Abu 6501 Sea Fishing?

[Mully]

I have an old abu 6501 sitting about off my jerkbait set up will this be suitable to use for sea fishing if the line lay is removed as I have just moved into my first home right near the sea and fancey some flatty bashing during the summer months on the low tides. I wont be using a beachcaster as such but an old abu bass/estuary rod rated up to about 140G

[alan behenna]

Should be absolutely fine for that Bass/Estuary rod.

Good Luck!

[Mully]

Just had a look Alan its a vintage 11ft Abu 5 Star I think the rod is older than me as it was my Grandfathers. Ive had all the eyes replaced with Multiplier Fujis. Looking forward to using it already

[Kev Berry]

Leave the level wind on, not make much difference

[Mully]

Will the shock leader knot not catch tho Kev? Never used a multi for sea fishing before and my next quiestion is do I leave the 100LB spiderwire 4 strand braid on or change to mono

[Bob Watson]

Loads of options, change to mono and use a tapered shock leader would be my first choice and leave the level wind on. If you end up liking it, buy a dedicated multi or do proper conversion on the abu.

[Duncan Holmes]

You will often find the flatties right in the surf line, surprisingly close and in surprisingly rough weather, so I wouldn't be worried too much about distance unless you know you are trying to hit a gulley or some other feature. My wife used to catch far more flatfish than I did, mainly because she couldn't cast any further.

With that in mind, I would leave the level wind on and fish braid straight through, to a thick nylon leader which will protect the line around the lead from sand, rocks, etc. If its snaggy use a weaker link at the lead end and 15lb fluro hooklinks, should mean you get the bulk of your gear back.

Flatties will impale themselves on ridiculously big hooks, but you will catch more if you fish finer gear, I used to use a size 2 or 4 Aberdeen, something like the Kamasan B940, you just have to take your time if a decent school bass picks up the bait.

[Alex Fox]

As said above , leave the level wind on and don't worry about the shock leader knot going through it , its fine

Maybe better to use a slightly smaller size braid , but probably wont matter

[piker al]

I’ve used my 6501 fishing off the rocks for pollack and wrasse,great reels just give them a wash after use to keep salt of them

[Andrew]

Are these reels not actually for sea fishing origonally and just adopted by us pikers

[Mike J]

Nothing to do with fancy tackle, just use stinky bait, a bit of feed and nail it down close in.
Flatties = flounder = slow and daft.
On the local free stretch just above the salt a basic quiver tip rod, a mini feeder and couple of red maggots on a 16 and you can get the family dinner on a big tide, you do need a decent landing net though.
If your not fishing a beach go with your Chub gear, just remember to wash it properly when you get home (certainly not the next day!)

Flounder travel is shoals/bunches (waves we call 'em) when you get one it is important to get a bait back pronto, do this by loop2loop attaching your ready baited hook snoods and cutting the loop of the bucketed fish.

Beware, Tope also like Flounders, so do Seals!

[Duncan Holmes]

Nothing to do with fancy tackle, just use stinky bait, a bit of feed and nail it down close in.
Flatties = flounder = slow and daft.
On the local free stretch just above the salt a basic quiver tip rod, a mini feeder and couple of red maggots on a 16 and you can get the family dinner on a big tide, you do need a decent landing net though.
If your not fishing a beach go with your Chub gear, just remember to wash it properly when you get home (certainly not the next day!)

Flounder travel is shoals/bunches (waves we call 'em) when you get one it is important to get a bait back pronto, do this by loop2loop attaching your ready baited hook snoods and cutting the loop of the bucketed fish.

Beware, Tope also like Flounders, so do Seals!

Read plenty about stinky bait for flatties, BTH I never found it was any different from using a fresh bait, so soon ditched it for something more pleasant.

Tiger/king prawns where my top bait on the N Norfolk coast for flatties.

[Mike J]

Nothing to do with fancy tackle, just use stinky bait, a bit of feed and nail it down close in.
Flatties = flounder = slow and daft.
On the local free stretch just above the salt a basic quiver tip rod, a mini feeder and couple of red maggots on a 16 and you can get the family dinner on a big tide, you do need a decent landing net though.
If your not fishing a beach go with your Chub gear, just remember to wash it properly when you get home (certainly not the next day!)

Flounder travel is shoals/bunches (waves we call 'em) when you get one it is important to get a bait back pronto, do this by loop2loop attaching your ready baited hook snoods and cutting the loop of the bucketed fish.

Beware, Tope also like Flounders, so do Seals!

Read plenty about stinky bait for flatties, BTH I never found it was any different from using a fresh bait, so soon ditched it for something more pleasant.

Tiger/king prawns where my top bait on the N Norfolk coast for flatties.

Your flatties are cultured blighters from lovely clean water, mine are grotty urchins that have swum past an oil refinery (and why I never eat 'em)

[under the radar]

Yes it will be abso;utly fine, level wind is easily removed if required.

[piker60]

Leave the level wind on, not make much difference