Gear for Punch'n

I’m trying to gear up for punch’n alligator weed, pickerel weed mats, etc. What rod and baitcaster do you guys use? I’ve tried to adapt saltwater rod and reel for this but very awkward. Lost two humongous fish yesterday! Tore bait off the hook before I could lift them out! But I’m pumped on punch’n! Terminal gear pretty good I think. A Bizz Bait craw on 2/0 straight-shank HD Tro-Kar hook tied to 50# braid, followed by punch skirt, 1 oz. lead with stop. Admittedly, I didn’t react fast enough but, also, the rod didn’t seem to be stiff enough and I had to reach across the reel to put the Daiwa SeaLine in gear. Thanks for your help.

I prefer a heavier hook, as I’ve straightened the 2/0 on two occasions, but the 2/0 works in most applications. If there’s sticks/trees I go heavy.

For rod/reel I use a 7’6" Bass Pro flipping rod I’ve had for years, I’m not sure, but it’s a heavy action. Reel I’ve gone to a cheap Abu Garcia Silver Max…it has a switch on it to change it so the button releases when you release it, eliminating the need to turn the handle to engage the reel. That ~$40 reel has paid for itself 10 times over. It took a bit of getting used to but it works perfectly, especially on those quick strikes.

Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat

Thanks for your suggestions. I’m going to look those items up.

Don’t be afraid to use a heavier weight. One, you want to make sure you make it through the mat/cover. Two, sometimes that faster fall will trigger a reaction strike and you’ll actually get more bites.

I’d definitely beef up your hook too. I rarely use smaller than a 3/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover hook. Typically it’s a 4/0 or 5/0 heavy cover hook. You don’t want a hook that will flex when you set the hook. If you’re using braid, and you should be when punching, since braid doesn’t stretch it will make lighter hooks flex or even bend.

I’d also recommend a high-speed baitcaster. Nothing slower than 7.1:1. I like the Quantum Smoke PT with 8.1:1 gear ratio.

God bless the “ignore” function.