What would you do?

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Hoffie

New member
I need advice on how to streamline my kit. The idea is to get lighter and fish for medium size edibles on the garden route. My current rod and reel is too heavy (carry and cast). Before I start selling and buying, maybe I can re-purpose some items. All kit is in very good condition and not overworked.

This is too heavy (old toppie)
Assassin Beachmaster Medium XL 14'6" with Shimano Bullseye 9120

I also have
1) Shimano Exage Surf 100 with Penn Sargus SG6000 (for the rocks and nearby gullies, where accuracy beats distance)
2) Shimano Technium 9'10" with Spheros 4000 (lures, bucktails, spoons)

I'm thinking something in line with a 13' Assassin Bluefish for longer distance and lightweight. Is the Bullseye to heavy for this rod? What would you sell, swap or re-purpose?
 
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Stefan001

Senior Member
I would go for the bluefish and swop the bullseye out for something like a Shimano Socorro 10000 or Gosa 10000.
 
B

Blikkiesvis

Sealiner
Hi Hoffie

The Bluefish is a good option but I would rather go for the Assasin Beachmaster Zero Lite. It has a cast rating up to 5oz and is very light in hand. Costs R1000 more though... Also in the R3K price range is the Makaira Blue which is a beaut of a rod!

I disagree with Stefan on the Gosa 10K. That's a heavy reel as well and will be out of balance on a light stick. You should rather look at the Gosa 6000 or even the Spheros 6000. You can also look at a Shimano Sustain 10000 or even a Daiwa BG 5000 or Saltist 5000.

If it was me I would sell the XL, Bullseye, Exage 100 and the Penn (maybe you should give the Penn away... :) and get 2 new setups. One lite (3-5oz) and one medium (4-6oz) both of which will still be ligther setups than you currently have.

It could look something like this:

Lite setup - Bluefish/Beachmaster 13ft paired with a Gosa6000 - Budget +-R6500 if new

Medium setup - Makaira Blue 14'6ft 4-6oz (its a lot lighter than the XL) paired with a Saltist5000 - Budget +-R7000 if new
 
H

Hoffie

New member
Blikkiesvis wrote:
and the Penn (maybe you should give the Penn away... :)

Lite setup - Bluefish/Beachmaster 13ft paired with a Gosa6000 - Budget +-R6500 if new
Click to expand...

Haha, many years ago the Sargus was new tech.

The lite setup is enough for what I want to do, but I don't fish enough to justify those prices. But thanks, you have given food for thought.
 
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Spool-Song

Sealiner
My light setup is an assassin amia XH 11' with a 4000 shimano grinder and 30lb braid.

This is about as long a rod as you can use, that still gives the felling of a light spinning outfit. You can fish all day without a rod bucket etc

I think 11ft is also about the min length limit for lifting and maneuvering fish over rocks etc I used to use a 9ft for this but I lost too much tackle and too many fish by not having enough length to control the retrieve between the structure.

Its a happy compromise between what is practical and what is light weight. It has enough power for some of the bigger fish, a smoothie of about 12kg came in fairly easily.

It is not however a rod to throw big grapnel sinkers in heavy currents and surge in the surf. There other tools and gym programs from that.
 
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Dr halibut hoffman

Moderator
I like a 12-13' 4-5oz rod for that..a youngster I know just getting into fishing seriously, 2nd week in on a new assassin 12' or so 4-5oz surf rod on super slim blank that is awesome to cast, casts a mile and a grandwave40 he picked up secondhand..Casting that reel confidently already and he hasn't even magged it yet, was casting confidently after one sort of lesson, ready for whatever he may hook with some 0.50mm mainline and entire rig is light as a feather.. Cost him just over 2k for rod and reel.. ;)
 
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Stefan001

Senior Member
Tackle-holic wrote:
Stefan001 wrote:
I would go for the bluefish and swop the bullseye out for something like a Shimano Socorro 10000 or Gosa 10000.
Click to expand...
Why swll the Bullseye to buy a Socorro?
Click to expand...
Was just thinking that to get to the further sandbanks on wildernes and goukamma beaches. But with the long cast spool of the bullseye you would be able to do that aswell.
Its nice that everyone has different opinions.

Blikkies, nee, ons los asseblief diawa koffiemalers in die kas;);)
 
T

Tackle-holic

Sealiner
Absolutely true that we need to have different opinions.
Bullseye will out cast the other reels by a long-shot.
Funny you mention leaving the grinders in the cupboard - there are lots of folks moving back to multipliers.
Not suggesting it is a pendulum swing back, but it's a matter of the right tool for the job.
I still like them.
 
