Fishing Rod and reel combos NZ

If you are starting from scratch, here are the three rod and reel combos you need for fishing from a boat in the Auckland harbour:

1. Stray lining (fishing with floating baits) and general snapper bait fishing (dropping a bait with a sinker) with 6, 8 or 10kg monofilament). Use an overhead or bait-runner style reel with 200-280m capacity that can cast a pilchard. Ideally, put this on a 7ft rod with a soft tip. Monofilament is better than braid for stray-lining because the line has a bit of stretch, so you won't spook the fish.

2. Light spinning or overhead braid set for light lure fishing, soft baiting, and wash fishing inshore and the channels when the current isn't too strong. The ideal rod is 7ft and not too stiff. That means it has a fast taper, giving it a wiggly top and, for easy hook sets, the power starts about 3/4 of the way up the rod. Use a reel with capacity of 200m of 10lb braid. That's plenty of line and a good fishable size, weight-wise.

3. Dropping set for heavier lures, inchikus, slow jigs and general bait fishing in deeper water. It's not so much about the depth for this set, it's about the wind or a fast running current (otherwise set two would fit the bill). Overhead sets are best for this type of work; slower taper rods in the 5-7ft foot range with a half wiggly top. The power comes on in the lower half. Overheads reels are better as you don't have to contend with a bail arm when you get hit on the drop. Line capacity of 200m of 15-20lb braid is ample, either a small star or lever drag. And not forgetting for the shore-based fisher: use a lighter 10'-12' spinning rod with a nice wiggly tip, and a reel of about a 5000 size. This range would get you through most conditions and handle 99% of the fish in the Auckland harbour.