Crowder Rods...opinions anyone?

[WoodyHuband]

I would recommend that you buy the rod that suits the type of fishing that you will do most of the time. You'll have a rod that works for most of your fishing, rather than a compromise every time you go fishing. Better to be happy some of the time than dissatisfied all of the time :-)

[morocco_madness]

There's a HUGE misconception that we all need to fish the surf with these utterly over the top long rods. The reality, You don't. I've never owned a true surf rod. All I've ever used was 7 foot, Star Rod, Stellar Lites paired with 2000-3000 series spinning reels spooled with 10-15 pound Spider, Ultracast braid. This set up is far more sensitive and detecting the subtle bites in rough water is much easier. The best part, these rigs are universal and make good boat rods. They are a perfect all around rod for mostly everything. If you want to play it safe, and get a reel that will last fishing in the surf and don't mind a heavier reel, go with a Penn Spinfisher V. They are sealed and will put up with the abuse of surf fishing. They also average $130 bucks which is affordable for a well built reel that will last. I prefer Shimano these days only because I require light reels for casting lures but the Spinfisher really is a work hourse.

The reason Loomis, Crowder and St. Croix will get recommended is because they're simply the best rod makers. They're high end and come with high end price tags. You take a back seat to them with brands like Star and Red Bone, but these are great rods too. The only major difference in them is the cork grade on the foregrip/butt and the quality of rod guides. The rods guides can potentially be the most expensive part of a rod. Star and Red Bone use quality blanks and intermediate guides. They do last. I still have a few from high school that are still functional today. Make sure you rinse them down with fresh water after every use and they'll last you a long time.

These were all caught on 7 foot Star Rods. If only there was such a thing as a camera phone growing up.... I would have some incredible memories to share. Anyways, fishing the surf isn't always about range but more about fishing sloughs and troughs. Most of which are right in front of you no more than 50 feet from the sand. The best thing you can do is learn to read the beach. There are a lot of beaches areas that are known for there close up sloughs. My advice, fish the Guanna beach accesses and Hanna Park. You can wipe the floor with fish in those areas.