My Okuma 7.6 has been reliable for twitching and handled a +30lb chinook once. I wish it had a more sensitive tip for when I switched to spinners. Takes a fairly large blade to feel anything. Perhaps the loom is will give you just that. If you decide not to go that route, please let me know as I would like to buy it.

 

On the value side, i grabbed a couple of fishermans inside brand north river "coho twitchin" rod's for my kids. it seems to be nicely built and very light. i got them on sale at fishermans for $79 about a month ago. they twitch well and handle the coho nicely! its a 7'9" and has a pretty sensitive tip to switch over to hoochie spinners

 

If you have the option to get the IMX do it. I haven’t fished it. I have fished the Okuma and my Cousins is far superior, the IMX will only be better.

 

I have 4 ugly stick 7’6” med heavy spinning rods that work great work for twitching. Spent $50 a piece. No need for an expensive fancy rod. They work great for catching rockfish too!

 

The biggest scam ever was when they started marketing "twitching rods" here's a secret, you can lift ANY rod to give a twitching jig action. I believe this falls under the "lures are made to catch fisherman, not fish" quote. Use any Baitcast or spinning rod you like, something with a sensitive tip in case, as jagosh pointed out, in case you want to switch to a spinner and feel the blade. These day's I am using an 8'6" med-heavy action Ugly stik for my spin rod needs. It does everything you'll ever need for salmon, and as DylanG said above it's a great ocean rod too. My second choice that I use often if I want something a little stiffer is an almost identical Berkley IM7.

 

The biggest scam ever was when they started marketing "twitching rods" here's a secret, you can lift ANY rod to give a twitching jig action.

Well sure, you can also pound nails with a screwdriver.

Using the right rod makes the experience more effective and fun. Try twitching a 10' M power, Slow action spinner and then a 7'6" M power, Fast or EX Fast action. The shorter, fast rod will be a lot more effective and fun.

Where I totally agree with you is the rod doesn't need to be marketed as a "twitching" rod. Any 7'6"ish, M, Fast action spinner will work.

 

If you want budget check out kastking crixus or perigee. Both are 7'6" 10-17lb and are very inexpensive. I got the perigee from Amazon for $50 2 months ago while waiting for a new gsp from okuma.

 

No the IMX would not be worth it in my opinion. I could find a number of inshore rods that are half the price that boast the same quality.

 

Even at half off? I wouldn't mind you sharing a couple of the inshore rods you're talking about, thanks

 

Well at half off the IMX is going to cost the same as the Okuma Twitcher is it not? I guess at that point I'd go with the IMX since even if all things are equal between the two you can still resell it for what you bought it for.

Far as inshore rods go, Daiwa has numerous models at various price ranges of 7'6" medium-action spinning rods. Plus the guide components are better that what Loomis and Okuma use.

 

So you're saying the GSP has better components than the loomis? What makes the loomis a better rod at more than twice the price then? Being honest and not snarky. Most of my rods are IM7's and IM8's and now venturing into the more premium rods. I'd still be buying the Berkley IM7's and IM8's if they were available. Thanks

 

Twitch rods are built somewhat different than most other fishing rods b/c of the technique. They are a bit shorter, stiffer, and have larger diameter guides. They all spinning rods. No casting rods that I've seen.

But that doesn't mean other rods will work perfectly fine. I use a Lamiglass X11 casting rod (7.5 feet). Works great for twitching despite not being a spinning rod. I also use a Lamiglass Black Salt spinning rod for twitching (7.5 feet). It is equivalent to their Infinity Series Twitch Rod.

In my experience, successful twitching is more about technique than it is about the gear. So buy what you can afford. If you're confident in using the cheaper rod, you can save up your $$'s and buy an expensive one.

But like alot of folks on this BB, I can't resist buying another fishing rod for another technique.

 

But like alot of folks on this BB, I can't resist buying another fishing rod for another technique.

Is there a group for this?

 

Grumpy - With over 1400 posts, you're already a member........LOL

 

If you can get an unused IMX for half price I would defiantly get that over the Okuma.

 

So the Okuma X-Series is now in the mix. So I believe the G-loomis IMX would be more apples to apples so any experience on either? It would come down to these two : G Loomis IMX Pro Jig & Worm Spinning Rod

Okuma X-Series Salmon & Steelhead Spinning Rod - 7ft 6in Medium Power Fast Action 1pc

The Okuma X-Series Salmon and Steelhead rods are specially designed for Salmon and Steelhead fishing. The X-Series rods were designed to target the serious, technically minded angler. Utilizing the latest in advanced technologies, these rods were built to be extremely lightweight and balanced...

www.sportsmans.com

In the 7'6" 8-15 range

 

Your throwing a half oz. chunk of lead, and rods will be broken. Save money, buy the Okima SST twitcher and plan to use the $30 warranty.
Loomis makes great rods, so does Lamiglas. But for Twitching save the money and angst when they break. Use the money saved to buy the expensive rods for Steelhead.

 

Holy heck! Buy

he Loomis and I will give you $25 over the half price you paid!!!

 

i know these arent the rods you were asking about but i have 2 north rivers and 4 of the sst's, 2 of the newer style (grey) and 2 of the older style (brown or whatever color you want to say it is)
i have broken one of the north rivers in which was my fault, hi sticking about a 20# nook. it was foul hooked and angry and i was trying to put the screws to it to get it unhooked and back on its way as fast as i could. other than that they have all been great rods. the north rivers and older sst's cast a bit better but the newer sst's are better setting the hook so those are what i am using the most

 

The guide who began the twitching technique (his initials are R.K.) believes the X Series twisting rod to be the best twitching rod built.

 

I fish the IMX 931S paired with a 2500 ballistic. I haven't used the Okuma X but I'd bet it's comparable. I have used the SST and it works fine but not comparable to the IMX in weight or sensitivity in the tip for detecting the first tick of making contact with the bottom. My dad left me with expensive taste in rods, so that's what I've always used unless it's going to sit in a rod holder. My theory now is that I spend a lot of time not catching, and I want to enjoy the fishing part, because that's what I mostly do. The guys that say these other $50 rods work just fine for catching aren't wrong but I doubt they get that silly kid grin every time they pick up their rod. My set up is ridiculously light and I enjoy using it to fish, every time I pick it up. The weight of the reel makes a difference in the balance and overall weight too, keep that in mind. Twitching is labor intensive, using a high end, technique specific tool for the job will make you happy.

 

That guide R.K. better be older than dirt and lived his life in AK because that is where twitching came from, at least that is where I first seen it in the 80's. We were using Daiwa North Coast 7 1/2 ft. rods, why? Because they were the #1 most popular rod because of price, being 2 piece for storage and transport, and they fished well. The large rivers we see down here are few and far between, long rods really aren't necessary most places. At low tide we were bottom fishing curly tail jigs etc. when the tide was high enough for the salmon to move past the first obstacles, we used the very same gear to catch silvers twitching, no one seemed to think they had invented the technique back then, it had been around enough to be well known lots of places.

 

R.K. fills both of those requirements as well as many others.

 

I got to fish the 893 JWR once and it was hands down the lightest and best balanced rod for twitching I’ve ever fished. If I could find one at a good price I’d own one.

I bought the Okuma X twitch, and the tip broke on a snag. Returned it for a replacement and that tip broke. The guy at Sportco said I wasn’t the only one.

So I went to the guide select pro S-761 M and have been very happy with it. Almost as well balanced as the X, almost as light, and way more robust and built to last.

But the 893 JWR wins every day of the week - if you want to twitch all day long and not feel it.