Starting out at the big ditch.

[Osprey18]

Hey everyone. I'm new to this site but not to fishing. I'm 18, and I live about 2 hours from the cape(1.5 from the canal). I've been fishing on the cape every year since I was a little kid, now that I can drive on my own I'm looking to start going down with a friend or two. Naturally, I want to start fishing the canal as well and I need advice on a rig. Right now I'm thinking the Penn SSV 6500 paired with the Okuma longitude 10'(not sure how good it is, but it's super cheap). I'm also looking at the Diawa BG 4500 and the Penn Prevail 10' or 11'. I'm looking to make at least 1 trip down a week. I'll be throwing topwaters, sluggos, kastmasters and whatever else you guys recommend. What does everyone else think? Should I pick a better rig, or is mine fine(I'm a little on edge about the rod)? Other advice is also appreciated.

 

Thanks,

John

[Seadogg]

Take what you have, go there, and learn the ropes. Don’t worry about much else. 

[The BuzzardsBayBruin]

1 hour ago, Osprey18 said:

Hey everyone. I'm new to this site but not to fishing. I'm 18, and I live about 2 hours from the cape(1.5 from the canal). I've been fishing on the cape every year since I was a little kid, now that I can drive on my own I'm looking to start going down with a friend or two. Naturally, I want to start fishing the canal as well and I need advice on a rig. Right now I'm thinking the Penn SSV 6500 paired with the Okuma longitude 10'(not sure how good it is, but it's super cheap). I'm also looking at the Diawa BG 4500 and the Penn Prevail 10' or 11'. I'm looking to make at least 1 trip down a week. I'll be throwing topwaters, sluggos, kastmasters and whatever else you guys recommend. What does everyone else think? Should I pick a better rig, or is mine fine(I'm a little on edge about the rod)? Other advice is also appreciated.

 

Thanks,

John

This website has a search function.

 

With a little effort you can find answers to any question you may have.

 

The best advice I can give you is learn to make your own decisions, don’t look to others to make them for you. You won’t learn anything otherwise.

Edited March 31, 2018 by The BuzzardsBayBruin

[Sandbar1]

1 hour ago, Osprey18 said:

Hey everyone. I'm new to this site but not to fishing. I'm 18, and I live about 2 hours from the cape(1.5 from the canal). I've been fishing on the cape every year since I was a little kid, now that I can drive on my own I'm looking to start going down with a friend or two. Naturally, I want to start fishing the canal as well and I need advice on a rig. Right now I'm thinking the Penn SSV 6500 paired with the Okuma longitude 10'(not sure how good it is, but it's super cheap). I'm also looking at the Diawa BG 4500 and the Penn Prevail 10' or 11'. I'm looking to make at least 1 trip down a week. I'll be throwing topwaters, sluggos, kastmasters and whatever else you guys recommend. What does everyone else think? Should I pick a better rig, or is mine fine(I'm a little on edge about the rod)? Other advice is also appreciated.

 

Thanks,

John

Hey man, I'm 18 (19 in june). Fished the cape all my life. Hit the ditch hard last year with great results. Pm me when you have the rights to. I think you need 7 days and 15 posts.

[Sandbar1]

Diawa BG 5000 or 6500 loaded with 40lb braid. great reel at a great price.

Look at the 11ft Star Stellar Lite surf, 11 ft prevail (what I started with), and Tsunami Airwave elite.

[Sandbar1]

One more suggestion, check out the Ditch Trolls forum on here. A lot of great guys many of who focus on the canal.

[zak-striper]

2 hours ago, Osprey18 said:

Right now I'm thinking the Penn SSV 6500 paired with the Okuma longitude 10'(not sure how good it is, but it's super cheap). I'm also looking at the Diawa BG 4500 and the Penn Prevail 10' or 11'... I'll be throwing topwaters, sluggos, kastmasters and whatever else you guys recommend.

I started out with a 9' Ugly Stik Saltwater rod and a Penn Slammer 740. I caught plenty of fish on that basic rig. I quickly discovered the limitations of the outfit. I couldn't reach breaking fish farther out in the canal. I never tried jigging really heavy jigs with Ugly Stik.

 

The TFO 10'6", 2-6oz rod or the Mojo 10'6", 2-6oz rod are two popular rods at the canal that perform really well for most of what you'll handle down there. If you don't mind dropping  $225 for a rod, they are worth the investment.

