What size rod should I get

[mzaakir]

Hi guys. I got myself a 6500 saltist and it came with a 27-35kg 5'7 rod. I fish from a kayak and target big spanish mackerel, tuna and kingfish. 

Would you guys recommend keeping the rod or getting a 6-15kg rod. Also I troll so im considering getting a longer rod. What do you guys recommend. I want it to be paired with the saltist.

[Ed.]

If it was me I would be looking at a 10-15kg instead of the 27-38kg rod as it will be more flexible, most 24-37kg rods are broomsticks.  Fishing from a kayak you are not going to benefit from using such a stiff rod, you would not be able to put the full amount of hurt on the fish. From a boat yes, but not from a kayak.

Your reel will only output 15kg max drag anyway before it starts to slip and the longer the rod the more hurt will go on you. Best solution is to get a 30kg weight, connect it to your setup and try to lift it up, then imagine sitting in the kayak with that much pressure on the side or in front, chances are you will be doing a fair imitation of kayak surfing not to mention the risk of flipping it. That will you give you an idea of what type of rod to get.

There are a few kayak fishermen on this forum so they may provide different answers.

[ellicat]

I have the Australian built Wilson Live Fibre 8 - 15kg rod that I use for trolling. It has a nice action, a flexible tip and grunt at the bottom. I recommend that for trolling, where the fish aren't going too deep. I wouldn't recommend it for using as a bottom basher from a yak. I think you'd be better off with a shorter more stout rod to put the leverage more in your favour, as Ed has said. And like Ed said, I think the 27 - 35kg rod would be overkill from a yak, increasing your chance of tipping. Maybe something a step down - i.e. 15 - 24kg.

[mzaakir]

thanks guys...will do.

[mzaakir]

would a 6500 reel be good for a 8-15kg rod

[Ed.]

Depends on the rod you get, provided the guides are suitably sized and spaced. That Daiwa 6500 reel isn't a huge reel as spinning reels go but it is a reasonable sized one and it holds an adequate  amount of line with enough drag so should be able to do the job. Seeing as you will be in a Yak you should be able to chase down the fish if you need to, but most likely a very large fish will just tow you around in the yak for a little while, so line capacity shouldn't be an issue.

If you had a huge reel on a smaller rod it will feel mismatched so just take your reel into a store and try to match it with a suitable rod, you will soon see and feel it if it is matched properly.

[ellicat]

8 minutes ago, Ed. said:

If you had a huge reel on a smaller rod it will feel mismatched so just take your reel into a store and try to match it with a suitable rod, you will soon see and feel it if it is matched properly.

Definitely do this.

I have a Saltist LTD 6500. It is a big reel for a 6500 and quite heavy - especially after you wind on 500 metres of braid - as you will know. So Ed's advice is good advice imo.

[Ed.]

If you wanted to go heavier,  have a look at the Ugly Stiks

USBW-SP 701H 10-20kg 18-115g
USBW-SP 701XH 15-24kg 25-120g You would be very, very hard pressed to break these rods, and still they are fairly flexible in the tips and high sticking them should not cause any problems, despite them being about 7ft long they get most of their power in the lower half of the rod so leverage won't be against you.

[mangajack]

8 - 15kg rod about 7 foot and a light tip will work best from the kayak.

2 reasons.

Large fish from a kayak are nearly always a tow around fight and the fish tires remarkably quickly dragging the yak about. Make sure you have a rod holder pointing exactly forward....you will need it at times to chase a fish. Most kayaks do not have this.

Short heavy rods are a recipe to flip the kayak the moment you swing the rod to the side.

Fishing more than 15kg line from a kayak will just make things so damn hard and dangerous every time you get snagged.

For spanish i use 10kg line and 80lb leader, never any heavier.

[mzaakir]

thanks guys...will go to my local tackle store and get a feel what should work best.. appreciate it

hopefully get a few spanish before the season is over lol

[ellicat]

23 minutes ago, mzaakir said:

thanks guys...will go to my local tackle store and get a feel what should work best.. appreciate it

hopefully get a few spanish before the season is over lol

Let us know what you get and how you go with the Spanish.