Chinook Rods

[Centerpin]

Does anyone have any experience with these rods? Especially the very heavy action one.

www.onlinetacklebox.com/Berkley/Berkley%20Air%20IM7%20Rods.htm

[fishbait]

GREAT rods for the money. I own 2 of the 15 - 50 backbouncers and two of the med steelhead. The backbouncers are great rods, catch both salmon and sturgeon. Not Lamiglass or Lomis, but for under $60.00 you can't go wrong.

[BUGLEMAN]

Hey CP I have the 7'9" 15-50. A good rod but you need to really put the pressure on the fish to keep them on. Not a very forgiving rod but it sure whips the fish. For coho it was frustrating trying to play them in the ocean. THey kept spitting the hook. But for the big boys that is probably a different story. I would like to try the 9' Med.

[Moleman]

I have one 15-50. A terrific back bouncer! I used it this year spinner fishing and caught several 30#ders and cohos in TBay. I could feel every thump of the blade of my spinner. It's very balanced and your arm doesn't get too tired. I don't think it will be too good for plugging, the tip is too tight. If you have a short strike it may have too much resistance. I use 7'9" Penns, 12-30 for all my fall chinook plugging. I use 30# Trilene Sensation, it has the same diameter of 20# test (.020)

[Straydog]

Berley Air Rods are a tremendous value for the dollar.

I sell literally hundreds of them and have very little complaint or return.

I use their 8'6" Med at times and like it a lot.

Do us all a big favor though. Please don't buy it off this internet site. Yes, you can save a few bucks, (if you hurry, I have turned them in as I type) but you will be perpetuating a huge disservice to our industry and ultimately to us, the sportsmen that buy this stuff.

Pure Fishing (the owners of Berkely) do a decent job of controlling wholesale and retail pricing on their stuff so that the playing field remains somewhat level for most of their products.

This online sight is advertising these rods for well below Minimum Advertised Pricing(MAP) and this really makes it tough on legitimate tackle shops and dealers.

Remember, the legitimate dealers make an inventory investment so that you can walk into their stores an shake a rod, play with a reel or pick and choose from the myriad of terminal tackle and lures avaiable.

This takes a financial and in some cases a personal investment to make this happen. An internet peddler generally has little if any inventory commitment.

A legitimate dealer at least attempts to have a warm body on hand to answer questions and assist customers. This body costs the dealers money. Internet peddlers do not offer this commitment.

And last, many legitimate tackle dealers make substantial monetary and personal investments to better our fisheries. Be it through personal involvment in various habitat programs, donations to various fishing events and fund raisers and by allowing advertising and information to be distributed through their stores.

I am sure there are some internet peddlers that do this as well but my experience tells me it is generally the legitimate factories, wholesalers and retailers that are actively working to better our fisheries, not internet peddlers.

Please, support those that support us and those that don't bastardize the market place by being able to offer merchandise at below retail due to limited investments in our industry.

[Ramstrong]

Well, I think you already know what I think about it CP. I assume it is you whom I have been emailing. I give the rods two thumbs up esp the 15-50 rod. The first time I was fishing my rod I wound up in a hog line next to buzz. Of course he had good things to say about the rods also. I also wound up with my first springer of the year that day. I since have landed Well over 100 on the rod and it even survived the faceplant in the wind river canyon.

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: Ramstrong ]</p>

[plug cut]

I have at least 6, who's counting, Extra Heavys' and 4 heaveys' and think they are one of the best values for the money. I use the XH for kings in Alaska and down here. You can really put the heat on a big fish. I like to use the H for springers and silvers. Buy as many as you can afford!

[Centerpin]

Thanks guys and especially ramstrong for putting me on this rod. I specifically want it for backbouncing Skeena chinook. I would like to know what a fair price is for this rod?