San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

I am just getting overwhelmed about all the rod and reel options out there. Can anyone recommend a 10-12 ft spinning rod that I can use for pan fish? I was going to use it both for freshwater and saltwater fishing. Anything that is light or medium light would work. Thank. You.

What kind of salt water fishing are you planning?... How much do you want to spend?... Most any steelhead rod will do the trick for surf fishing.. Don't know that you need a 12' rod...
Butch

Use one of these?
https://www.sdfish.org/viewtopic.php?p=30472#p30472

Midnightpass wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 8:29 am What kind of salt water fishing are you planning?... How much do you want to spend?... Most any steelhead rod will do the trick for surf fishing.. Don't know that you need a 12' rod...
Butch

I usually fish off the pier(I have my license) but, I wanted to use this for both fw and sw. Like I go to like lake irvine but, I was told by someone who used to fish there that I need a longer rod because the trout are deep. I was going to either get the ugly stik carbon crappie or like an okuma trout rod. The issue with the rods I been getting so far they are all jigging rods I have like a zebco crappie fighter that is 12 ft and a ACC jiggin stix that is also 12 ft. The eyes are smaller than my standard rods which is what I think may impact casting.

kastmaster wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2026 9:36 am Use one of these?
https://www.sdfish.org/viewtopic.php?p=30472#p30472

It came in a 4 pack lol so I have like 3 extra.

https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-SMS106M2 ... =UTF8&th=1
Any thoughts on this rod? I might be just expecting too much by trying to find a rod that can catch both stocked lake trout and like bonito off the pier.