Two Handed Surf Rods

[Harps]

I'm looking for a little input/advise.

I was looking at the Beulah 2 handed surf rods and they have me intrigued.
I am headed to Mexico for a wedding, only 5 days (+2 travel) and most of it will be tied up with family.
There is a chance I can cast on some of the beaches.
Would a 8/9 version of the rod be suitable?
Eitherway, I need a new travel rod (4 pc) that I can use for pike from shore, possible westcoast steelhead, and where ever else it may come in handy?

Does anybody have experience with the rod or type of fishing for pike, migratory salmonids, and from beaches?

(my TH skills are way worse than my SH casting- but I'm slowly developing those bad habits too!!)

Thanks!

[Harps]

Or I could just pick up a 9' 9wt...
Good for pike and salt.

[petevicar]

Hey Harps

Where are you going?

Are the beaches steep and with big waves are they flat and shallow where you can wade out a fair way?

The type of beach really dictates the type of fishing that is possible.

Also will you be in a largely populated area?

Pete

[Harps]

There's the rub...
That's one of the reasons I was hoping to use the rod as a multi-purpose tool. Fishing from shore for pike in weeds, steelhead, etc.

I'm not certain what the beaches are like, nor how easy it will be to slip away...
My brothers choice for the resort is here: (N 20.499141° W 87.230914°) in May.
From Google Earth, it looks like there is a good mix of beach types.
Most of the info online is catering to Offshore beer drinking cruise type angling.

[petevicar]

Hi Harps
I would suspect that fishing around the hotel would be a bit of a waste of time but you do have Bocapaia and Ascension Bay about an hour drive south of you. There you can catch bonefish, permit and tarpon on the flats.

Pete

[skeg]

two handed surf rods are great in situations, when you have to bang out flies in the wind, and achieve great distances without too much strain. Not really good when you don't have enough space around, and have to make precise casts. For the surf, and covering big water when wading, those rods keep you in the game even when others pull out the spinning gear. (depends on line weight, too)
I have the TnT 1212, which is a great surf tool, and probably a nice scandi rod in the 9wt range, but wouldn't use it for pike, because it's just too cumbersome.
All "surf" rods are great tools in the 11-12" lenght for DHOH casting with shooting heads.
CND, Echo, Loomis, Beulah...

A singlehander is more versatile tool, but in some special situations, as casting in the surf the DH has it's advantages IMHO.

[mattklara]

For Mexico beaches my vote is the 9' 9wt (10 if you know the big roos and jacks are around) and a Rio Outbound Short Intermediate - the one with the floating shooting line.

[Harps]

Thanks guys,

Looks like I will forego the unique and look at some single hand 9wts as a better all-purpose tool.

I'm also trying to talk my kin into taking a trip down towards Ascension Bay... maybe I can convince them that the tequila is sweeter the farther south you go.

Thanks again!

[Morsie]

The other issue with 2 handers in the surf is handling all that running line. Its fine to make 150 foot casts but then you retrieve 90 feet of it and have to manage that line. Its a friggin nightmare. Easy when its just swinging flies across the current, a few strips , some neat coils and boom again. But try that in the surf - disaster..... They are good in the surf for holding the line out of the shore dump but you need to limit the distance you cast them so you don't end up with all that line to manage.

I have used them off rock ledges but carry a net that I stretch out over the rocks and this gives me a tangle free surface to strip the line onto.

Morsie

[Harps]

I hadn't considered line management.
It would be tough fishing for pike too, with all the cattails and wind...