That's pretty close to the minimum price for a decent bottom bouncing outfit. It doesn't sound as if you've had much experience with overhead reels before so something like a Penn GTI series which has a levelwind would probably suit. Included in that price, or close to it, would be a standard fibreglass boat rod...most if not all shops do combos in this price range.

HOWEVER...cheap rods mean cheap guides, and for this sort of fishing it's pretty much a given that you need braided line (well you don't NEED it but your miles in front of mono users with it) and braid cuts through cheap plastic guide inserts like a knife through butter, and the resulting groove will then cut your line...usually when you're loaded up on a fish.

Best thing is to go to a true tackle shop (as opposed to Ranger or BCF) and tell them what you're planning. You may or may not pay a bit more initially, but you can't put a price on the advice they can give you (as opposed to some snot-nosed kid on $9 an hour) and the after sales service offered as well. Incidentally, site sponsors here are Oceanside Tackle in O'Connor and Tackle Shack in Malaga, so everyone here would prefer you try them out first!

deffs go with a penn 330gti/gt series,

for rods you can buy a penn mariner 330 gt combo for around the $200 mark i think.

If not i suggest buying a backbone elite and replacing the roller tip with a normal oring type, this should cost you aabout $150

but as lobster said, pop into a specialist tackle store and they will sort you out

I spent my time as a kid fishing off the back of Rotto using a 7" alvey snapper winch & glass rod. I also had a 114H Penn Senator. It worked for me for years. Don't know what they are worth now though.

Would you go for a spool or and over head reel , We got a PeNN overhead reel in the shed which is a few years old , but no one ever used it after the tangles some of the fam received LOL , it is loaded with 50 pound line , Ill check the reel model and that tomorow , Iv never really tried heaps fishing with one of them reels aye

and cheers much appreciated fellas

personal preference for me is an overhead, but at the depths you mentioned you could get away with a good quality spinner, as mentioned the penn 330gti combos are well worth looking at for a cheapoutfit that will serve you well

if your go to do 60mts probably need some thing thats got a decent handle very uncomfortable winding up from 60ies with the 330 better off spending a bit more and get a soild set up, aren't you selling one mat

yeah got the sld30 2 speed, wasnt going to push it in his face.
check the for sale section if your interested, will be perfect for what you want and more

I've got the boat coming out of the shop in the next week or so, sooner the better.... and Will probably get some new gear for the boys.
Dropped in a few weeks back, well sort of lured in by the nice boat you had parked out the front..... Now that's a nice rig......
Mine's an old tub but hopefully will have warp factor written all over it for getting out and back if the new motor does it's thing (fingers crossed)
Heard the other day the Penns are the way to go..... Like to talk to you about some combos.
cheers
shane

few good eggbeaters around

for beginners to the overhead scene the penn 330gti are worth the money, we got 2 sets when we first got a boat and they are still going now 5yrs on , DhuBoy , the tangles you are talking about are probably from freespooling the line down,try lightly thumbing the line on its way down and that will slow the speed of descent down so when the sinker hits bottom the spool wont keep spinning which causes most of the tangles with overheads, they do take a bit of getting used to but when you have them sussed they are great reels for deep fishing, not saying the eggbeaters are'nt but worth a try

Yeh as mentioned by everyone above, there are plenty to choose from. Easy way is to set a budget and work from there. Also go check out whats available within your budget. Dont forget the braid as well.
Up to 60m you can get away with a spinning outfit if overheads are not your thing. So take your time and check out whats on offer in the shops.

No worries thanks heaps for the Info , What about a decent Rod ?

Guys I have a couple of questions on setting up a decent bottom rig for snapper and dhu fish.

I have a length of minimum say 80 to 100lb line as "the trace" at the bottom I have a loop tied in the line this is for the sinker (snapper) so I can then feed the loop through the eye of the sinker, over the end of the sinker and back = quick sinker changes,
Above that i have (at the moment) an alpine hitch (ok it's a climbing type knot but not sure of a fishing knot that will do the same job....) anyway the length of this loop is say 30cm,

about 40 to 60cm above that I have another alpine hitch with 30 cm of line in a loop again for quick hook attachment or removal and so it does not tangle the bottom one.
About 40 cm above this is the swivel to the line from the reel.
Hook I use are those circle type ones, Not a real gear freak so not sure of the name..... sorry.

How does this sound for snapper and dhu fish?
shane

Thanks the loop to loop sounds like the way to go, and the lighter line to the hook = lost hook not entire rig.

good point ref breaking strain - I'll check the breaking strain of the knot on some lighter line and using a set of scales.... should work..

Other than the crane swivels these are the three way swivels (?) yes? what knot could I look up for this?