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Ok, ok, too hesitant to go into a Rod/Tackle shop to ask questions, dont trust department stores to answer questions so I am coming here.
I havent fished in nearly 25 years. I am now at the point in my life where I want to take both my sons 10 and 8 out on the boat to fish. I will be fishing in the northeast in LI sound and Narragansett Bay.
1. What types of Rods/Reels should I use?
2. Live bait, lures or both?
3. Tackle boxes, etc....
4. In other words, what do I need to get started right?
wheeewwww. thanks for letting me share [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Ahoy Cappy,
For fluke, weakfish, stripers, etc... I am most comfortable with Penn SS series open faced spinning reels. They are rugged, reliable, and easy to use even for young children. And properly maintained will last a lifetime. Rods are a personal preference depending on action and feel. You probably don't need to go any higher than 20 pound test line and often no more than 12 pound line. Look for outfits in this line class. Now if you are wreck fishing or rocky structure you need stiffer boat style rods to horse them fish out of their hiding places. On those outfits I like Penn Levelwind reels like a 309M. Of course there are other manufacturers who offer good equipment such as Shimano and the latest craze is in graphite lever drag systems. Personally I prefer Penn and most dyed in the wool fishermen do as well. For trolling and big game reels the 114 Senator is hard to beat for its price and can handle tuna, marlin, and big sharks. I would love to have International reels for big game but they are so expensive. Many boat catalogs such as Boater's World offer complete matched setups (rod and reel) for specific applications and their prices are good too. Give them a look!
Here in the mid atlantic we fish live bait (minnow and squid combinations) on top and bottom rigs. Get yourself some top and bottom rigs, various sinkers from 2 ounces to 8 ounces. Get an assortment of snelled hooks in assorted sizes. As far as artificials get some bucktail lures in assorted weights and colors (red and white work good in this area) and some plastic worms in Chartreuse color. The weakfish have been hitting on plastic rainbow color worms with twister tails. Something with lots of flutter. For trolling, Clarke spoons and natural cedar plugs are proven producers. Naturally the above suggestions don't cover ever species or aspect but they are a good start. Best wishes in teaching your grandchildren the respect and pleasure of salwater fishing.
Cappy welcome back to the fishin world. I fish the Elizabethan Islands, Vineyard Sound and Cape Cod Bay. The choices are numberous as well as the prices. You won't need top of the line, but don't buy bottom of the line either. What type of fish are you going for and what type of boat are you going to be fishing from? How far out from land will you be going, possably to Block island? Send me an email and I can get more specific to your answers.
I also prefer Penn as capttangles does. There are many places in your area to get the reels serviced in short time and usually for short money. Although I have friends that use Shimano and other types and they like them.
I use mostly artificials around here and at times I will use live bait when the situation warrants it. I will troll the Tube and Worm as well as Bunker Spoons, and Hairballs. For casting I use the jig with rubber Finn-S attached and poppers for the top water stuff.
A good choice of charts for the area is Capt. Seagulls charts they have more popular areas highlighted and named. Anyway there's something to get you started if you want more specific info send me and email.
Well it looks like Penn and Shimano are the top names I am hearing. What about rods? I will most likely be fishing more like Narragansett Bay around Jamestown and Newport as well as Block Island Sound, but not too far out just yet. I currently have an 18' CC boat, 2002 vintage that is very stable in the bay. I might go up next year to a 20 or 21 WA model. I wanna be able to cruise and plow through the chop when done landing the big fish!! So anyway, what about rods...
You've gotten a bunch of good advice from the guys so far, but I have to put in my .02.
Spinning Reels - Nothing beats the newer Shimano Baitrunner series - smooth drags, nice long handles for leverage, and the live bait lever on the back. I have the 6500B reels on my two 'boat rods' used by visitors on my boat. Make sure you get the B series, as the anti-reverse has been beefed up from the older A series.
Spinning Rods
My two spinning rods are designated as 'boat rods', for use by visiting anglers. They are 7' 30 lb class Offshore Anglers, purchased with the above Shimano reels as a package from Bass Pro Shops for $180.
