SPINNING combo for long distance casting

[ksdog]

I need a good casting outfit for shore fishing. I chuck 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs and roadrunners from shore to out in front of dam gates and to deeper holes. Advice ?

[Deitz Dittrich]

The larger the spool and the smaller the line diam the longer your casts can be... also the rod will play a large part of this too.. a 7' er with a good back bone with a nice soft tip will get a biat out further as well.. For the reel I would suggest a Shimano Sedona 4000, I'm not sure what pound test you have planned on using but if you spooled this under its rating and put 6 lb test on it, or maybe even 8 you should get some pretty long casts! just make sure you use some backing on the spool and fill it pretty full!

[delmuts]

the combo dietz suggested would be good. i will add that you may want to think about spooling your reel with a braided line. # 6 power pro/ #2 dia. will give you some extra distance, but you do have to watch how you set the hook and lighten your drag some .just a possiblity.

[SteveWilson]

If I were to go for distance on lighter weight jigs and lures I would select an appropriate blank, then the reel, and then have the rod made to go with the specific reel/line combination. I would look at a Quantum Energy PT E10PTi or E10PTi spinning reel or a Shimano Symetre 1500, Symetre 2500, Stradic 1000, or Stradic 2500. I would spool one spool with 4lb test and the other with 6lb. For a blank I would consider a St. Croix 3S66LF (6'6" Light) or 3S76MLXF (7'6" Med Light) blank that are used on their Avid rods; or better yet a 4S76MLF (7'6" Med power, fast action) blank. I would probably go with better guides than used on the Avid rods (titanium frame SiC guides) and I would definately pick the guide sizes and placement to maximize casting distance; this requires testing with the reel/line combination you're going to use.

If you're looking at a casting setup, I've had great experience with a St. Croix PC70MM rod (Avid, 7', Medium action, moderate power) rod with a Daiwa 153HST reel spooled with 10lb fireline. It's great for crankbaits but will cast a country mile from shore, which is what I used it for late this fall after I put the boat in storage.

[Steve Foss]

When fishing the North Shore of Lake Superior for rainbow trout, most fellows use 9' to 10' rods, which you can get commercially from manufacturers like Berkley and Polar HT for $40 to $200.

I got an 8.5' Berkley two-piece that is rated for 6-12 lb line and casts like a dream. I coupled that with a Shimano 4000 series rod and 6 lb line. You can chuck fairly light baits a VERY long way, especially when live bait isn't involved so you don't have to baby the cast.