Suggestions on Whiting Rod and Reel please

[Kat]

Hi AFO,ers 

I am after some suggestions on a new whiting rod and reel.  For both land and boat based fishing (not for surf beaches).  Ideally it should be something that can handle the Flattie bycatch too.  But predominantly bait fishing for whiting.

One of my land based fisho mates on the GC has a Catana (8ft I think) spooled with 8lb braid and he regularly outfishes me in terms of the size of whiting - 37, 38, 39's.  Probably technique mostly but I do regularly catch 30 to 35cm whiting (although not recently - still getting used to boat fishing).  But I have had a fish with his outfit and I do like it but was hoping for similar in a shorter rod.

The rod I currently use was a much appreciated hand me down from a friend and is a good all rounder but definitely not whippy - blackhawk Ecooda have it paired with my Nasci 2500.

Any suggestions of a rod and reel pairing/combo would be appreciated.  Preferably ones that are readily available to check out at a local tackle shop .

Cheers Kat

 

[ellicat]

Good news ! This shouldn't cost too much.

Find yourself a glass rod with plenty of whip. I have a 2-4 kg rod but a 1-3 would do just fine. Pair this up with an entry level reel with 6-10 pound line and you're away. Take care of it and this should last many years.  7 foot minimum. A lot of the older whiting fishermen swear by an 8 foot though.

 

 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Kat

I have a 6 foot 6 inch and 8 foot Ugly Stik, both 2-4KG. I really like them for whenever I do whiting fishing, or light estuary fishing in general. I would probably recommend an Ugly Stik (personal preference) but like Brian said any glass rod would be good. 

As for reels, a Shimano Sienna, Cazna, Sahara, Sedona, Nexave, Catana, Alivio, or Hyperloop would work. (huge choice, and in my opinion most of them are pretty similar. Keep them clean and they should all last long). 

If you prefer Diawa, a Diawa Shinobi, Laguna, or AirD would probably all work.

I think a lot of people use mono for whiting (that may be because they use Alveys) but I like braid. Normally 12 at the heaviest.

Hope this helps,

Cheers Hamish

[Kat]

Since someone won't go fishing with me today maybe I will go check some tackle shops out.

Thanks Guys.

Cheers Kat

[Neil Stratford]

Hi Kat , Ive been using Live Fibre Champion Trophy 10ft 6inch Low rods and Alvey 600 A5 side cast reels loaded whiting 6 lb nylon for whiting for many years . I personally prefer the side cast option for whiting.

I use a Diawa Black Label BL 762 MLFS rod with a 2000 Stella spinning reel with 12lb braid for tossing plastics for  flathead.

regards

Neil

 

[Kat]

Hi @ellicatI don't know if it is just me but it seems to be hard to find a glass rod with plenty of whip.  What is yours and is it still available? What length is it?

Hi @AUS-BNE-FISHO yeah no point anyone trying to convert me to mono.  Started with braid and just get annoyed every time I use mono .  I know mono is good for certain types of fishing and would use it where the floating line helped but only if necessary (most fishos with years of experience that I know use mono but I just can't make that leap yet).  In terms of the ugly stick thrones I have checked out don't seem very whippy to me?  Am I wrong?  I know there are lots of different types of rods from same manufacturers and each tackle shop only has certain options in stock at any one time.  And yes I am a Shimano lass - just haven't had good experiences with the Daiwa reels.  Although have never had a decent one.  The cheap ones I have been given/bought really put me off.  The drags seem so sticky and the reels have not felt as good as the Shimano.

Hi @Neil Stratford.  As I said the guys I know often use Alvey's with mono and generally really long whippy rods (one mate has had his for decades and he calls it the killer - he outfishes me easily! Bits so do most other people I fish with These types rods are quite old and wouldn't be available now.  I am still learning so many things not sure I really want to learn how to use an Alvey but I have read that they have their advantages over spinning reels - 1.  If you accidentally dunk them in the estuary like I did last week (because I was tired and not thinking) then you don't lose your investment or at least you don't have to panic clean, rinse and stress for the next few weeks!  I seem to remember that they are also good for letting our line for timid fish?  Honestly so much to learn can't remember half of it most days .  Not sure if I can afford the live fibre you have or if it is still available? and certainly can't afford the Stella!  Although it is my dream reel and is definitely on the bucket list along with a metre long flattie lol.  

 

Thanks all for the suggestions so far.  Looked at a Gary Howard today but need it to fit in both the car and the boat so a two piece required but not in stock yet and I am being talked into a 9ft rather than 8ft.  So that is an option if the stock comes in on Tuesday.  Really need to pair it with something and see if it will be too heavy for me to hold and cast from the edges of an estuary or beach for hours on end.