Baitcast Reels - I use Shimano Calcutta 400 and Corsair 400 reels. The Calcuttas are excellent, the drag is smooth, controls easy to use, and it holds about 100 yds of 17 lb mono with another 200 yds of 30 lb PowerPro on top. The Corsairs have the same line capacity. I prefer the Calcuttas for bigger fish since they have the beefier reel frames, gears, etc. I believe the drags are identical between the two models.
Baitcast Rods -
The Calcuttas are mounted on 7' Bass Pro Shops rods (about $90 a piece). They are 30 lb class with a signature on them that looks like 'Pete Martin' or somesuch. I think they are the BPS 'Muskie' rods. The Corsairs are mounted on 6.5' Daiwa grahite 17 lb class rods. I forget the model, but they are very nice to use and affordable at $50 each.
Have fun shopping - It's almost as much fun as catching fish.
I realy think you cant go wrong wiht penn reels and ugly sticks. for rods they have just about every style you can want. and if you call them they will customize there rods with rollers and so forth.
THE ART OF STRATEGY
"Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively.
They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow...
they have form but are formless. They are skilled in both planning and
adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles; for they win
in advance, defeating those who have already lost."
Sun Tzu
I'll second the out door world suggestion they have been great when selecting rods and reels for myself. There is usually one guy ar the reel counter that will be very knowledgeable and will help you out.
I wouldent hesitate as well to visit a local bait and tackle shop. These are the guys that know what works and i generally find they are more than willing to answer questions. Just let them know your getting back into fishing and feel kinda clueless. After all they want you to come back and purchase bait ect on a regular basis.
I have to agree with jbmunroe. Penn reels and Ugly Stick rods are perhaps the best combo. I've been fishing the South Shore of Long Island for nearly 50 years, and those are almost the only rods and reels I buy anymore.The nice thing about Penns is that you can always get parts or have them fixed. I have a box full of old, broken or unfixable reels. Ain't no Penns in thar! I once ran over an Ugly spinning rod in my driveway - the damage? needed just one new guide. Can't get much tougher than that. Both Penn and Uglies are also fairly priced. Good luck and welcome home
Paul
Don't hesitate to visit the local tackle shops.....I live in the area and always get the latest fishing info from them.
Luckily I have my boat at one of the best Marinas and tackle shops (Kenport Marina in E. Matunick) in the area but it is a little too far south from where you are going.
If I were you I would go to Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle on Rte. 2 in North Kinstown and tell him just what you are going to fish for and he will set you up in great shape......fair prices and great fishing info not to mention some of the best live baits around.
You are going to have a ball.......many many bass and bluefish in the bay and Jamestown too.
Also there is a boat ramp near Quaker Lane and there is live menhaden (pogies) that you can snag yourself right around the area of the ramp.
How can you beat that?????
Good luck and hope you have the weather for a good trip.
When you are just getting started in an area of fishing I think it is best to go to a local shop. What you gain in information far out weighs any price differences.
When I started fly fishing, I went to the best shop in town to buy my gear. Did it cost more, probably. However, the first trip I went on with a friend, the only thing that they were hiting were the #16 Adams Parachutes that the salesman told me buy, and I was the only one that had any.
I have a 10 year old son, and I don't get out as much as I would like to. For me it is worth a little to learn from other people, even if it costs a little more. I am lucky now, there is a Bass Pro in my area(Atlanta). They have pretty good prices and have given me good advice on equipment and lures, even for a trip to Belize. Kelly
You should make up your own mind regarding the Penn vs. Shimano debate. Go to the tackle shop and ask questions. I like Shimano over Penn. I wish I didn't as I would prefer to buy American but MY track record with Penn over the last few years has not been good.
FWIW, my experience has been just the opposite of Denmark Paul and others. I've had two of my Penn spinning reels "lock up" after minimal usage AND just this past spring I broke an Ugly stick attempting to bring in a 40# wahoo after owning that rod for less than two years. I agree with an earlier post: don't buy the cheapest stuff on the rack as you will probably live to regret it.
Ok....here's your chance to help! 
