Can anyone suggest what might the best blank to use for King Mackerel and/or Cobia. I'll mostly be using it from the Gulf Shores, AL. pier. I'll probably use it off the beach also. I have a 6500 size spinning reel which holds 320yrds of 20lb mono. I'm not looking for the most high tech rod, but I am looking for a good fiberglass or composite type rod at a good price. I'll only use it for 5 or 6 days a year (hopefully more). J&M tackle has some King rods for the pier made up that have some large metal guides. I've noticed that a lot of pier regulars use the same type of rods too. Any help would be appreciated.

Robbie

are you using a set rod then sliding your bait down the line? if so take a look at the seeker clb 704 or another live bait blank as there are many good ones. it is a great live bait rod for kings.

Robbie,

Going to need a little more info on how you are going to target these fish. Most King Mackerel and Cobia fishing is done with a "Pin Rig" consisting of a 12' surf rod used as an anchor rod and a conventional 6'6" to 7' fighting rod. I have seen a You Tube video of people catching Kings off a pier with a single spinning rod, but do not how they were doing it-whether throwing large metal lures or live lining live bait?

Keep in mind that a King will strip off 300 yards off a reel on his first run, and can take another 100 off on his second run. For this reason alone, most King/Cobia set ups require a minimum of 500 yard line capacity and are therefore conventional type reels.

Chuck

Actually I'm not sure which way i'll be fishing for them. Both questions make me realize I need to do more thinking about technique. My issue is that I usually get to the Gulf Coast from Birmingham about 4 to 5 times a year. The people I've seen fishing for Kings off the Gulf Shores Pier are using a rod about 8' and mostly spinning reels. Some still use the old Penn 704's. They typically use Cigar Minnows for bait.

I am custom building a King Mackerel & Cobia rod right now. I am using a lamiglass CGBT 781 MH that I ordered from Mud Hole. A friend of mine who King
fish off the pier won the Rebel King tournament 3 years ago using this rod. The rod I am building for my friend is using fuji guides(sic) and will be installed
in a spiral style which he wants.

Francis, which set of Fuji guides are you using? That sounds like what I had in mind for my rod. Do you have any pictures of a completed rod like this, and what size reel is it for?

Robbie, if you are fishing GSP pier you most likely will be snobbling or throwing live ly's. IDo not ignore liight tackle behind the breaking waves, some big fish right there.
The reason its old 704's is because they remove the bailarm and use just a massive roller. When snobbling its much faster that way to allow the fish to take line until you are ready to set hook.
If you plan on doing that, you may want to use those large rings to keep things so that finger + nylon coils do not get wrapped up or it gets painful very fast with kings.
Personally i don't .
If you are down there 4 thru 8 April email me: that is my next trip down. If you want to i will have some of my rods with me and you can try them out.
Some are Seekers, MHX, some castaway, pacbacy. When/if you find one you like i will tell you what it is and where to get components etc so you can build it. Four are wrapped with Micro wave guide trains : all are spinning and run from 7.5 to 9.2 ft.
But J&M and also The Rod Box make rods for that pier that work great.

Francis is building a casting rod ... see the reference to "spiral style". I would suggest a composite blank. Seeker has a series called "Hercules" that is the cat's meow. Get in touch with Billy @ NERBS (sponsor on left list) and ask about the Inshore Lite 8.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2012 11:21AM by Jim Gamble.

Jim Gamble Wrote:
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> Francis is building a casting rod ... see the
> reference to "spiral style". I would suggest a
> composite blank. Lamiglas has a series called
> "Hercules" that is the cat's meow. Get in touch
> with Billy @ NERBS (sponsor on left list) and ask
> about the Inshore Lite 8.



I think you mean seeker. Not lamiglas.

Gabe Nakash Wrote:
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> I think you mean seeker. Not lamiglas.

Correct, post now edited to reflect it ... good catch.

The most important thing is to call Billy - he will get it right. I built one of the new Seeker Hercules for a VERY particular client and he claims it to be "the best rod he has EVER owned". This coming from a full-time guide to the elite ... sports stars, politicians, Hollywood celebs, etc. He not only can afford anything, he purchases at the very top of the food chain. I am very impressed with the design work that went into them. While I wouldn't be silly enough to call them indestructable, I would say that you have REALLY done something IF you manage to break one on a fish. They are tough and then some.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2012 11:22AM by Jim Gamble.

This weekend I had the opportunity to test a Seeker inshore at the NC NERBS get together. It was extremely impressive to say the least. I pulled up on the handle in a fighting position and the owner of the rod, Chuck Payne, pulled down on the tip. I was pretty concerned about the amount of force we were using, but he wasn't at all. I am fairly certain I could have lifted him off the ground by the tip.