# Surf Casting Combo



## vuki (Feb 10, 2006)

hi guys,
I'm about to buy a Penn 525 MAG overhead reel, but just not sure which rod to get. I've already got a beach rod, it's a penn, about 10-12 ft would this be ok to use with this reel?

Have any of you guys used this reel, what do you think?


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Mate they are an awesome little reel. I own one, and also 2 x 545 and a 555. The 545's and the 555 were my jig/high speed spin reels when I was a mainlander. They are awesome and tough as. Do you want to use a 10 or 12 footer? What line class? If you existing surf rod is built for an overhead it should be OK. You can tell this by it having an extremely high reel seat, a small stripper guide (size 20) and between 8-10 guides + the tip depending on action. Back to the little mag reel. As soon as you are confident enough with it, rip out the magnets and throw them away and you will have a reel that dents the horizon.

Catch ya Scott


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## vuki (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the info.
i'm going to use this reel mainly off the beach and want to try and cast a bit further past those big waves. Do you think i would need a large rod to do this?

Also not sure about the line class. I'm probably going to use a good quality mono line, i'll be chasing salmon, taylor, jew etc... How heavy line would you suggest.

Well, hopefully when i get the reel, with a bit of practise i'm be able to get some more distance out of my casts.

p.s if anyone knows of a good rod to go with this that isn't that expensive, i'd love to know.

thanks again Scott


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Mate you should be able to get the rod builder in your local shop to knock you up one for around the $200 mark using a glass blank. I'll assume you will use 15kg braid or 10kg mono as thats what I used to use and sufficient when run through quality tackle with a well set drag. A jew will only run to the back of the breakers and then run up and down the beach.

Patience will kill the biggest jew off the beach. If you want to use a 10 footer have a suss at a FSU5120. You can get these in blank form or even in made up rods. The two Aussie made blanks (pacific composite and Snyder) are heavier in action than the NZ kilwell. The Kilwell 5120 is of a similar action to the two aussie 4120's which are nice 8-10kg sticks but will not cast the heavier weights you need to beach fish for jews. What I would recommend personally is a MT8144 with the tip cut sufficiently to cast around the 4 oz cast weight. I would recommend getting one of these custom built using a pacific composite blank as these are a bit cheaper but equal quality to the snyder.

If you want to go a bit up market have a look at the Kilwell live fibre range of blanks. There is also a spectacular 10 foot Sabre blank if you decide to go a 10 footer. Personally I would only go a 10 footer if the outfit is going to spend the bulk of its time spinning for pelagics off the rocks. Otherwise if it will be predominately a bait rod sitting in a rod holder the cut down MT8144 will be hard to beat without spending upwards of $400.

The other thing to consider is an Alvey. They are the easiest to cast long distances but their biggest limitation is that to avoid line twist you need to fish a two swivel rig with your running sinker sandwiched between two swivels. The top swivels needs to be a good quality ball bearing or rooling/cranse swivel. The biggest problem with this is a jew feels the weight of the sinker as the sinker can only run as far as the top swivel. If you go and alvey, get an "E" type. They have both a drag and also direct wind capabilities. this will allow you to override the drag and use direct wind when necessary (such as a good fish in the shore break) but also have a drag enabling better control of a good fish and also the ability to leave the reel in free spool with the ratchet on and then slam it in strike to hook a running fish. Hope this helps.

Catch ya Scott


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