Tackle Frenzy - Beach Fishing Rods

The fishing rod has several materials that it can be manufactured from, each having different benefits to the angler. Entry level fishing rods are normally constructed from glass fibre blanks (the bit everything else is attached to) which has been used for years. Glass fibre performs well for it's price and can provide many years of service if looked after, however it is fair to say that if abused it can be snapped fairly easily. The next stage is composite materials, a mixture of glass fibre and low density carbon. Stronger and lighter than glass fibre, most rods below £35 are made of a composite mix. You then have a low density carbon fibre which is lighter again and stronger than composite mix followed by the Rolls Royce of blanks which is high density carbon fibre. As usual your budget will dictate which material you receive in your blank, however every rod sold by Fishing Buddy™ offers value for money so if you are on a fixed budget, a well cared for glass fibre or composite blank will serve the weekend angler well.

If your fishing from the shore then there are a few considerations before making your purchase such as:

What type of ground will you be fishing from
Are the fish likely to be close or far out
Do you prefer feeling for fish or watching the tip
How often will you fish
Will you need heavy weights to counter a fast tidal flow

Just as important as your chosen length of beach rod is the casting weight. All beach rods have a rated casting weight which normally relates to the stiffness of the rod and its ability to cast light or heavier weights. The lighter weights need a whippy action to generate the tip speed to cast the rig a reasonable distance whilst the heavier rated rods are slightly stiffer to cope with casting the heavier rigs a good distance. If you are fishing an estuary with a slow flow then choose a lighter casting weight but if your fishing in a fast flow area or looking to cast a long way than a heavier cast rating is more suited to you..

Below are a few hints from our experiences that may help you to select the right type of rod for your shore fishing

Beach - Surf Fishing	Surf or short range fishing from a beach requires a different rod and set-up from long range fishing whereby the gullies and marks may be 100 meters out or more. Where we fish in South Devon a Surf Caster is the preferred type as the fish are not too far out and are best caught closer to the shore. The surf rods are generally shorter with a stiffer action being between 10ft and 12 ft long. A multiplier reel is not essential as you will not be casting huge distances so make life easier for yourself and use a fixed spool reel with this set-up.
Estuary Fishing	As with surf fishing estuary fishing does not usually require long casts and again a shorter rod is better suited. We would recommend a rod between 9ft and 12ft with a light action to enable soft baits or lures to be cast out with some accuracy and ease. As with the surf set-up a multiplier is not necessary as huge distances are not required so stick to a fixed spool reel. If like me your beach fishing is a bit of surf and estuary then pick a surf outfit and you can easily cope with both.
Beach - Long Range Fishing	For fishing from a beach with the need to get out more than 100 meters or so you need a Beachcasting set up which usually is a rod from 13 - 16ft long fitted with a beach casting multiplier or large capacity fixed spool reel. The rods tend to be stiffer in the butt and middle sections with a light action tip to aid getting the rig as far out as possible. If you are a beginner to long range beach casting our advice would be to buy a shorter model with a large capacity fixed spool reel, when you have mastered the techniques involved (How To.. guide coming soon) and wish for further distance or a different feel then trade up to a longer model with a multiplier reel.
Rock Fishing	One comment we must make is Safety First. Rock fishing in wet and or windy conditions can be treacherous and no fish is worth losing your life or the life of a friend over. Never fish in wet and or windy conditions from rocks, the sea can swell up and take you away in seconds and never fish from rocks on your own. Once again a different type of setup is required if the majority of fishing that you will undertake is from rocks. Although distance casting is not usually an issue as the fish you are targeting live or hunt around the rocks a longer rod is an advantage for playing larger fish and keeping them out of gullies and snags. At fishing buddy we are a bit biased towards using fixed spool reels for the weekend angler because modern fixed spool reels will stand up to the harder use that sea fishing offers and are also much easier in our view to use. We recommend a short beachcaster of 12- 13 ft with a medium sized fixed spool reel capable of holding at least 150 yards on 30lb line. You will need to use stronger fishing line to cope with snags and rough ground.
Pier Fishing	The Pier fishing setup is similar to that of rock fishing as most is done within yards of your position. A shorter rod is better, such as 9 - 10ft with a stiffer action as casting is not normally essential but lifting your fish up to the pier is so you need a rod that will cope with this without breaking. Of coarse if you are catching fish much above 1½lb we advise using a lift-net so as not to unduly distress the fish or your tackle! We have a small selection of rods that fit the bill and yes as usual we suggest a fixed spool reel but it doesn't have to be big as you do not need to hold hundreds of yards of line!
How Often	If you will be fishing as much as possible then it makes sense to choose a rod that will stand up to heavy punishment and a decent carbon rod with quality ring guides is what we suggest. However if you will be fishing a couple of times a month when the weather is fine then value for money dictates a carbon composite rod or glass fibre construction. As you will have guessed carbon rods can be expensive but they will last a long time and their light weight and positive action have brought more fishing please to many anglers.