[skatemaster]

About 20-25 years ago, there was a series of articles in A Magazine, about putting together a setup that included a Newell 344 and a Lamiglas graphite rod, which was much lighter than the outfit of the day. How much lighter could you go with today's tech?

 

[Leprechaun]

First off, if your meaning of "Light" is the actual weight of the outfit, I doubt you could get a lighter-weight reel in its size than a Newell 344.

There have been other reels developed over the years that have become codfishing favorites, but if light weight is your prime determinant, as it is mine, then ANY Newell will be lighter than any other reel of the same line capacity within a given type or size of reels.

There are many graphite and composite blanks that make up into lightweight rods - give some examples of the intended application of your prospective outfit.

Example - small boat fishing off Block Island, Wreck fishing off the South Shore of LI, Viking "Valley of the Giants" trips to the Nantucket area, or maybe Gulf of Maine jig fishing. There is some overlap for types of rods between these various types of Codfishing - but there are specific "Best Tool" type recommendations that could be made for every locale and fishing style as well.

rgds, Leprechaun

 

[sam843]

If I was on a private boat or a charter with just 1 or 2 guys who new what they were doing and the sea conditions were right and we out just out to have fun not to put meat in the boat
I use a GBT841M that I extended to
8ft with a Trinidad 14 spooled with 50lb spiderwire casting a single 8oz
jig

 

[Codkiller]

Since my arms aren't getting any younger a few years ago I tried to put together the lightest cod outfit I could that would effectively fish a 10 or 12 oz jig. This is what I came up with. Its a 10 foot graphite lami blank cut down to 7 foot 10 inches and Pro Gear 545 with a custom Kevlar filled nylon frame with a fully bearing supported bridge handle assembly. The combo with line weighs 2 lbs 4 oz and will fire 100 yard underhand cast effortlessly with a 10 oz jig. The Newell might be lighter, I'm not sure, but the PG has 4/0 drags and gears.

Bob

 

[Codfisha15]

i was waiting for your post on this thread, bob. That combo definitely is the lightest cod outfit i have ever held. I wonder how much my fully fiberglass rod and gr3500 weigh together. Also, when you fish on charter boats (ie scout), do you bring shorter rods (7ft), or use the standard eight foot stcks? I'm going on a charter next weekend, and normally would use my eight fotter, but the boat is only three foot or so from the water, and i might kill my back (i sound like an old man now). I've got a seven foot penn slammer which might lessen the hurt, but are yu normally ok with an eight footer?
Thanks,

 

[Codfisha15]

i was waiting for your post on this thread, bob. That combo definitely is the lightest cod outfit i have ever held. I wonder how much my fully fiberglass rod and gr3500 weigh together. Also, when you fish on charter boats (ie scout), do you bring shorter rods (7ft), or use the standard eight foot stcks? I'm going on a charter next weekend, and normally would use my eight fotter, but the boat is only three foot or so from the water, and i might kill my back (i sound like an old man now). I've got a seven foot penn slammer which might lessen the hurt, but are yu normally ok with an eight footer?
Thanks,

 

[Codkiller]

Willy
Your rod and reel is probably close to 4 lbs depending on the rod, I believe your reel is about 22 oz with out the line. The green machine is 16 oz with line. I would bring the 8 foot rod and develope a side arm cast on the smaller boats, thats how we do it on the Scout and the Petrel. By the way Fred K and I are looking forward to getting you aboard the Petrel this winter.

Bob

 

[skatemaster]

16oz for a cod reel loaded with line! I don't think that Newell can beat that. Sounds like a Trinidad 14 loaded with 30# braid is probably the closest off the shelf reel, if for no other reason than I have one. Now for a light factory rod...... Anyone know how much a Loomis SWR102-40C weighs? It's a discontinued rod that was used on the Helen-H and now Rogue Rods makes a copy.

 

[619627]

With spectra line, you can get away with a NEWELL 332 3.6, and a Shakespeare GBU Blank. Light weight is nice, no doubt, but wouldn't you want something thats indestructible, like this outfit? And i wonder what am i going to do with my Seeker Rod Cod 775 rod, and Pro Gear YTS? You can lift cars off the bottom with this outfit.

Nice pics Codkiller.

EC NEWELL MAN*

 

[Codfisha15]

hey guys,
sorry for the double post. I pressed post, then decided i wanted to get emailed if there was a new post, checked that, then pressed post again. Oops. 4 lbs sounds pretty heavy... O well, it builds the squash muscles. Hopefully next summer I'll earn enough money to get another custom rod, probably an all graphite stick. I want to go on the petrel, we just need to find some good weather.
See ya

 

[skatemaster]

something thats indestructible

Was thinking of an additional outfit that could be used on the occasional less crowded partyboat trips, during moderate weather and moderate tides, not in extreme situations. Cod limits today inspire creative options.

