salmon boat rod advice

[bait-n-wait]

I am looking to get a new rod and reel combo for salmon fishing in the boat. I have a 7' penn rod that came as a combo with my 320 GT2, I have caught several salmon on this set up but I think it may be a bit heavy for salmon. I am looking at a 7' 8-20lb medium action Ugly Stick with a decent level wind reel but seems a bit light. Can one of you river-wise veterans give some sound recomendations? would like to keep the price under $80.00

[Rakkasan]

I personaly use a 8'6" 12-25. You can get them shorter in that weight as well. Shop around. You will get some good advice on here. :smile:

[ 02-10-2004, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: DSRods ]

[Gus Orviston]

15-30 Northriver at FMs, for 59-79,, catch them on sale...run now and ask for the show price. Slap a 5500/1 on it and you will have a fine combo.

gus

[Space]

I see your from St. Helens. You would have a dual purpose rod in a Berkley 8'6" 15-50. Slay Salmon and Sturge with this baby. You can also put a Delta diver on this rod without worry. Good back bone with loosing the play. Then get yourself a 6500 (right retrive) or 6501 (left retrive) and your in business. Your looking at 69.00 for the rod and 65.00 for the reel.

SPACE

[bait-n-wait]

FMs=fisherman's? and what is a 5500 and how much do they run?

[LIV2FISH]

I agree with Space Fish. Have exactly that setup (with the 6501) and use it for both salmon and keeper sturgeon. Great setup that won't break the bank!!

[Troller]

How are you planning on fishing with it. Do you use downriggers. Do you mooch. Or are you jigging. Or do you do all three. I have been using a lighter setup and enjoying the battle more. I fish downriggers with 10'6" poles with 6500c reels. When I headed out for big kings I switch back to the old penns and fenwick's

[Silver Eagle]

Have switched from the heavy rods to the 15-50 Buss Ramsey "Air" it holds up from the small Coho to the bigger Knookie (50#) last year, I like the 6501 also, but you'll have to catch pole on sale at GI Joes, 59.+-, then get the reel, we lost one over the side last year and with the reel on it it floated (flat) impressed. Lots of Luck..Ray

[Cosmic Lazy Susan]

I was in FMS Monday and the Berkley IM7 is on sale for $58 and some odd cents. They did have an 8'6" 15-50.

I think the sale price is good through this coming weekend.

Dale

[jet]

The Berkly 15-50 is actually 7'6".

Great rod for the $

Jet~~~

[Beaver1]

I have had a Berkley 15-50 IM7 with the 5501 and it is great for salmon out of the boat. Good setup for little $$$

[rola76]

Great advice so far!! If you want in without spending lots of $$$, Buzz and ABU are the way to go. Also, check out Okuma's line!!

[bait-n-wait]

thanks for all the good advice.. I think I will goto FMs or Joes maybe Sportsmans and see what they have. Seems like a 15-30 is about what I am looking for.. still need to know who makes the 5500 and 6500. BTW I will be using this set up for strickly salom and steelhead.. I have a nice Penn 30-60 that I use for sturgeon.

[Cosmic Lazy Susan]

The 5500 and 6500 are Abu-Garcia Ambassadeur reels.

They come in different grades. I think the C3 is a good choice.

5501 and 6501 are the left hand versions.

Dale

[TheRogue]

C-4's are sweet....but too high-geared for mre than 3-4 oz.

The "trophy" series (TCS) 6500-01 are 4 bearing, lower geared, and have a fighting handle, I really like them.

TR

[jet]

There is nothing like fishing for sturgeon on heavy salmon geer. We use the telepjone poles only for over size fish. All other times it is the IM-7 15-50 with a 6501.They are good when you can fish up to 6oz of lead and then you may have to break out the heavy stuff.

Jet~~~

[jet]

Jet~~~

[ 02-11-2004, 09:57 AM: Message edited by: jet ]

[Gus Orviston]

You were concerned about $$, so like i said before for a good boat reel, good for casting too, the 5500 C3 or 5501 C3 will be your cheapest and very adequate reel, best deals are 59 with a 10-15$ rebate from Joes or Abu. Never been spooled on one, and the only thing you get with the 6500s C3s are a clicker and more line capacity. The TCS series are great, but you said budget, so they don't fit well there, expect to pay 80+ for a TCS series which are basically a lower geared C4.

good luck, gus

[bait-n-wait]

onthebank- yeah that somes like me... I also have this bro in law that goes out and buys all the "best" and I still out fish him... go figure.

[husker]

nothing wrong with good equipment...however....u dont need to spends big bucks to catch fish....and fish bite on all kinds of gear.....i just dont go cheap on line and hooks......i use 5500's and shakespere rods.....with an occansional rebuilt lami......only broke 2 rods in my life an both were my fault.....never had a reel fail....except when i was using trout gear on silvers and caught to many....go figure....

[husker]

1001 woo hoo....now i am a chromer.... just dont want to be a spawner.. :grin:

[ 02-11-2004, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: husker ]

[k9jeff]

IM7 buzz berkley, 15-50 in 9' and I use an okuma nytrix reel I puchased last year and like it a lot. Both units have been on sale just about everywhere in the last couple of weeks.

[Gus Orviston]

I hear more complaints, or sightings, of broken lami's than I do northrivers. As a boat rod you don't need the touch of a high end rod unless you have the disposable income get the IM7, NR, NorthxNW, or similar make. 5500 will do you fine!

gus

[Rakkasan]

You must have been at the right place at the right time. I have broken one Lamiglas rod do to manufacturer defect. The other two were my fault. One thing people forget about high end rods is that they are not designed to be thrown around. If you take care of them they will last a long long time. I have an old Lamiglas 8'6" 8-17 Certified pro and a G1000 9' 12-25. Both have been stripped completely and refinished to include the old finish on the blank. They still work great. :smile:

[bait-n-wait]

just looked at a W.W. Grigg 8'6" 10-30 that felt pretty nice, limber yet a good back bone,model 856 something, any one have some experience with these? thinking about pairing it up with a little shimano Corsaiar 300a <---because the price is right.. thanks guys

[bait-n-wait]

ok I got my rod and reel... went with a Griggs 7'9" 15-40 and a 5500 CL3 seems like a really nice set up. thanks for all the help.

[onthebank]

Hay Bait bet your Brother in law looks good out there even if he cant catch a fish to save his life.
PS glad to see you did some research this time. your bro in law on the bank. :grin:

[onthebank]

hay bait why dont you break down and buy a decent rod, dont want to hear that you lost the big one because you had an "equipment falure", you sound just like my thrifty brother-in-law who says that equipment does not matter as much as the fisherman behind it! he he