What Rod Trolling for Browns

[FlieFreak]

I was thinking about heading up this spring to try for some browns. I am not too sure on which kind of rod to use for trolling for them. How long should it be? Should it have some back bone to it? stiffer?? fast action?? 8-12, or 10-20 or something along those lines? Could i use my steelhead rods?

Any info would be appreciated

Thanks

[fishmanmike]

I build alot of my own rods and some of my favorite blanks for trolling flat lines are Hot shot blanks in the light to medium light line weights. Lengths- 7 1/2 to 8 ft. These rods have very sensitive tips but substantial backbone to land larger fish

[Jimmy]

Originally Posted by FlieFreak

I was thinking about heading up this spring to try for some browns. I am not too sure on which kind of rod to use for trolling for them. How long should it be? Should it have some back bone to it? stiffer?? fast action?? 8-12, or 10-20 or something along those lines? Could i use my steelhead rods?

Any info would be appreciated

Thanks

I been fishing for browns a long time. ( a few decades ) I have used custom one piece rods costing a couple $$ and cheap $20 rods. Use what ever your most comfortable with. If your trolling for browns over 5 pounds you could use a broom stick. A nice size brown should hit like a ton of bricks. I prefer a short rod, 6ft just because I fish alone at times in my small boat and is easier to net a fish with a shorter rod. I also like a rod that has a sensitive tip just in case I pick up any weeds i can tell right away.

[fish-on-bend]

Hard to beat an Ugly Stick. I'm using inexpensive Shakespeare Synergys for everything now. 8-15's for browns, bulls and macks. Sensitive tip and good backbone. I had to grind down the bases on my Shimano triton level winds to fit the seats but it makes a nice big trout combo. A 20lb mack on one of those is fun. I use 4-8's for kokanee.
A true rod expert will no doubt turn up his nose at such "cheap" rods, but they work great for me.