cityevader

I did end up getting the Spinfisher v4500 and Prevail 9' (3/4-3oz lures)...for tossing lures. And got the old 710z for my old 7' rod (1-6oz lures) for casting weighted bait. I'm figuring that between these two, i should be good enough.

Thank you all for the advice. Just got my fishing licence for the year, and decided to have my boy (whom is the one that's rough on gear) use the 710z i recently bought. And now I'm about to make a purchase for myself...and I assume the following combo is good for tossing bucktails and SP Minnows, etc? Direct from Penn, a Spinfisher V for $70 and a 9' Prevail 3/4oz-3oz lure size for $80 and free shipping, totalling $150 to my doorstep (I can live with that price.)

So, for now, I've gotten a 710z from ebay for $40+shipping. It appeared blemish-free compared to lots of others. Thank you for input on others for the future. Now to research rods....I'd like to cast an SP Minnow more than 50 feet.

hmm...maybe i'll get the older Penn 710 for my hand-me-down Shakespeare Alpha Custom SP 7' pole, and get the V4500 for the new 9' pole... shorter one for my boy, longer one for me! or...shorter one for Perch, longer for Stripers.

Then, let's assume that i will strive to take halfway decent care of my new reel (my old one was a hand-me-down freebie) and it won't be thrown into the surf, and have a dedicated towel to be wrapped in to prevent sand entry whilst playing frisbee, and would not be fishing all day anyway, or even half a day...would the Battle II take the occasional abuse or die at the first hit... or just go for the 710?

I'm curious what the "slow" part means.

After a brief, unsuccessful try at surf fishing, then giving up for two years, I've decided to give it another try. So I need a rod/reel setup, and looking through the "Newbies Look Here" thread, I randomly selected a budget setup of a Penn Prevail 9' medium and Penn Battle II 2000. But I got to thinking...I'm hard on gear, as I go to the beach with my small child and things get pushed around. Reels end up in the sand. Gear often gets left in the van for days afterwards without a proper cleaning...so now I'm wondering if there is a budget-minded reel just for goofs like me whom can't seem to take proper care of their stuff?

I rigged a hook to my 401k and let 'er rip...PM for my return address please.

For what it's worth, I've been able to get out exactly 3 time since last post...that shows just how much "practice" I get. Last weekend's trip had me trying the SP Minnow sinker instead of floater, and man! What a difference in feel! I still can't tell when it hits bottom, (because all i own sucks...and i suck, too) but the tactile difference between the two Minnows is significant. After 4 hours, and a dozen folks walking past me to leave, only two had caught anything. Sigh...I wish that ALL I cared about was fishing...but too many competing areas of life has time pretty well consumed already...otherwise I'd try at least ONE other spot on countless miles of our coastline. Maybe I'll post a video this weekend from the top of the dune to show the surf. (Can't really spot burn a state beach with a big ol' sign trying to encourage people to fish there, right?) Remember....I don't go there SOLELY to fish, but to fly my gliders too.

I was very surprised by a tea-like drink called Guayaki. It doesn't give any sort of "boost" like sugar/caffeine concoction. I had a mild hangover, and was quite tired at work, when a customer came in to have his delivery van fixed. He passed out free cans. Holy cow, that stuff worked! I wasn't tired, and didn't feel grumpy from the buzz/crash of red bull.

Pre-cooked bacon and cheddar cheese, and smoked almonds/Reese's Pieces...lots of water.

Note: if I cannot hold a light using my lips as a condom from the teeth...that light doesn't go in my mouth. 2xAA lamps can be sustained for only about a minute or so...except that one time at band camp, there was this 2Ccell Maglite... Seriously.... If a lamp is securely strapped to your head, all the better! Edited to add: some of my ITP A3 had the rear key-loop ground off in order to "candle stand" because vertical light reflecting down is amazingly-more useful... Others had a 10mm flat Neodymium magnet glued on as well (Goop, E6000, Shoo Goo adhesive) for attaching to a variety of surfaces (those aren't in my pocket everyday carry because who wants the other edc items stuck to it? Rather, they go in the glove box, tool box, etc) More edit: Eneloop AAA will keep just fine unused for a long time, and give far more output than an alkaline to boot!

Think outside the box...it makes a great zipper pull! Headlamps rock for just about any need.

Actually, I've been feeling the same way... If I want to eat fish, fishing isn't the way to acquire it.

Holy moly....there is an entire world of "flashaholics" dying to answer your questions!! I used to be one, constructing my own bike lights from scratch. Candlepowerforums has many forums and sub-forums. A suggestion...flood beam for around the house, and spot beam for the car. When close, you need spread of beam. When far/outdoors you need a beam that throws (more spot). The best (for me) will be able to be gripped in the teeth without needing a dentist afterwards. For teeny tiny amazing bright, I prefer the ITP A3, single AAA. If desired, put in a rechargeable li-ion AAA cell and the output level will rival any and all flashlights that Home Depot sells...and it's as small as a Chapstick.