What rod action do you use for springers?

[Ivana Fishalot]

I have an okay steelie float setup but need to get a good springer boat rod. I am fairly certain that I'll buy a Berkley IM-7 because they really seem to be the best bang for the buck. (unless there is something I can't pass up at the show this weekend)

But my question is simply what line weight is best? I'd like to hear a good discussion on this. I really don't want to buy a rod and not be happy with it because it is too heavy or too light. I want it to handle chinook but I would like it to work for Coho also. I would like it to be as all purpose as possible. I like to see my kwikfish doing it's thang and I would like to have the option to troll with a diver if I see fit.

I am also curious about length. Do you prefer a longer or shorter rod and why?


Thanks in advance. It's nice to have a place like this because I don't have the resources to go out and try 3 or 4 different rods right now. And with springers knockin' on our door, I'd like to have my own setup.

[Space]

Wow, what a tough question. So many variables. I like to fish a stiffer rod if I'm back bouncing in Oregon City. The berkley 15 to 50 8'6" will do this well and also catch keeper sturge. A 12 to 25 works well with Quick fish. I like an 8ft or longer rod myself.

SPACE

[jaydee]

That's a pretty comprehensive question you got there!
If you break up your question into different aspects, I think you'll get a better answer.
My $0.02.
I like my Loomis HSR1021C for a lot of river chinook salmon applications (but not all).
-8'6", 10-20lb rated, fish 15-20lb mono with it, flexible tip, sturdy butt section, can drift fish steelhead if I wanted to, designed for plugs, good hook setting power, works for back-bouncing, can cast a #4 or larger spinner (like a vibrax) pretty effectively, will mooch cut-plug herring, used divers fishing out of cathlamet, incidentally caught sturgeon with this rod, have floatfished tidewater with it, jigged (metal) salmon in the ocean with it, has landed a couple of inshore 'suprise' halibut, will handle light-duty plunking, have fished Florida with it for numerous species, has had years of reliable use, used it on Seattle area pulblic fishing piers for chinooks, light, sensitive, great warranty, etc. (My ol' 1021 has thee most beat-up-looking calcutta you could imagine, that still functions as if it was 'near' new.)
In my opinion, the best all around off-the-self river chinook rod. (Though a similar Berkley IM7 is easier on the pocket book)
My rods for backtrolling/backbouncing for coastal river chinooks are 7'9", 12-25lb..
I have a 10'6 med-hvy for float fishing eggs in those same rivers...
(In other words, way too many rods.)
That 1021 is definately versitle.
Off to work...
Again.., my twocents.

J.D.

[ 02-03-2004, 05:05 AM: Message edited by: jaydee ]

[tag-a-long]

10-20 lb medium is good for plunking. I like the 10' 6" noodle for bobber fishing. I am still looking for the "last rod company I will ever buy from"

[Jimmy Carl Black]

I suggest slow action rod for herring trolling. I have seen this method take the most springers in the Willamette fishery. The same rod could work for fall nooks, B-10, etc. I'm not good about details on different models, but I think its best to buy specific gear per fishery (especially for springers) and if that's all you've got when the coho show up than have at it. You try to go all-purpose and end up catching more colds than fish. ...or maybe that's just my best excuse so far [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Oh yeah, your question was line wt. 12-25

[ 02-03-2004, 07:31 AM: Message edited by: Jimmy Carl Black ]

[River Ranger]

Berkley 8'6" 15-50 is a good rod for anchoring or backtrolling with K fish and has the backbone for pulling divers around,They can pull pretty hard sometimes.Great value.
R.R.

[skybuster]

I have used the Okuma Celilo one piece salmon rods the last couple of years. These rods have boated lots of chinook and coho for me. I have used them for diver fishing at the coast, trolling in the willy, and anchor fishing in the CR. I get them for about $40.00 a piece so its not heartbreaking when someone steps on one in the boat while doing the "salmon dance".

[stevo]

FMS has their Shakespeare Intrepids at the sportsmans show for $33 again. I have the 10-30 model and it is a nice herring puller, a little light for back-bouncing or kwikies but will do. Also have the 15-50 buzz ramsey, got it for xmas, have only gotten shakers on it so far, but I am sure that will be a springer 'wooping stick'.

[Lured In]

I would have to agree with Jaydee on the versatility of a lightwieght plug rod. If you are like me, one rod has to do more than just one job.

I have fished several different rods for springers (assuming you are looking at a boat rod) and they all caught fish equally well. The reality is they do not all perform equally well in all situations, though. I recently picked up the exact rod Jaydee was referring to after watching my usual fishing buddy fish with his for two plus years.

The flip side is that there are a lot of good plug rods out there, that are light enough to cast 3/8-1/2oz for steelies from the bank and still hold up under a delta diver at B10. The North River rods at Fisherman's have a good plug rod similiar to the HSR1021c. The key to the plug rod is that they have sensative tips (for kwikfish) and lots of backbone for fighting the average Columbia river fall chinook.

I have a Berkley IM7 7'9" 8-17# one piece that I used last year for everything from steelhead drifting, anchor fishing kwikfish, backtrolling kwikfish, springers from the bank and trolling at B10. For a medium weight rod, it performed excellent. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a 'budget' rod.

Reality is that no rod can do all things, but their are some that come pretty close.

[rola76]

I think a diverse selection is best, but of course this requires $$.

There are so many different "types" of springer fishing, from plugging to backbouncing to drift fishing. Within the world of plugging there are also many approaches.

