finally in the market for a topwater set and am predominantly landbased, so am looking for a rod & reel that can handle the environment and will be useable for both stickbaits & poppers (I have more stickbaits than I do poppers...). The rod would ideally be 2pce for ease of transportation and about 8' for lbg I guess. I have a budget of ~$700 for rod, reel, braid & leader. Any advice you guys can give me is muchly appreciated. Cheers B ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Replies:
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2013 at 10:12pm
|
Bro, I got a lighter Offshore Illusion PSS 8' w a Sustain 8000 2 spools loaded w JB hollow 60lb; 90lb ABS. Ideal for swimming stickbait. Welcome to use it any time and spend a bit of time fishing with it down here, see if you like it. Been thinking about letting that set up go as just sits here looking pretty. Be well suited to your needs and wouldn't break the bank. Welcome to all my gear to have a tutu. ------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2013 at 12:06pm
|
Cheers for the offer fish i, where abouts are you based? Maybe flick me a PM eh? Chur B ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: segador
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2013 at 3:57pm
| i did a lot of landbased stickbaiting with a stradic 8000 and was loosing the bigger kings and expensive stickbaits try get a stella mate you wont be disapointed |
Posted By: Aaron32987
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2013 at 4:23pm
Good advice there - you are a LBG man, Brenton - do it once and do it right. Maybe look at a second hand Stella FA, they come up on Trademe from time to time.
Stickbaiting can be deadly, more so than live baits from the rocks at times.
|
segador wrote:Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2013 at 7:20pm
Not just an LBG man, I'm a TAS man too  
------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2013 at 9:53pm
HOws that? ------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 7:57am
|
So off the bricks I'm guessing drag is more important than retrieve rate? Also what rods are you lbg guys using? ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 8:08am
|
Hey Brenton, I know its not as flash as a lot of things people suggest, But I got a Fin Nor Troppo 8ft, Good for throwing poppers/stickbaits. I use it landbased in tga harbour (and off the boat) and it works really well. Not blingy apart from being candy red. I have an okuma salina II on mine. For under $200 they are really good buying. Will leave a bit more money in the back burner for that 2nd hand stella/saltiga/Okuma
|
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 10:14am
Retrieve rate is very important, you'll want a decent amount to work your lures effectively. Thinking about drag however, you want to think how much drag can you practically fish from the rocks effectively. I think landing kings from the rocks, especially with braid, playing the fish and knowing the terrain is a large factor. I reckon a lot of people lose decent fish off the rocks believing their gear wasn't up to it rather than their playing tactics. A 15kg kingfish can pull 15kg of drag for a time so brute force is not going to win out for you all the time. Ultimately when you spend the time hooking kingies from the rocks you will get owned sometimes, it's part of the territory. Remember this vid? The stella did not come up trumps here with this freight train. Could have slammed the brakes on harder earlier but I reckon he would of lost the fish a lot earlier and had less of chance of bringing it in. It's not like your fishing in 100m of water. I think he played his cards right really. Possibly could have even backed right off when it went on that big run as they'll often come right when not feeling as much pressure. Who knows? Length - 8ft is pretty sweet. You would not want to go much longer as finding the right place to perform sweeps can be difficult at times. Throwing skip baits you'd be all good thou. That's a Carnax kaibutsu PI 8'4" in that vid. ------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: Pico
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 11:31am
|
Have you considered the Daiwa Saltist reels? http://www.gofish.co.nz/daiwa-saltist-spinning-reel-6500-h/dp/5704" rel="nofollow - http://www.gofish.co.nz/daiwa-saltist-spinning-reel-6500-h/dp/5704
Pretty reasonable price and fast retrieve, think it's something like 140cm on the 6500h. The 4500h would be nice and light, but might be slightly lacking in drag at 10kg max, although there might be upgrades available?
|
Posted By: trickytune
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 12:15pm
|
You also need to bear in mind what you can hang onto. I have a now obsolete Penn 760 slammer and it has over 18kg drag off the reel with a full spool. Its rated more like 20lb. I have approx 270m of 80lb braid on it. If i drop it in the sea or fall and it breaks or worse gets stolen they are $90 AU to replace. The new Spinfisher V series looks like it will be great performer and I cant wait to get one in my collection (drag also way under rated). Yes a stella is lighter, prettier, higher quality, longer lasting, nicer to use etc etc BUT once it gets stolen you cant use it any more so the penn or Finnor or Okuma etc that cost way less could be replaced and therefore is nicer to use than nothing at all. |
Posted By: segador
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2013 at 2:53pm
| You will land kings under the 4o pound mark with 8000range reels but much bigger and you will struggle |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2013 at 10:50am
|
So I had a weak moment at GoFish yesterday & walked out with Demonblood 802xh, & a PennSSV6500 spooled with 50lb Sufix 832 & some YGK 100lb leader. ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: ET487
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2013 at 11:02am
|
Those Demon Bloods are awesum rods mate. I am using the 762XH and have caught GT'S up to 33 KG with it. Very light but ulta strong. |
Posted By: trickytune
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2013 at 12:16pm
| Sweet Im keen to hear how it goes thats the reel I'm buying next. Should do well with that. |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2013 at 11:25am
Took the setup for a flick yesterday off whangaparoa and while I didn't catch anything, was very happy with the combo. feels nicely balanced and was casting like a dream  Will be hitting East Cape/Lottin after Easter so fingers crossed for a decent test of it then ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Blue Asparagus
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2013 at 12:06pm
|
I was using a finnor 5500 did the job real well and on the 1st fish I smashed my Opus Bull yip 1st cast 1st fish and snap stoked I was, Then brought out the 80J and put the speed master onto it and slayed em. ------------- Ultimate GAME Fishing Adventures. Northland |
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2013 at 9:56am
Isn't that a PE8 300g popper rod? ------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2013 at 9:39pm
Fluffing around with the drag too much.Not a good idea imho.  ..........i caught a 22,5 on mono with a 6500 only 2 thirds of a spool......That guy pissed the fish off.------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: rockz
Date Posted: 11 May 2013 at 11:05pm
|
how's the spinfisher holding up? looking at one myself for rock duty. cheers.
|