Best Size Rod & Reel For Inshore Flats Fishing (For Small Trout To Big Redfish)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on December 17, 2019
What’s the best size rod and reel combo for inshore fishing?
That’s a question we get asked all the time and it’s a valid question!
You might think that if you go too small, you can’t handle big fish, but if you go too big, it’s going to be tough to cast all day, and smaller fish won’t really be fun to fight.
In this video, I’ll address all of these concerns and give you the exact setup I use for nearly all of my inshore fishing trips, including my favorite type of rod, favorite size reel, and the mainline and braid I normally use.
And since we don’t accept sponsorships from any equipment manufacturers, this is completely unbiased advice based on the equipment I actually fish with.
Enjoy!
Best Size Rod & Reel For Inshore Fishing [VIDEO]
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When I’m inshore fishing, I actually go pretty light.
Here are a few reasons why:
- I’m not fishing heavy structure, so I don’t worry about getting broken off
- I’m usually casting artificials all day, and heavier tackle makes that a lot harder to do
- The gear these days is very well-made, and you’d be surprised at how well light tackle handles big fish (I’ve caught redfish from 5 to 35 pounds with the setup below)
Here’s my typical setup:
- Rod: 7′ 6″ medium to medium-heavy rod with a fast action tip
- Spinning reel: 3000 size reel
- Mainline: 10 lb braid
- Leader: 20-30 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon
Conclusion
If you’re fishing for inshore fish on the flats, you don’t need to go super heavy (even if there are big snook or bull redfish around).
A 3000 series reel on a 7′ 6″ medium to medium-heavy rod with a fast action tip and 10 lb braid with a 20 lb leader can handle everything from a 15″ trout to a 45″ redfish.
I didn’t mention any brands in this video, but you can check out reviews of some of the rods, reels, and fishing line we’ve used below:
Have any questions about the best size rod and reel combo?
Let me know in the comments below!
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
My last comment was accidentally anonymous…
I’m currently using a G Loomis Greenwater 6’6 medium-heavy to fish soft plastics close to mangroves from my kayak. I’ve found myself standing up on the yak more recently however, particularly to get a better vantage point and extend my casting distance. I’m looking for a 7’6 med to med-heavy fast action setup that will allow me to fish greater distances on the flats and something that works well for topwater. I’ve been eyeing the G Loomis E6X inshore, the St. Croix Avid and some G-loomis progreens to name a few. Any suggestions for long casting/topwater options from a kayak? Short rod butt is a plus! Thanks.
Hey Mike!
I haven’t used the G Loomis rods, but the St. Croix Avid is a great choice with a medium power and fast action in the 7’0 to 7’6 range. If you want the butt end to be a bit shorter I would go with the 7′
I’m currently using a G Loomis Greenwater 6’6 medium-heavy to fish soft plastics close to mangroves from my kayak. I’ve found myself standing up on the yak more recently however, particularly to get a better vantage point and extend my casting distance. I’m looking for a 7’6 med to med-heavy fast action setup that will allow me to fish greater distances on the flats and something that works well for topwater. I’ve been eyeing the G Loomis E6X inshore, the St. Croix Avid and some G-loomis progreens to name a few. Any suggestions for long casting/topwater options from a kayak? Short rod butt is a plus! Thanks.
Im currently using a MH 6’6 ugly stick gx2 with a daiwa bg 3000. I’m currently learning so I’m out for whatever I can get inshore would it be beneficial for me to get a better 7’ …7’6 rod I guess I’m asking would the benefits be worth the extra money for me now .
Hey Won!
A 6’6 rod is just fine and will get the job done, but if you want to see some better distance with casting I would recommend a 7’6. However, if you are in a kayak a shorter rod will be easier to manage than a longer one.
Interesting, I read that when fishing for speckled trout and since their mouth is very delicate and tender you’d want a rod that is more on the lighter end with slower action. Then again I’ve consumed so much information during this pandemic I don’t know what to believe anymore.
Would a 7-footer with a medium power and moderate action be a good all around spinning rod(speckled trout, red, bass)? What would you recommend? I’m rocking a Osprey CE 3000 reel
Cheers,
Chris
That technically is true for all fish, but I put more emphasis on the rod’s ability to let me deliver and present a lure to the fish while also feeling for strikes and getting good hooksets (all of which favor the fast action rods with medium to medium-heavy power rods). The added benefits of those factors far outweighs the potential for some hooked fish to potentially get off.
You can catch inshore fish on just about any rod, and I agree with Luke that it is more about how the rod feels and the effectiveness of it to properly present a lure.
As far as trout go, when I know I have one on I will back off on the drag which takes pressure off of them. Same with snook as they can tear through your leader. With most fish I make sure I get a solid hookset and then back off on the drag as needed.
The rod you mentioned should be just fine for inshore.
I needed a new bait casting bass reel, so I bought the chronarch g for salt water hoping to use also for inshore. I’m set on spinning gear, but for inshore bay, wading fishing (Texas gulf) what length, action and power rod do you suggest to match this reel? Thank you in advance.
