Thread: Preferred pier gear

What type of gear do you prefer when fishing off the pier? Do you use spinning or casting? Do you use saltwater reels or just rinse off freshwater reels? What length and action rod do you prefer? Do you use multiple setups for larger and smaller fish? And has anyone tried a baitfeeder reel ( if you know what I'm talking about)? Do you like mono, florocarbon, or braid? Do you use a wire leader or a heavy mono leader?



Looks like I may not make it down south this year so I'm making up for it by looking at purchasing some new gear for next year. And I just want to hear about fishing gear...

Most folks seem to prefer 7 foot medium power, fast action spinning rods with 4000 size reels that hold about 200 yards of 10# to 12# mono.
You can catch 80% of the available fish on that outfit with a few exceptions.
On the pier only your line comes in direct contact with saltwater, so just the rod guides and spool need a light rinse to wash that away. it does help to pretreat the rod and reel with a spray (like Reel Magic, etc.)

Anglers often carry multiple rods for specific tasks or species and may bring up to 6 each day with no additional charge.
Bait runner type reels work in a few applications (like drifting a live bait) but are not too common place out there.
Most use mono, or a mono top shot (over braid).

Dep[ending on the species targeted anglers may use a steel leader (for toothy fish like mackerel and bluefish),
or a mono leader (for all the others),
or no leader at all (as in fishing a live shrimp or LY for speckled trout)

Hope this helps!

Pier #'fs got it right. I do use bait runners for Sheephead. I prefer them as I don't need to tie my rod to the rail and thus don't have a fear of leaning it there waiting for a bite. I've seen plenty of rod/reel combos fly over the rail with a solid strike and with a bait runner the fish just starts taking line until you pick it up. Otherwise, a bungee is needed to tie it down that you have to unhook when you get a strike.

Dont get me wrong, I don't leave my rod unattended at the rail but do get tired of holding it in my hand all the time and this eliminates your having to hold it all the time. I also use a 7 1/2' rod to get leverage to pull them from the pilings.

Each fisherman uses what he's comfortable with and this is just my choice.

I love the toughness of braid but it does cause problems with wind knots if casting and interferes with other mono lines if you get a fast run that crosses other lines. So I stick to 15# mono with your choice of leaders. I also like fluorocarbon leaders that seem to have less visibility in the water.

everything else is again personal preference.

good fishing everyone...

Originally Posted by Pier#r

Most folks seem to prefer 7 foot medium power, fast action spinning rods with 4000 size reels that hold about 200 yards of 10# to 12# mono.
You can catch 80% of the available fish on that outfit with a few exceptions.
On the pier only your line comes in direct contact with saltwater, so just the rod guides and spool need a light rinse to wash that away. it does help to pretreat the rod and reel with a spray (like Reel Magic, etc.)



Anglers often carry multiple rods for specific tasks or species and may bring up to 6 each day with no additional charge.
Bait runner type reels work in a few applications (like drifting a live bait) but are not too common place out there.
Most use mono, or a mono top shot (over braid).

Dep[ending on the species targeted anglers may use a steel leader (for toothy fish like mackerel and bluefish),
or a mono leader (for all the others),
or no leader at all (as in fishing a live shrimp or LY for speckled trout)

Hope this helps!

Pier#r, Thank you for the very informative post. But, when you spray the rod and reel with reel magic or, whatever spray or oil you use, does that leave a residue from the oil on the line that will spook the fish. The biggest walleye I have ever seen caught, 32", was caught on a crank bait that was sprayed with WD40. He will even spray his night crawlers with WD40. In fact, we call him "Oil Slick" because he always has an oil ring around where ever he is fishing.
How is the book coming?

I'm one of the few fishermen who uses both kinds of reels. I like a baitcaster for 12 - 14 lb line, so practically all of my spanish mackerel, pompano, sheepshead, speckled trout, etc fishing is done with a baitcaster. I use a spinning reel, primarily, for king mackerel when I'm fishing live bait or [previously frozen] cigar minnows. I use a larger baitcaster when casting plugs for kings. I'm just more proficient with a baitcaster. My line size is 20 lb. for kings. I don't know that it matters, but my spinning reels are Penn and my rods are Ugly Stiks. I rinse the reels with fresh water after every use and I change line regularly (incidental contact weakens the line).

I like wire for kings and spanish. Sometimes spanish will be wire-shy and will only hit a lure with a mono/fluorocarbon leader, so I have that ready if I need it. Pompano, sheepshead, and whiting outfits are rigged with about 18" fluorocarbon leader.

What type of gear do you prefer when fishing off the pier? Do you use spinning or casting? Spinning

Do you use saltwater reels or just rinse off freshwater reels? Both
What length and action rod do you prefer? 6.5 - 7' medium 2000, 3000 or 4000 reel with 8-10# and a 7.6-8' medium heavy with a 6500 and 15# for kings, reds, etc.
Do you use multiple setups for larger and smaller fish? Yes, I carry three or 4 medium reels and 1-2 king rods

And has anyone tried a baitfeeder reel ( if you know what I'm talking about)? No
Do you like mono, florocarbon, or braid? Mono
Do you use a wire leader or a heavy mono leader? Both, 50# mono for Spanish, 27# single stand wire for kings. Flat black swivel, 2x or 3x #6-#2 trebles.

Lots of good advice. Not everybody's thumb has a college degree, like eym_sirius'. I love my conventional casting reels for catching sheepshead, but I use spinning tackle for most everything else because I can't stand picking out backlashes when I have to cast into the wind.

The one rig I'd suggest in addition is a 6000 or 6500 class reel (Penn, Shimano, etc.) on an 8' rod for king mackerel, jack crevalle, and bull reds. Fill it two thirds with 20# braid and top it off with 15# hi viz mono. Ugly Stiks are popular, but I am madly in love with the affordable custom bait rod that J&M sells.

Remember that you aren't deep sea fishing, so you don't need heavy, cumbersome tackle. The worst obstacles you will face will come when there are multiple hookups on big fish and you have to do the "over, under, follow you fish" dance with other anglers. Sometimes you'll get cut off on the pier pilings, but, as they say, sh!t happens.

Good fishing.

Keep in mind that Reel Magic, Salt Away, WD-40 are all different but none are lubricants.
IMHO WD-40 (Water Displacer) should never be used on saltwater reels as it is a solvent that actually increases corrosion over time.
And don't drown your reels with fresh water at the hose, when needed just rinse lightly (like a misting rain) and be sure to bump it to remove excess water and dry it quickly in the sun and wipe with a paper towel or cloth sprayed with Reel Magic.

I first learned about Reel Magic at Bass Pro (thinking at first the advertising was just propaganda), but have seen how a light spray (and wipe to remove excess) coats and protects line and reel parts (sortof like AmorAll protects leather and plastic) from the drying effect of suns rays and drying salts. Like Jimmy Houston, I use it on all my reels ;-)
It is not however a replacement for proper lubrication, so I use a light reel oil (or 3-n-1) to lube the line roller, bail and handle joints, anti-reverse switch, and shaft under the spool.

Thanks for asking, the book is still about only 40%. i have been SO busy this past year I have not had much opportunity to work on it :-(

When you see newbies heading to the pier, does it seem like they overdo it on rod and reel sizes? Striped and catfish combos from Wally World? Big line and tuna hooks?

+1 on Reel Magic. I spray it my reels and let it dry before coming down to fish (about 20-30 days a year). I rinse them with the hose at the pier on my way to the truck at the end of each day and reapply the Reel Magic, loosen all the drags and us a tiny bit of rem oil when I get back home. Some of them have been submerged repeatedly when surf fishing and I have yet to have one fail.