Reel advice

I'm really taken with the ABU multipliers I've been using for lure fishing and I'm thinking of getting a couple for sea fishing with.

Should I go for ones with level-wind or not..? I've heard horror stories about the leader knot catching but ddon't really fancy fishing without l/w.

if yur confident, try em no diff from using for lures and with practise youll get the distance, theres a lot of thin diameter lines now, so dont worry about the knot, ive never had hassle unless it gets covered in weed or just use a heavier line, if you use the abu they do conversion cages that way you can take out the level wind or put it back in lter with ruinin yur reels, expensive but worth it.
hope it helps

Just got one without level wind and a cheap old rod. Bit scary casting - 6oz of lead on the end of a 12' rod feels a lot different to lobbing jerkbaits around.

I think I might get some casting lessons. I've always been rubbish at it. I've been reading the amazing John Holden series in Sea Angler mag, but he started going ompletely over my head a couple of issues back.

Roll on piking. I'm not sure I'm going to get the hang of this.

Blimey..! Went down the beach for a couple of hours tonight and the lead was sailing out, but I've got a friction burn on the end of my thumb and my arms feel like they're falling off.

Thought I'd better clean the reel up and oil it afterwards and found I'd been fishing without any brake blocks. Didn't get one tangle though.

You can stick with the level-wind Chris, but it will dramatically reduce your casting distance.

If you really want to give shore fishing a good go, contact Sea Angler magazine for a casting instructor, they are worth it believe me.

When I was keen on shore fishing, the reels to use were the ABU 6500 series or Daiwa Millionaire 7HT.

I believe that Penn are doing some reels now but don't know anything about them.

Neil Mackellow (ex surfcasting champ) used to have a website about tuning multipliers for beach fishing, might be worth looking for?

Dave Docwra in Great Yarmouth would be a good source of info for your area and should also be able to give you some sound advice on tackle, trace making etc.

I'm going to book some lessons Rich - I'm the world's-worst caster as it is.

When I was out with Chris H the other week piking, I thought the bait felt a bit heavy but tried to cast anyway.

My landing net sailed over our heads, with the bait hanging from it and landed 10yds out in the river.