Surf Fishing Question

Last time I was down I needed to grab a new rod and reel combo... stopped at Bill's and they had a few choices with line already spooled up that were decent quality for $85.00..they arent' anything special but will get the job done of getting the bait out so it is possible to enjoy a few "man sodas"

Bills is a great place for bait and info. If you are in the market for a rod and reel check out tackledirect.com. They have good customer service and good prices. You compare anything on tackle direct and compare to Bills you will see the major price difference for the same stuff.

I recommend something in the 9-10 ft rage if you plan on only surf fishing. Get a reel that is good quality. You don't want to skimp on that. You can get a decent shimano reel for about 100-200. I like having the "bait runner" option on the reel. It has a secondary drag system that you can set so the fish will take the bait and not feel the pole. Its nice to have but only if you plan on paying attention to your rod.

But if you want to just set it and forget it just get a decent penn and a 10 ft pole and you would be good to go.

Walmart is your friend
When you get your Surf Tag they will give you a booklet and paperwork with all the rules, laws etc.
Make sure you have a piece of wood, strap, shovel and bait.

If you have a Dicks sporting goods they usually have a good selection of surf rods and reels too. Like Frankinjeep said, you can't beat the shimano bait runner, i've been using the 6500 and 3500 models for years and they have been flawless. Penn is a great bet too, I have an old 714, 9500 and 8500 which are all 15 years old plus...... Tried an Okuma baitrunner when fishing assateague, got splashed once and literall seized up.....sometimes cheaper is definitely better......depending on what you are fishing for nice med. action 9 footer is a good rod choice. i have a 9,10 1/2 ,12 and 13 foot rod, i use the different sizes depending on what's running, the 13 has proven to be quite the shark rod. tight lines!