Article by Sue Foster
I want a new surf rod but just not sure what to get!
When anglers come into our shops looking for a new surf rod, I always ask them what time of year do they plan to fish the most. Summertime fishing is quite different from fishing in the spring and fall. Anglers tend to go a little heavier and longer in the early and late seasons since the fish tend to be larger and the surf more turbulent. Migratory fish such as large stripers can be further off the shoreline, making a longer cast critical in the spring and fall.
In the summertime, we have a lot of panfish such as kingfish, spot and croaker. The fish are in close and aren’t that big. A lighter, sensitive rod makes fishing more fun and productive. Even the anglers targeting larger fish such as drum and stripers find that these fish can be “close in”, feeding in rips and troughs during the summer months. Hardcore Assateague anglers like to have along a quality 9-foot combo for these times.
I’m going to fish now!
OK, May is the month we see migratory stripers and May is the month we sell a lot of 11 and 12-foot rods. Look at the suggested weight that you can throw on the rod. This is generally located just above the grip where the model number of the rod is inscribed. There can also be suggested line weight and action of the rod. Take all these things in stride, as every rod has a different feel and manufacturers sometimes rate them differently. Just because a rod says the suggested weight is 3 to 7 oz. does not mean you can’t throw an 8 oz. sinker. It just means the rod is most suited to throw 3 to 7 oz. lead. Some companies, like St. Croix, put suggested lure weights on the surf rod. This is very confusing to the customer and really frustrates me as well!. Many St. Croix surf rods rated for 1 to 4 oz. lures can easily throw 6 oz. In those cases you just have to feel the rod and compare it to others!
In the spring and fall, look for an 11 or 12-foot rod rated at 4 to 7 or 4 to 8 oz. for normal fishing conditions. Some anglers who own several rods, want a rod rated for up to 10 oz. You can find a few of these very heavy rods and they work great for throwing a large chunk of bunker and an 8 to 10 oz. sinker. It’s definitely “over-kill” in the summer (way too heavy) unless you are into catching big sharks and rays.
Some manufacturers, like Daiwa, will have 11 and 12-foot rods in different weights. For example, the Emcast Series has one 11-foot rod rated for 3 to 6 oz. and another 11-foot rod rated for 4 to 7 oz. Choose the 4 to 7 oz. model for spring and fall fishing and the 3 to 6 oz. rod for summertime fishing!
Fishing rods always look longer in the store. When you stand in front of the pounding surf, the rod suddenly seems shorter! If you want to really get a feel for a longer rod, ask the clerk to let you take it outside and whip it around. If you have a reel you plan on putting on the new rod, take it with you and mount it on the rod. Rods feel different without a reel mounted on it. Ask the clerk if you can put the reel on to get a more normal feel.
If you’ve never surf fished before, it’s really hard to know what is normal!
If you are a first time surf angler and not sure what to get, don’t go overboard on a real heavy rod. Pick a rod in the middle, such as a 10 or 11-footer somewhere in the 2 to 6 oz. range. If you fish primarily in the summer, choose a 8, 9 or 10 foot rod anywhere in the 1/2 to 3 or 4 oz. range. Don’t go heavier than 2 to 6 oz. Like in most sports, the more you pay for a rod, the better quality it will be and the lighter in the hand it will feel. You can buy a rod for less than $30 if you are on a budget or you can spend a couple hundred dollars! Believe me, there’s plenty rods in between those two price ranges!!!
If you are a female or an adolescent with a smaller frame, I’d suggest an 8 or 9-foot rod, especially for the summertime. The butt on the 8’s and 9’s are shorter as well, making them easier to handle, especially if you are short in stature. Another thought is this. An 8-foot rod is the best all-around length rod you can buy. You can also fish with it in the inlet, off a pier or even from a boat! A 9-foot rod is also good from the pier or in the inlet, but it’s really too long to take on a boat. So if you are looking for versatility, don’t go over-board in length! You can buy a rod as long as 15-foot, but it’s just way to awkward to cast unless you are really, really good!
Every tackle store around has different brands of surf rods. One brand is not necessarily better than another, and each brand may have different levels of quality. I’m going to name a couple of my favorites, just to give you an idea of what you might want to buy. Bear in mind, there are plenty of good rods out there! Pick it up mount your reel on the rod for the best feel.
Spring and Fall Heavier Surf Rods
Tica - 12 foot - UEHA Series - 4 to 10 oz.
Tica - 11 foot - Dolphin or Surge Series - 3 to 8 oz.
Penn - 12 foot - Prevail Series - 4 to 10 oz.
Penn - 11 foot - Prevail Series - 4 to 6 oz.
Penn - 12 foot - Torque Series - 4 to 10 oz.
Penn - 11 foot - Torque Series - 2 to 6 oz.
Sea Striker - 11 foot - Beachrunner Series - 4 to 8 oz.
Daiwa - 11 foot - Emcast Series - 4 to 7 oz.
Daiwa - 12 foot - Emcast Series - 4 to 7 oz.
St. Croix - 11 foot - Mojo Series - 3 to 8 oz.
St. Croix - 10 1/2 foot - Triumph Series - 2 to 6 oz.
Summertime Lighter Surf Rods
Daiwa - 10 foot - Emcast Series - 3 to 6 oz.
Daiwa - 11 foot - Emcast Series - 3 to 6 oz.
Daiwa - 9 foot - Emcast Series - 1 to 4 oz.
Sea Striker - 10 foot - Beachrunner Series - 2 to 5 oz.
Sea Striker - 9 foot - Beachrunner Series - 1 to 4 oz.
Sea Striker - 8 foot - Beachrunner Series - 1/2 to 3 oz.
Tica - 8 foot - UEHA Series - 3/4 to 3 oz.
Tica - 9 foot - UEHA Series - 1/2 to 3 oz.
Tica - 9 foot - Surge Series - 1/2 to 3 oz.
Tica - 9 foot - Surge Series - 2 to 6 oz.
Tica - 8 foot - Surge Series - 1/2 to 2 oz.
Penn - 10 foot - Prevail Series - 1 to 5 oz.
Penn - 9 foot - Prevail Series - 3/4 to 3 oz.
St. Croix - 9 foot - Mojo Series - 1 to 4 oz.
St. Croix - 10 foot - Mojo Series - 1 to 4 oz.
Get yourself a nice surf rod and have fun fishing!
Sue Foster is an outdoor writer and co-owner of Oyster Bay Tackle in Ocean City, MD and Fenwick Tackle in Fenwick, DE.