So many people are flocking to the sport of surf fishing these days.
And many have fishing gear they own already and want to know if it will work for surf fishing.
With freshwater fishing, the gear is usually lighter and smaller. But will it work well in saltwater beach fishing conditions?
This article looks specifically at whether a 2500 reel is good for surf fishing.
A 2500 reel is good fr surf fishing if you are targeting fish that are closer in to shore. The best place to target fish like whiting, flounder, and smaller bass with a 2500 reel is in troughs and shore breaks that are easy to target. MAtch a 2500 reel with a 6-7ft medium rod.
You might be after a general-purpose surf reel though. And something like a 4000 or 6000 reel might work better for this.
Here is an article that’ll help you pick the right surf reel with the best features for you.
Can you surf fish with a 2500 reel? Is it too small?
The 2500 reel size is very small compared to the chunkier 5-8000+ sized reels that are used for surf fishing.
Typically surf fishing gear is much larger and heavier-duty and heavier-wearing than the freshwater light gear that might be used for trout or crappie or bass.
Many surf anglers wouldn’t choose a 2500 reel size for their beach set-up for a few reasons:
- The spool itself may be too small to hold the length and strength of line that is needed to cast far enough out past the surf and target larger species.
- The drag of a 2500 reel may be too weak to handle the speed and strength of some saltwater species, leading to the rod, reel, or line breakage.
- Typically surf rods are longer, and if not matched correctly, a 2500 reel may feel imbalance to the rod, affecting casting and handling.
That said, there are some applications where it might make sense to choose a 2500 reel for a surf fishing rod if you’ve matched the reel properly to an appropriate rod.
Which for a 2500 reel means something around the 6-7ft length, medium power, and fast action tip.
Let’s have a look at when a 2500 reel might be good for surf fishing.
Catching fish in shore breaks.
This is a fun way to use a lighter rod and reel like a 2500 at the beach.
There is a beach a few hours drive from where we live and there is a small shore break that happens about 1-2m from the shore you are standing on.
And if you time it right, you’ll see shoals of fish, whiting in my case, feeding in the shore break on all the bait that is getting washed around.
I’ve used lightweight gear like a 2500 reel to target whiting with small hooks and worms floating around the washing break.
Easy fishing, easy fun.
Targeting fish in gutters or troughs close to shore
Sometimes, when you’re down at the beach early, you can spot troughs in the sand bed. As the tide comes in the troughs fill up with water but also fish looking for bait washing around that they can eat.
These can appear often close to where you might fish from, particularly if you follow the tide in.
It’s best to target the sides and middle of the gutters and vary your positioning with your bait.
Alternatively, you can use small lures if you can cast them far enough, retrieving them over different sections of the trough to try to trigger a strike from a fish lying in wait.
Soft plastics can be effective here too.
I’ve found that plastics in the form of worms, shrimp, or small baitfish work well if you reel and rag them in slowly along the bottom, mimicking the movement of an injured creature.
What species can you target with a 2500 reel?
The surf can provide a range of species to target, it all depends on the structure of the beach, shoreline, and sandbanks.
Closer in, you might find fish such as whiting, rays, and flounder, and sometimes if you pick your spots well, striped bass can be found preying close to shore chasing small baitfish and anything that moves!
It’s possible to catch these fish on cut baits like mullet, squid and mackerel. Sand fleas and worms are also effective!
What surf rod should you pair with a 2500 reel?
With a 2500-size reel for surf fishing, you want to make sure your rod is not too large, somewhere between 6-7ft maximum. The line weighting guides of these rods is between 4-12lbs.
If the rod is too large, it will feel way over the top and imbalanced to the smaller 2500 reel.
Also, the species you are targeting will generally be a little smaller, and a larger heavier rod will reduce the amount of sensitivity and feeling you have in the rod.
This means there won’t be much of a fight bringing in the fish.
In terms of power and action, I’d opt for a medium power rating, with a faster action tip to increase sensitivity to bites and to hook sets when using lures.
Is a 2500 reel good for surf fishing?
If you are wondering whether a 2500 reel is good for surf fishing, just remember that it will work best in specific applications.
Target closer to shore, within the line capacity that the reel can hold comfortably – places like deeper troughs.
Match the rod to a 6-7ft medium power, fast action rod for the right strength and sensitivity to the rod.