What type of rod and reel to buy?

[walleyemaniac]

I don't do much musky fishing so I'm kind of in the dark as to the quality of the bigger equipment needed.

I have a freind who lives in the Grand Rapids, Mn area and he wants to try and go after some muskies this summer. So I need to get some bigger equipment for this as I generally fish walleye and panfish. I don't want to tie up alot of money in a set-up, I'm just not going to use it that much where I'm from.

I was looking at an Abu Garcia BCX 5600 (on sale was the only reason) would this be adequate enough for what I'm going to use it for, or do I need to step it up a little more then that? Someone posted a reveiw on that reel and said it had plastic gears. Is this true? I can't find info on the reel that says what the gears are made out of, so that's shying me away from it, unless someone knows otherwise.

What type of rod should I be looking for. Something I can cast & troll with, I was thinking in the 7'6"-8" range.

He has all the other gear by the way, I just need a rod & reel, would like to stay in that 150-200 $$ range. I apreciate the help.

[10,000 Casts]

Buy your set up at the MN Muskie Show April 8-9-10. You will find the best deals of the year and a show full of the best Muskie knowledge in the World..

I would stay away from the BCX.. Alot of good Muskie reels have plastic gears so just saying "plastic" doesn't scare me.. but the BCX has cheap thin plastic gears and I would spend a little more to get alot better ree1. $200 will get you plenty of rod and reel if you only want to use it a few times a year.. But if you are only going to have 1 set up, you may want to spend more to have more piece of mind when you are on a trip with no back up..

[Esox_Magnum]

Tackle Industries rods are $110 shipped yet and may still be that price at the Expo. I wouldn't recomend the Abu you'r looking at, look at a lower end Shimano, Corvalus or Cardiff or an Okuma Akeena any can be had for around $100 or just under. Another options a good used combo, many of us have spares laying around in both rods and reels that we no longer use.

I'm also a fan of longer rods for ease of working baits, figure 8's and controlling the fish, personaly 8' in a H or XH action would be as short and light as I would go. I run all 9' rods at the moment and don't even carry my 8' any more.

[mainbutter]

I'm still very new to musky fishing, and I will say I VERY much prefer longer rods, everything is just plain easier.

[10,000 Casts]

My buddy just bought the TI rod down at the Chicago show.. I think he paid $100 no tax.. we compared it to a few other rods in the $100-$200 range and it felt pretty good.. The reviews accross the internet are all positive so that closed the deal.. I think he went with the 8'6" XH..

If you throw a 6500 C3 or Shimano Corvalus on there for about $80-$90 and get some free line ($20), you will have a nice set up for a few times a year. If you want to start fishing 1-2-3 times a week and throwing large double blades, then you'll need a higher quality set up..

[delmuts]

If coming down to the muskie expo is an option, then i would wait and check things out there, plus it sounds like the guys may have used rods and reels at the swap meet later sat. night.

Otherwise contact James at Tackle Industries and see what kind of a deal he would make you. Let him know you got your info from here. I have two of the okuma 400 akeena reels on T.I 9' XHVY rods.( if you check on HSO-Classifieds for reels, there are deals at times. think i got mine for $80 each) Are they the best reel out there. Probably not. But for those of us that don't fish muskies three to five days a week, they should do well. They have brass gears and look and feel very solid.

[Esox_Magnum]

You won't beat the TI rods without stepping up to a Legend Tourney or Predator at 3X the price. Not enough difference to warrent the extra price and I do own several TI's as well as Loomis and a Predator.

[walleyemaniac]

Where do they hold the expo? I can probably talk my buddy into going to that with me. And thanks for the help guys gives me some ideas to start looking at. I apreciate the help with rod length, or I probably wouldn't have gone long enough.

Should I keep an eye on gear ratio?

How heavy of line should I be spooling? (asuming most of you are using braid)

Floro leader or not? I've heard some guys talk about using it. Wouldn't have the foggiest how heavy to go with this type of fishing, meaning bite-offs.

Or don't I really need to worry about some of this stuff for what little I'll probably get to go.

[Fred_Bear]

something around 5.4:1 or 5.1:1 is best for all around use. Should be around 20"-25" of line pickup per crank.

Put some cheap mono backing on and fill the spool up with 80 lb braid.

Go with 12" 130 lb fluoro leader and it should last you a long time.

[walleyemaniac]

Thanks

[NKLCOLT1911]

i have a gander mountion signiture series im5 rod 7' heavy action and a abu 6600 c4 reel i got it all for less that 150 thats includes the 80# power pro which is the only line i use, this reel works good until i get into the bigger bucktails like a super model then i would like a hegher gear ratio but id have to say all in all im happy.

[hunter991]

Exactly what esox magnum said. For about 200 you will have a great setup that won't be a throw away

[bisekb]

I agree with everyone you can definatly get set up for $200 and have a decent set up. There is many rods in that $100 range that perferm well, my back up rod is a scheels tournement musky rod and i am very pleased with it, its available in the 7'6" or 8'. For reels check out the lower end shimanos or the abu garcia C3 series.