Need rod advice

[AaronKrick]

Okay I am interested in two different types of rods.

1) I am looking for a salmon pier rod (spinning) for casting mostly spoons. I currently have a shimano clarus, it has a lot of back bone and a soft tip which helps, but I always see guys that are using really soft rods that double over during the cast and they get the spoon much farther than me. I guess it acts as a catapult. So looking for any suggestions on rods or simply what line rating or action/power to look for.

2) Looking at the 17ft streamside float rod for big water. So asking anone that has fished it if it is heavy for holding a whole morning or anything else. Considering the 15ft raven im8 too but I really want a big stick that soft enough to help me to STOP BLOWING UP LEADERS. Need something to be able to launch 11 grams floats.

 

[goodentight]

not much help with #1 but lots of help with #2.

#1 I just use my 12'9 matrix float road and add a spin rig on it when I am pier chucking in August. Exactly what you said, it whips those spoons out there good.

#2 My buddy has been on that rod on big water for a few years now. No complaints about weight. The problem you get into with a rod that long is the landing wobbles. I am not talking up and down I am talking left to right. you get these big "woummmmphs" left to right fighting the fish because of all the extra work the rod has to do to flip. Not really a big deal. It is also MUCH harder to net/land a fish on a 17ft rod as supposed to a 13.
That 17fter launches your gear out like child's play. Going to pick one up myself soon enough. The Pro's outweigh the cons for sure

 

[James5354]

Catfish, what test pound lead you using? if you want a really soft rod look at the raven IM6 or check the floatboard theres a 15 foot hardy steelheader for sale there, thats also a really soft rod.

 

[FisherGirl]

Okay I am interested in two different types of rods.

1) I am looking for a salmon pier rod (spinning) for casting mostly spoons. I currently have a shimano clarus, it has a lot of back bone and a soft tip which helps, but I always see guys that are using really soft rods that double over during the cast and they get the spoon much farther than me. I guess it acts as a catapult. So looking for any suggestions on rods or simply what line rating or action/power to look for.

2) Looking at the 17ft streamside float rod for big water. So asking anone that has fished it if it is heavy for holding a whole morning or anything else. Considering the 15ft raven im8 too but I really want a big stick that soft enough to help me to STOP BLOWING UP LEADERS. Need something to be able to launch 11 grams floats.

What do you mean about blowing up your leaders?

 

[Klik]

use thicker leader or better brand leader or improve your knots? lol

 

[James5354]

FisherGirl, blowing up leads is when the leader breaks off during a hookset. I fish with a rainshadow xst and I use 6lb maxima UG leader and have no issues blowing it up and thats a powerful rod.

 

[FisherGirl]

I lost a few on monday that broke off my leader and today it happened again. My rod is extra light action so I dont think thats the problem. Thanks for the tips

 

[James5354]

FisherGirl is it breaking off when u set the hook or while you are fighting the fish? there are many factors to why it breaks like what lordmykiss stated knot, leader lb etc.

 

[FisherGirl]

FisherGirl is it breaking off when u set the hook or while you are fighting the fish? there are many factors to why it breaks like what lordmykiss stated knot, leader lb etc.

When im fighting the fish

 

[James5354]

Try beefing up your leader but don't go over than the rod lb rating. I fish east ditches 90 percent of the time and I run 6lb ultra green maxima and 5.6lb redwing fluoro as my leaders and have no issues banking fish.

 

[Klik]

which hole are you losing them on? different holes?(might me taking rock/stump damage from drifting or hiking. depends if your leader took damage. run your fingers on your leader every few casts. make sure you wet your fingers to both feel the damage better and not damage the line. is the leader breaking mid or at the knots? if it is is mid, do you put shots on your leader? are you moving them? are you horsing the fish too much? is it is breaking at the knot? then either your knots are bad, your leader brand is bad or you are horsing the fish too much. CP takes a lot more finesse and patients with landing. even though CP is much easier to land fish, it is actually much harder to fight the fish, because you have to read the fish. vs spinning that just tires it out. hard to explain. now if you are blowing leaders on hook set then you are don't use you rod really well. also main line does make difference. superline > stiff line(raven)>promix all have to be used differently to set the hook. with super line and raven rv9, you do a hero hook set, you will snap your hook/leader/ promix gives you leeway.

 

[FisherGirl]

Ya I think I'm rushing the fight. Someone made a point to tell me to take my time the other day lol,

Still, I think I will upgrade my leader.

 

[fishermandan420]

Get a spool of 5 or 6 lb drennan and keep what you have now for backup. Theres a reason tons of peeps use it. Tanks on the banks brah!

 

[AaronKrick]

Thanks for the help. This thread all of the sudden got busy lol.

@GT: Did not think about using my matrix for that, will give it a shot next season!

@James: Thanks for the heads up! I'm certainly interested in a streamside rod, could bring a 17 footer home for $150 LOL.

How heavy should my pin be to balance a 15 or 17 footer? Right now my matrix is terribly tip heavy with a 7.5 oz reel on it.

 

[AaronKrick]

Get a spool of 5 or 6 lb drennan and keep what you have now for backup. Theres a reason tons of peeps use it. Tanks on the banks brah!

Am using the 5lb now, might give another diameter a try if I like it. Worried it's sort of stiff and might affect the drift slightly though, but so many people swear by drennan it probably doesn't matter much.

 

[fishermandan420]

I fished the 17 and didn't care for it. And i like their rods. 14Ft im 8 is a great all round rod. Great for a real river, can get by at the bigger water and i guess you could use it on a ditch (if you really want to fish on one)

 

[James5354]

Catfish, if the rod has sliding rings just move the reel up and down on the handle to see where it balances the rod so its not so tip heavy. Fishergirl it does take time to get the hang of a pin, just take your time trying to land the fish, if u clamp down on the spool and not let the fish run a bit once it jumps most likey it will blow your lead.

 

[AaronKrick]

Catfish, if the rod has sliding rings just move the reel up and down on the handle to see where it balances the rod so its not so tip heavy. Fishergirl it does take time to get the hang of a pin, just take your time trying to land the fish, if u clamp down on the spool and not let the fish run a bit once it jumps most likey it will blow your lead.

I've had my reel all the way to the very top of the cork handle and it still doesn't balance at all well. So I have just surrendered and taped it smack in the middle where I like it. If it was a heavy combo it would kill me holding it all morning though.w

@TC Have you tried the 15' raven?

 

[James5354]

Try adding some weight to the butt, might balance it better but overall it will be a heavy rig.

 

[Shmogley]

Get a spool of 5 or 6 lb drennan and keep what you have now for backup. Theres a reason tons of peeps use it. Tanks on the banks brah!

this

also for your spoon chucking quest, look into surf rods. you will not find a better rod for casting and itll handle nooks all day long. once you learn a pendulum cast nobody will be able to come near you in distance too