New gear

[speckluvr]

Went fishing at St. Joes and my reel tore up. It was old and cheap anyway. So, I went to the reconditioned section after some advice from a friend and got a Penn Sargus 4000 and Daiwa Exceler 3000HA. I paired the Penn Sargus with a Offshore Angler Inshore Express 7' MH. The Daiwa went on a Penn Slammer 7' M. I picked up some 30 LB PowerPro braid and some 30 lb flourocarbon leader as well. I felt like I wanted to save some money. Are these good setups?

[silverking]

Sounds like overkill unless you're targeting sailfish.

PowerPro typically over tests on the stated rating. For my charter clients on trout/redfish trips, I use Shimano Teramar Medium 7'6" rods rated for 8-17 pound line, matched with Stradic 3000 reels. The spools are loaded with 10-pound PowerPro, which probably tests at 12-13 pounds. With 200 yards of line, these outfits will handle big fish without sacrificing the sport. They're also light enough that you're not wore out after a full day of casting.

I normally use 20-pound Ande fluorocarbon leader with these rigs.

Sounds like you got some good deals on the combos you bought. Save those for bigger game (like bull reds, cobia or light trolling) and pick up something lighter when you can. You'll probably be happier in the long run.

[What a mess]

I keep getting lighter I bought three Wally Marshal crappy rods and reels at Bass Pro in the reconditioned section and loaded them with power pro. It is hard not to love a 22 inch Trout or Red on a top water or jig on them man its fun. I have to tell you it takes a minute with a fish any larger a 27" Red it is war. They are really nice and I have $40.00 in each rig. They may not last forever but I have enjoyed the lighter gear so much it isn't funny.

[speckluvr]

Thanks folks. I just went with what a few guys around here recommended. Probably overkill.... I do have the Shimano Stradic and Teramar combo on my list, but i thought it was a little pricey for me at the moment. Which Stradic model? There are three I've seen. There is a ST3000FJ, a STCI43000F, and a ST3000FI. Which is the right one? I've actually fished with a ST3000FJ recently.

[SHOWBOAT]

all depends on what you're doing with them. Like SK, my red/trout combos are little lighter than what you have, mostly 3000 series reels and 10-15# PP.

However, if I have guest on board and am chunking bait in St. Joe, then I'll use set-ups more like yours. Tarpon, sharks and big jacks can peel a lot of line.

Quality of the brands and models you mention should last somebody who fishes a couple times per month for several years. Go get some fish mojo on them

[silverking]

For my charters I'm using the ST3000FI series (gold/silver). The FJ (white) is the replacement for model year 2011.

The CI4 are the carbon version (black/red). Very light and more pricey (about $50 extra) than the regular Stradics. Haven't fished those, but there are several on here who own them and have positive reports.

When the SIs were being phased out, many tackle shops/catalogs offered them on sale (some as low as $130). You can still find them occasionally on eBay or check with the local shops for any remaining inventory.

As Showboat mentioned, if you do hook up with a really big fish you may get spooled with the LT rigs unless you give chase with the boat. But if you take your time and finesse the fish, you can whip big ones on the light stuff. I've boated tarpon up to 35 pounds on 8-pound test and reds up to 14 pounds on 4-pound. I've also busted off a bunch, too.

It never fails...the biggest fish will always find the lightest rod on board. But that's part of the fun.

[speckluvr]

I plan on using the Penn Sargus and the 30# PP for reds and the Daiwa with 12 lb mono and a 30 lb flouro leader for trout and tripletail. I hooked up with some big jacks and sharks at Steinhatchee and they have spooled me several times.

[fishinfool]

The FJ is a good reel. I am hoping it will be the great reel that Shimano is touting. The addition of the "X Ship" feature should add a lot of strength and rigidity to the frame. I have had some of the FI reels get tweaked after some extremely rugged use, and they never seem to be the same regardless of how many parts I change.
The Ci4 is working well for me. It will be my 3rd season with my 2500 and so far no parts have needed to be replaced. I will be trying out some upgrade bearings in it just to see how they hold up.
The FJ or Ci4 in the 2500 or 3000 size should be adequate for most anything we encounter on the flats, unless of course you chance upon the odd 100lb + Tarpon.