D

DJP

Sealiner
Keep the bullseye, you will just downgrade and loose money. Imo it's in any case the perfect medium edibles reel.

Just get a light weight rod, I wouldn't go shorter than 13ft, don't think you will save that much weight going much shorter.

You have the light stuff to keep you busy close to the shore so get something that you can cast a 5-6oz to the deeper banks.

Once your top shot braid is done, presuming it's 50lb, you can drop to 30-40lb for a bit more distance, depending on how the bricks are where you fish.
 
H

Hoffie

New member
DJP wrote:
Keep the bullseye, you will just downgrade and loose money. Imo it's in any case the perfect medium edibles reel.

Just get a light weight rod, I wouldn't go shorter than 13ft, don't think you will save that much weight going much shorter.

You have the light stuff to keep you busy close to the shore so get something that you can cast a 5-6oz to the deeper banks.

Once your top shot braid is done, presuming it's 50lb, you can drop to 30-40lb for a bit more distance, depending on how the bricks are where you fish.
Click to expand...

Thanks, a lot of good info here. DJP, this is a practical solution that I can work with for now. I don't need the best kit and if anything fails, I can always go with Blikkiesvis' big dollar solution ;). I'm not a good angler either, but I really enjoy it.

Yip, 50lb braid. There are very expensive light weight rods (Zero, Anaconda) and more affordable. I like value for money, even if it is on the expensive side (if you know what I mean). What should I look at?
 
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HuntaGrunt

New member
Hi Hoffie,

As far as i know the bulls eyes is a class reel, among the best shimanos, ultegra spool and the guts of a stella or something along the lines, whereas a soccoro is a poor reel especially at its price point.I have serviced them and Substantially cheaper shimanos such as Nasci are in fact superior. I would agree to hang on to the bull eye, and get a 13ft such as the assassin beachmaster light. i can vouch for the rod being a terrific medium to bigger edds rod, casts like a dream and backbone for the bigger boys. Beautiful stick, but at a bit of a price point. But you will not be disappointed and the bulls eye should be a good fit. I use a gosa 10 k on mine and believe the bulls eye is substancially lighter, so it should make for a spectacular setup.
Hope this helps.
 
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Blikkiesvis

Sealiner
Morning all!

@huntagrunt. Back in the day I used to win the hunt-a-grunt competition hands down every time... we called it gryp-n-grommie!

Would the Bullseye balance well on the Beachmaster Light? I feel as if it could be a bit too big... No doubt that its a awesome reel, I just thought that if Hoffie want to go lighter it should be a better option to sell.

On that point... Hoffie if you want to sell... I would like to be first in line please ::tclaph
 
D

DJP

Sealiner
The bullseye 9120 weighs 540g without braid and the Saragossa 6000SW 595g, the bullseye is built quite lite, more so than the Saragossa as example

With regards to the rod I haven't bought a new rock and surf rod in ages but have always found the Assassins to be really good quality. Take the bullseye to your nearest tackle dealer, see what they have, put the reel on the rod and feel if you are happy with it, even put the leader through the guides and feel how the rod bends and grips with some weight at the end. You basically looking for a rod with a bit of bend in the tip to keep the hooks from tearing out and something that can cast that 5-6oz range. Most of the rods in that range will have a fair bit of backbone, more than enough to pull any Garden Route edible.
 
Z

_zaahid

Member
look into the assassin Sabre 14ft, it casts a 5oz sinker abd bait a mile, it's the perfect rod for edible fishing.

what you can look at doing to your exage 100 is having the handle made slimmer, i done that on my 110h when i converted it to a grinder rod, and is now the perfect rod for spinning
 
H

Hoffie

New member
Thank you for all the advice. I think the Beachmaster Zero Lite looks like the answer (too many recommendations to ignore). I will pair it with the Bullseye and feel the balance. If it doesn't work out, I'll flog it (Blikkiesvis) and get a 6000/6500 reel.

The Assassin Beachmaster Medium XL 14'6" is for sale, everything else I'll keep for now (even the Penn Sargus):)

Thanks again
 
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HuntaGrunt

New member
Lol, i like that one blikkies, gryp-n-grommie.
Some of my favourite fish them grunts.
I have only felt the bulls eye in hand once but from what i could tell it paired with a beachmaster light would make one incredible eds setup. meeting all requirmnets of Mr hoffie. pretty all round setup. being able to scratch for the bigger small reef fish and capability of handling a buss kob, steenie or a tank sweaty. will be a setup many would envy
 
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Cracker1234321

New member
Assassin solar cost almost the same as the beach master zero and has fuji k guides. Equinox has generic k guides is R1000 cheaper than beach master zero. Beach master zero has fuji o guides.
 
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