 

The Saragosa 8000 is a great jigging reel for the canal. It has an awesome drag. It holds around 300 yards of 40lb braid. It's a fast enough reel to get your lures in quickly to avoid snagging them in the rocks or weeds. It's a bit more expensive than the reels you mentioned, about $280.  It's not the best long cast reel so I don't recommend it attempting to bomb poppers to the middle of the canal.

[Sandbar1]

1 min ago, zak-striper said:

 

The TFO 10'6", 2-6oz rod or the Mojo 10'6", 2-6oz rod are two popular rods at the canal that perform really well for most of what you'll handle down there. If you don't mind dropping  $225 for a rod, they are worth the investment.

 

The Saragosa 8000 is a great jigging reel for the canal. It has an awesome drag. It holds around 300 yards of 40lb braid. It's a fast enough reel to get your lures in quickly to avoid snagging them in the rocks or weeds. It's a bit more expensive than the reels you mentioned, about $280.  It's not the best long cast reel so I don't recommend it attempting to bomb poppers to the middle of the canal.

Yes! If in the future you decide to upgrade the TFO and Mojo are both Great rods.

The gosa makes a great canal reel. I have three, a couple of 10k's and an 8k. All get fished hard and have handled some serious fish. I can actually get some serious distance on a gosa.

[Southcoastphil]

1 hour ago, The BuzzardsBayBruin said:

This website has a search function.

 

With a little effort you can find answers to any question you may have.

 

The best advice I can give you is learn to make your own decisions, don’t look to others to make them for you. You won’t learn anything otherwise.

+1 on all three statements.  (He knows stuff.)

 

Use what you've learned in other types of fishing, for you'll be surprised at how many concepts will translate to fishing the ditch.  Yes, the gear is (most likely) much heavier than you've used in the past.  Predators still need to eat, while minimizing energy expenditures, they'll seek ambush points, etc., etc.

 

 

[Southcoastphil]

Search for reels or similar and you will find lots of good content.  For around $125 (IIRC) you can get a BG 5000 spinning reel, which gets rave reviews from many of my mates (and me), as well as Alan Tani (search for his site and you will find THE most detailed reel reviews that I have ever seen), who rates it #1 for reels under $150.

 

TFO rods (at least the ones I've owned) tend to be very fast action, so they are (IMO) not ideal for plugging.  Star Paraflex rods are in the $245 or so range for a 10' 6" rated 2-6 oz, which will provide the backbone you need for turning fish in the ditch currents. 

 

Airwave Elite (not the regular Airwaves) are less $$ yet are highly rated.  I've used my 10'XH rated 3-6 oz for three years of heavy jigging on the ditch with not a single issue.  I use it only for jigging, because its too stiff for plugging.

 

I think that they make an 11', but its a M rod, which is too light for ditch fishing.  Others who have used other versions than mine will perhaps chime in.

 

Also, see this post for canal courtesy:  

 

[Osprey18]

I'm getting a lot of good feedback here. Thanks Everyone! I'll be sure to try out that ditch troll thread.

[Matt A. Poisett]

Attend the Ditch Trolls Casting event, your invitation is HERE!

  Lots of fun and info. 

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

Welcome to the site! 

See if you can get a bike and add some rod holders. Also make sure your rod is strong enough to throw the heavy savages like in the pic. 

Just being there and watching you will learn a lot. Everyone seems to have the same few things tied on that they use. 

Go to the main forum and read newbies look here. There is some info there but not all applies to the ditch. 

Try to be respectful and not "mug" others and mind your headlamp in your neighbors eyes. 

Most of all enjoy! 

[shark lobster]

Best advice is in all the comments above you dont need to break the bank to get setup !

come down spend a day watch what other guys are doing . You can learn alot by watching but most of all do what makes you happy , i would abvise you to spend some days there fishing before you jump into fishing at night ! Enjoy 

[rst3]

Helpful tip: after fishing the canal awhile, you might find yourself casting at the bottom of one of the steeper sections of rip rap. Makes cents in these locations to avoid snagging the rocks behind you on your backcast-- as fishing rods were not designed to heave 70lb boulders into the canal.

 

The outcome is often poor. Esp if you're fishing a tight drag and the drag doesnt slip and the rod actually tries to cast a boulder.

 

Don't ask me how I know, because I've never hooked a rock on my backcast and snapped my rod.