For example, I use a 7'10" TH rod rated for 12-25lb test mated with a 5501 ABU and 50lb braided with 40lb leader for Kwikfishing deep holes. Right beside that rod will be my 8'6" Loomis rated for 8-17lb mated with a Shimano and 15lb Maxima for Mag Warts/Fatfish. For drift fishing I use a 9' Loomis....so there truly are endless possibilities.

If I were to choose one, and only one rod, for ALL situations, I'd choose the 8-17lb Loomis because of it's strength mixed well with sensitivity for both reading plugs and drift fishing.

[Fish Hawg]

My favorite rod is a G-Loomis HSR 982c 8'2" one pice rated 12-25 1/2-5oz

Also the HSR 981c 8'2" 10-20 1/2-4oz and the HSR 1023c 8'6" 12-25 1/2-5oz are good rods.

If you are going to do alot of backbouncing eggs I use this rod G-Loomis BBR 964c 8' 12-25 1-6oz....Ross

[SHOUGALNITE]

I use a 12-25# lamiglas 8'6.

[dampainter]

I used a berkley IM-7 (buz ramsey`s) medium action and have not had any problems on springers or for the fall run nooks as well as for silvers....my use has been limited to trolling plugs and also for throwing 2oz weight with spinners off the bank. The wife gave me the same but in the heavy model for Christmas this year and plan on using that for same thing as well and for plunking off the bank this year.

[KChookem]

For line weight, I recommend the 15-50# in a Berkley IM-7, either the 8 1/2 ft, or the 7'9" (one piece).

I have several of each length, and use them for Chinook & Coho, and other types of fish, including Lingcod and Shad. Techniques used include trolling (sometimes with hard pulling divers), pitching Flobber & Eggs, anchoring with Kwikfish, and jigging 1-3 oz Leadhead Jigs. If I were limited to just one, I suppose it would be the 8 1/2 ft in 15-50#, although I prefer the stiffer action of the 7'9" for Kfish and trolling divers. I have broken the tips on two 8 1/2 ft rods, but GI Joe's promptly exchanged them. That was over a year ago, and I've not had not a problem before or after. Never had a problem with the 7'9", but its one-piece length sometimes gets to be a minor nuisance.

[Ivana Fishalot]

WOW!
Thanks all for your replies!

Originally posted by KChookem:
For line weight, I recommend the 15-50# in a Berkley IM-7, either the 8 1/2 ft, or the 7'9" (one piece).

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">This is probably the one that I'll buy. I was thinking that this would be way too much backbone but maybe not. This isn't going to be my end all be all rod but I have to buy 2 (one for me and one for my son) and circumstances has made it a little tight to react to the season knockin on our door.

I am very fortunate though because my guaranteed boat ride has just paid for moorage at Portland Rowing Club for March and April. :smile: :grin:

I am hoping that my boy will land his first as a result :smile: .

[HOGTIDE]

The conditions probably matter more than the fish itself. In the fall I use a Cert Pro x80mbct 8' #12-#25. That's about as heavy as I like to go. It handles a 16 oz sinker and an Alvin in the channel, and a Deep Six while fishing Hammond.

However in the spring I usually fish shallower water with a lot less lead, usually never over 3-4 oz. I'll use a variety of rods that are one peice 8 footers in the 10-20 or 8-17 class. A Lami Hot Shot Magnum is a nice cheaper choice in this category, or a Loomis HSR 981c if you want to aspend a few more bucks. Rogue also makes a nice 8' 10-20 one piece.

A new super-light beauty just came on the market this past month. Lami Cert Pro has a new 1 piece 10-17 HS style rod called a 'Medium'. It looks like it would be a kick to land springers on!

[superfly]

For drift fishing I use a 1085 Allstar, for float fishing I use a 1264 Allstar and for kwikies I use a 962 Allstar.
Peace
Superfly

[Ivana Fishalot]

I guess that I could use my 8-17 but it is a spinning setup. I am really kind of confused now.

[garyk]

Ivana, don't stress over it.

Just get a decent medium action rod with a sensitive tip for pulling herring/spinners with relatively light lead (under 6 oz), and anchoring with K-fish. With that you'll be cool for springers.

It will also suffice for the Columbia's fall chinook.

Using divers requires a rod with a lot more backbone, and if you're thinking about fishing Bouy10 and such, that comes a lot later in the year and then you can get much heavier rod for around $50 if you're gonna do that show.

[HOGTIDE]

ya,what garyK said! I think we gave you too much info. Use #20 or higher and you'll be fine!

[Bob Barthlow]

G.Loomis Hsr1021c GL3 or IMX and also Loomis Hsr981c GL3....both great for trollin bait and plugs and backbouncing upto 4oz.

[Rakkasan]

I am stuck on my Lamiglas, and Rainshadow 9' 12-25 for all around fishing for chinook. I even use it for sturgeon and really favor it. I can imagine I would find a mor favored weight for each application, but that is what scares me. Then I will have way to many rods. I already do. I know I know....we fisherman can never have to many rods. :grin:

[SeanD]

TH1023 12-25lb hotshot rod does almost everything well for both spring and fall chinook. Backbounce, troll herrring, pull divers, bobber fish. Lots of power, but its still a light rod with a nice light tip. I like it.

[Get Bent]

Originally posted by superfly:
For drift fishing I use a 1085 Allstar, for float fishing I use a 1264 Allstar and for kwikies I use a 962 Allstar.
Peace
Superfly

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">WHAT HE SAID [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]