Went to buy a reel today now im cnfused

[sarky]

I wanted to get a new rod and reel. I have been fishing my whole life never really seriously tho. Now i have been fishing a lot everyday. When i fish i go out for everyhting. Im not really into one species. I go out with friends and we try everything. I decided on a rod a Ste.Croix then when i was time for a reel. i got confused. I went to two places and they didnt really know what to recommend. A spinning or a bait casting. I read threviews on both baitcasting can be hard to learn they say. Then some say there better when using lighter lures. I am spending a few hundred so i wanna just buy one. any recommendations on which i should get. And how many foot rod should i get for shore fishing

[skipper19]

For just one...for Lake Ontario or Niagara...Jetty rod about 8.6 feet stiff in the back and flex in the front, able to throw long distance (no more than two piece) for long retreive...be able handle 3 to 4 ounces casting spoon/ lure... not too many guides and large guides for ease of speeding the line out on a hard cast, this avoids the birds nest $5 dollar snap, lure and swivel flying to England unattached.

Spinning reel for everything, long cast spool ...fast retrieve...drag controll on the back of the reel for convienience..spooled with 12 lb bagley silver thread monofilament (low memory and limp).... spinning reels are versitile...I have used them from everything from casting, jigging, ice fishing, bait fishing, trolling, and even used them for trolling salmon in a pinch.

The rod is a preference thing and is not as versitile in different situations...broad spectrum of shore fishing might be surf fishing Cape Hatteras with a 13ft heavy heaver...or fishing small streams for trout with a 5 foot light action pole....I would guess if you are from Saint Catherines, you are fishing jetties or piers in Ontario or Erie and you need length to avoid rocks and get distance. You also need some sensitivity for bait fishing so keep the tip light but have backbone for casting heavy spoons for the fall runs of salmon. but maybe you are fishing bushy pond shores or streams and then you need a smaller lighter rod.

[RiggerRob]

You will find that when you fish alot everyday, the weight of the rod and reel becomes very important. To enjoy a full days of fishing, being it casting, jigging, float fishing, drifting...I would recommend the lightest of each and the best warranty/guarantee provided. When you do have an accident with the rod or when the reel stops turning, you will feel alot better that your gear will be replaced or repaired.

To try and find a reel and a rod to fish all species is very tough to do. Most people have a few rods and reels to adjust for each days fishing. Loomis has a 9' GL2 graphite 2 piece pole that can be used for many species. If you do choose to use a baitcaster, I would recommend the Shimano Calais. You can cast a country mile, jig, float fish and drift with this casting reel. I use the above setup to catch everything from Salmon, Lakers, Bows, Muskie and even Gobies (lol). I was lucky and got my reel from Ebay for $250 shipped. I got the pole from your local tackle store and if you do ask, you can get a good price. Good Luck there!

[sarky]

thanks i appreciate the replys. i will let you know what i go with

[sarky]

i fiquered theres no rod for everything. so i went with a 10.6 foot Ste.Croix rod and a shimano stradic 4000FI reel. Im going fishing tommorrow morning i wanna see how it works