 

[ellicat]

Mine's a 7 foot Gary Howard 2-4kg. Not sure of the model number. Will have a look later and update. It's a two piece.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

1 hour ago, Kat said:

Hi @AUS-BNE-FISHO yeah no point anyone trying to convert me to mono.  Started with braid and just get annoyed every time I use mono .  I know mono is good for certain types of fishing and would use it where the floating line helped but only if necessary (most fishos with years of experience that I know use mono but I just can't make that leap yet).  In terms of the ugly stick thrones I have checked out don't seem very whippy to me?  Am I wrong?  I know there are lots of different types of rods from same manufacturers and each tackle shop only has certain options in stock at any one time.  And yes I am a Shimano lass - just haven't had good experiences with the Daiwa reels.  Although have never had a decent one.  The cheap ones I have been given/bought really put me off.  The drags seem so sticky and the reels have not felt as good as the Shimano.

Hey Kat

Fair enough. I use a model called the Ugly Stik 'Gold'. They are 2-4KG. They are quite whippy in my opinion. I like Shimano too, especially the light spin reels. 

If you have a better rod you like than I'd use that. 

Cheers Hamish

[Kat]

Hey Hamish.  I don't have a better rod - that is why I am asking .  Just didn't know if I was looking at the same rod you were referring to. Probably not.  Will have a look now.  Is it an ugly stick model that is still readily available?  Or did you buy yours a while ago...?

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Kat, I just did a quick search and they seem to be at BCF. I got one about 8 years ago and one about 2 or 3 years ago.

Hamish

[Kat]

Hey Brian - glad to know I am sort of on the right track.  Are you completely satisfied with it - or if you had your choice again would you buy a longer two piece version?  Thanks wait to hear from you when you have a look.  Wont be rod shopping again until Tuesday avo.

Cheers Kat

[Kat]

Just now, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Kat, I just did a quick search and they seem to be at BCF. I got one about 8 years ago and one about 2 or 3 years ago.

Hamish

Thanks Hamish.  Will go check them out on Tuesday afternoon!

[ellicat]

14 hours ago, ellicat said:

Will have a look later and update.

No model number on the rod. It is a 7' "Estuary" 2-4kg 2 piece. I think I would try to find a 1-3kg if I was to select again.

[Junky]

Gary Howard breambo 3W. 

Its a 9ft, 3 wrap glass rod that is built for whiting. Best whiting rod on the market imo. 

 

Another mate uses a cheaper rod that has interchangeable solid tips. It's really whipy and about 8ft long. He got it from Kmart I think. 

He also swears by baitrunner style reels for the larger elbow slapper fish.

[Brodie_S]

Just incase your still looking and or haven’t decided or just not sure yet . Another good rod to check out .Atomic arrows bream surface rod has plenty of whip and is great for bait and lure fishing . It’s a 1.5-3.5kg rod and it’s perfect for whiting bream and flathead. Mine is matched up with a shimano Stradic 1000 spooled with 6lb braid . It’s 7 foot so perfect for both landbased and non landbased fishing. There are some other good rods people have mentioned on this thread but I think the arrows bream surface would make top 3 best mentioned. Especially considering if your mainly going for whiting and maybe the odd flathead and also for both landbased and non landbased . Rods over 7 foot can be a bit of a hassle on boats. The rod comes in a 1 piece and 2 piece model . Match’s 1000 size Shimano reels and daiwa 2000 size reels.

[Old Scaley]

Hi @Kat. Here is my 2 bobs worth. Whiting are not particularly hard fish to catch and they don’t require expensive gear, although good gear is always nice to use so buy the best you can afford. There are a couple of different ways that people fish for whiting:

1. Long, slow rods with reels that hold light nylon, often Alveys. These are fished with a big enough sinker to hold the bottom in a current. The sinker runs freely above the swivel, then a longish nylon or Fluoro trace ending in a small (size 4) baitholder style hook for bloodworms, or a long shank for yabbies. The rod is rested so that it is at a low angle and the rod is not touched until a fish is hooked. The guys who use this approach seem to do really well on the big whiting. The downsides are that most fish will be gut hooked so you will be regularly retying hooks or killing fish that you may have released if they are lip hooked. Personally, though this approach seems to be effective I don’t find it to be very exciting.

2. Using the same rod that you might use for plastics or lure fishing teamed with a smallish spinning reel loaded with light braid. The terminal tackle is the same. I like to keep the rod in my hands most of the time. Sometimes the big whiting will just hit and run, but often the bite is small and tentative. Because this set up doesn’t have the same “give” as the one above, you have to create the “give” by either feeding out line or holding your Rod tip high then lowering it as the fish bites.  You might not get as many fish this way, but I find it more exciting and more fish will be lip hooked so easier to release.

Each to their own, and either approach will work. If you go with approach 1, you are better to have nylon main line (especially on an Alvey). The secret seems to be patience and not striking too early. Doug Burt has a good YouTube video on gear and techniques. I think it was called “How to catch whiting”. 

Good luck!

[Drop Bear]

On 09/10/2021 at 6:19 PM, ellicat said:

older whiting fishermen swear by an 8 foot though

It's not the size of the rod....... sorry. 

[Angry51]

2 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

It's not the size of the rod....... sorry. 

That's the other forum Robbie.

[Drop Bear]

I think this is the video that @Old Scaleywas talking about

 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

So what did you end up getting @Kat?

Cheers Hamish