As a similar example, I have a few heavy tuna outfits. What did I use the last time I was on a partyboat for tuna jigging? Trinidad 14 and a 7' Loomis....

 

[Goliath]

Light is nice no doubt. My arms are still on the south side of 40 years old so I haven't gone to such extremes yet as has Codkiller. Maybe I've misunderstood this thread, but I thought the gentleman meant something else by "light". My meaning of "light" is in light in action, rather than weight. Although I always start out with the big guns (my Lami graphite stick or the Shakespeare GBU -maybe my favorite of them all) I always bring alone a light action rod for when the little guys are the fare for the day. Depending on my mood I bring along the Ugly Stick 1140 or a Seeker BA 30 as the light rod. The novice fisherman would be suprised to find out just how effective these little rods can be for big fish when Mr. Big decides to jump on your jig. I have a blue water friend who routinely whips up on school tuna with the Ugly Stick mentioned above. Match the hatch as they say. Bring along a lighter action rod just in case the captain can't find the big boys. Not everyone feels this way. My best cod fishing buddy fishes with a Seeker Rock Cod rod and a Daiwa 400 H no matter what. If you've ever had the dis-pleasure of holding the Rock Cod rod you would get my point. It takes a **** of a man to jig all day with that rig. Not my cup of tea.

Frank

 

[Leprechaun]

If its Light ACTION . . .

Then for an off-the-shelf combo, a Newell 332 on a Shimano CL730MJA is tough to beat.

rgds, Leprechaun

 

[skatemaster]

meant something else by

Either or. Light to hold all day or for more sport. Am interested in thoughts on both. I think that a 400H with line would come in close to 40oz. Which makes Codkiller's setup very impressive.

Codkiller, got any more of those one of a kind frames? I have a blue 545 that has been in the bottom of my closet for 5 years. And a spare set of 3.25 gears.

 

[Codkiller]

Skate
You should use that Pro gear, did you get the blue at fishermans landing?

There are two of those green reels , I have one and Tim Tower has the other one. The kevlar filled nylon is very expensive and oil will migrate right thru it which is why it has to be painted. I am in the process of making three more, one for EC, my son and myself out of a slightly different material, nylatron GS which won't require paint and is less expensive.
I picked up a very cheap rod this fall which I haven't tried yet but could be a very good light tackle cod rod. Its a Diawa Sealine-X boat rod and it is very light, graphite and appears to have enough backbone to fish a six ounce jig easily in shallower water, say up to 150 feet with braid and a small calcutta or even a Abu-6500. Save that one for a private boat.

Bob

 

[skatemaster]

The 545 came from Captain Mike's when they were the only internet tackle shop, 5 years ago. Also have a purple 251 and a couple red 251's and 541's. I used the 545 on an Excel trip and then left it in the closet for no particular reason.

 

[619627]

Goliath...that Seeker Rock Cod stick is just one of the sticks i would bring on a deep water trip. Even in the shape i am in, that stick would exhaust you after a few hours, and i have a newell slapped on it....Boy a 400h Sealine on that stick, wooooow, you better be in great shape, with a strong back, shoulders and arms to work this stick!

I should clarify, that the 332 is good for the shallower water codfishing...i would step up to a 338 if i was fishing north of the Cape, since you are fishing deeper water, and the 338 holds more line, without more weight when compared to the 332. When their was only mono line around, the smallest reel you would ever bring would be a 338 newell/ Daiwa 50H which you would put 40 or 40 mono on it, when you wanted a light jigging pollock/cod reel. Nowadays, i have heard of fishermen using 235 newells on the inshore cod fishing trips! This of course, is due to the use of spectra lines on these reels...and incredibly, this reel does the job!

EC NEWELL MAN*

 

[skatemaster]

I think that the smallest that I have gone on cod is a Calcutta 400S with spectra. Was OK on market size fish. Handle sucks for cranking heavier weights though.

Here's a pic of the 400H, Pro Gear 545 and Trinidad 14 for comparison. The 545 and the 14 have about the same width spool.

 

[Codkiller]

Skate
Nice set up, there are alot of guys up here using the Diawas, not many using Trinidads. I love that blue Pro gear, here is another off color PG you won't see to often.

Bob

 

[MIKE TUNA]

Goliath I've jigged Cod with the Seeker BA 30 . I had a blast with it also .

MIK TUNA