With a baitcaster I use a 7’ Medium power rod with a fast action. I prefer the shorter rod because I mainly retrieve and twitch lures with the rod tip down, so the shorter rod helps keep from smacking the water every time. Also, I have found that too stiff of a rod with a bait caster makes it tough to cast.
Hello,
I’m looking for a good reel size for my 7 foot medium heavy ugly stik. I mostly bank fish for catfish and hybrids.
Thanks
Brian
Side note, I like to use 30lb power pro braid. Not sure if I should go with a 3000, 3500, or 4000 reel (or another suggestion).
If using that heavy of a line I would go with at least a 4000.
I’m having trouble deciding between 7’6 & 7’ and medium or medium heavy in the Marathon Guardian Inshore. I have a 6’ Ugly stick Gx2 medium w/ Penn Pursuit 2500, and a Penn Fierce III 7’ combo (3000) medium-light xtra-fast. I do most of my fishing from a kayak.
I think for now I will put my Penn Fierce III 3000 reel on the Marathon and pick up another Pursuit II 3000 for the Fierce rod.
I use 7’6″ rods exclusively now… when I go down to a 7′ rod, I can immediately feel the difference in not being able to cast as efficiently. So I recommend 7’6″ to anyone who asks.
Either way, you’ll be blown away when you go from a 6″ rod to a 7’+ ft rod.
Note 1: Since you’re fishing from a kayak, I recommend getting one with a short butt so that you can easily cast it while sitting down.
Note 2: If you’re using a light braid (10 to 15 lbs), then a 2000 or a 2500 sized reel is all you need for the inshore waterways… it’ll hold plenty of line, and will have more than enough drag.
Hi Tony ,
Thank you for your message. I believe that you are one fine fisherman. You are very articulate and have the ability to keep your viewing audience locked in .. It would be a great pleasure to fish ???? with you..In my past years I was an Olympic Archery Coach , Fly Fishing and Photography..T U
Thank you for the awesome feedback Robert!
Hi TONY ,
Enjoyed your presentation..I didn’t have the opportunity to get out in 2019 due to health reasons and I lost my Golden.. but I have a 7’6” Toadfish heavy fast I believe with an Evit 2500 . Is this doable ? Thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed Robert! I’m sorry to hear that! I just lost my pup during Christmas. Was a super tough time.
That combo will definitely get the job done!
Totally agree with the 7.5′ as being a great standard inshore rod. I had never fished one prior to joining Salt Strong and now I barely put the thing down, such range! Even used mine this past summer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to catch pike and bass, with the same 10# braid + 20# flouro leader. It worked great!
You briefly mentioned going heavier around docks, but one key aspect I’ve found about fishing docks is that going shorter is better for up-close precision casting underneath, in and around the pilings. A 6′ or 6.5′ rod is a lot easier to shoot casts underneath with when up close, when you’re often casting sidearm or underhanded even to keep casts low, or when forced to go backhanded due to a partner being too close.
What do you prefer to use around docks?
Yes a shorter more stout rod is going to be more effective around docks. A shorter rod allows you to skip lures more effectively as you mentioned. A 6’6 to 7’0 medium heavy is what I would go with around docks.
Good stuff, Tony…….I use pretty much use the same outfit fishing the Nature Coast even with all its oyster bars and mangrove shorelines. Occasionally, an overslot snook or red will break me off by getting into the mangroves or taking my line for a ride over the oyster bars, but that’s pretty rare, and a small price to pay for the fun the light outfits provide.
Gary Rankel don’t you have a website and sell books?
Yeh, Robert….my website is fishingkayaks.us. It has a link to the kayak fishing book I did last year.
Yes I recently got your kayak fishing book
Hope you’re finding it helpful, Rick. Pounding keys all last year putting it together really cut into my on-water time.
What are your thoughts on braid color?
Great video brother. I found the same size setups to work best as well. I do like using medium light gear as well. I have been able to land some nice fish on medium light setups. This will help a lot of people
Thank you for the great feedback Thomas!
Luke Rocks!
So whats up with the Oregon Coast?
Why would I care about Florida?
Don’t you have a partner on the NW coast that could join your team?
Just saying….
We currently specialize in redfish, speckled seatrout, flounder, and snook throughout the southeastern states. Our online fishing club offers a lot of great group discounts on equipment/lures from many popular manufacturers, so we do have a good amount of members outside of the southeastern states who join to save money on their gear (the breakeven point is typically for those who spend at least $700 per year on lures, rods, reels, line, cast nets, etc.).
Our goal is to bring on some experts from the Pacific coast too, but that will take a while to build out.
The difference in fishing the Georgia coast and the gulf is we fish a lot of creeks with bluffs . Usually there’s trees in the water with plenty of Barnacles. We use 30-65 lb braid to keep from breaking off. Naturally 20 lb. Floracarbon leader. Caught plenty of redfish (we just call’um bass) that was even too big to keep. In the cold water the shrimp move into the holes so guess where the trout go…????????
Good stuff William! This would definitely be targeted more towards inshore flats fishing. As mentioned in the video, you’ll definitely need to have something different around heavy structure.