Everol Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 If I'm rigging copper line 30# or 45#, how do I choose the right rod? If I select a 20-50# mono line rod, should I be concerned with the eyelet size?
KJ pluggin Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Welcome to GLF! As long as you don't have a rod with really small eyes you should be alright. 20 to 50# for the rod sounds a bit heavy to me, I usually use 10 to 30# rods.
Priority1 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Tobias, A warm welcome to the GLF site. Just holler if you need any help.
Line Dancin Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Where are you located? there is a fishing show in the novi michigan area this weekend. Okuma makes a very nice copper ro for about 40 bucks. they usually have them at the shows for about 35 - 30 bucks. they are about half the price of the shimano copper rods. I have 6 total and 4 shimanos and the okumas are holding their own against the shimanos.
Yankee Troller Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 We use the Daiwa Heartland 9'6" Dipsey Diver rods for ALL of our copper set-ups. It's almost like it was meant for this type of fishing. We dont have any copper set-ups under 300' BTW. If we have to go below a 300 copper we move to lead core. Our 10 color set-ups are on those same diver rods, but when we get to anything less than a 7 color we will go to a 8'6" medium Heartland Downrigger rod.
Nailer Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Like said before me, big eyelets is the key. Most guys like a shorter rod for copper/cor rods. A shorter rod makes taking the board off easier. 8-8.5' rod in the 10-20 pound line range. If you don't have the copper yet, do yourself and every one that fishes with you a big favor, and get the 32# from Blood Run. It is very user friendly, and has a nice sink rate.Also, Welcome aboard. What area do you fish out of?
Just Hook'n Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Eyelet size is important on copper, but something that it doesn't look like others have covered is the material. A lot of guys like to run the okuma copper/lead core rods because they have bigger eyes, but the eyes are also metal, which helps a TON. If you run graphite eyelets they can wear badly with copper and cause sharp spots which will eventually clip your line.
Yankee Troller Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Eyelet size is important on copper' date=' but something that it doesn't look like others have covered is the material. A lot of guys like to run the okuma copper/lead core rods because they have bigger eyes, but the eyes are also metal, which helps a TON. If you run graphite eyelets they can wear badly with copper and cause sharp spots which will eventually clip your line.[/quote']This is soooooo false! We were part of the first batch of guys to run copper on Lake Ontario, and probably one of the first to run it down on the west end of lake O. Learned from guys like Ernie Langtene of Fish Doctor charters in Oswego, NY. Copper is waaaaay softer than wire we use for divers. If the wire divers dont put sharp spots in eyelets (not made of metal) then copper surely wont. I have run wire divers for the past 3 or 4 seasons on Daiwa's diver rods with NO twilli tip, and there is NO sharp spots or wear spots on them whatsoever. The only reason you would need big eyes on your copper rods would be if your using big swivels to connect your copper to your mono and backing. Albright knots are small, and the Spro swivels are also fairly small. On Lake O A-TOM-MIK or Fish Doctor copper is run by prolly 95% of the boats. These guys buy thier copper specifically for themselves, and it comes down to how many twist per inch or foot (I cant remember). One 45lb coppers sink rate isn't equal to another manufactures 45lb copper. The tighter the twist the heavier the copper is per foot. So, if your not fishing a similar copper to the rest of the boats around you your 350' might not be getting down to where the other boats hot 350' copper is. Just something to remember.
anthonyyost Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 The problem I had was using eyelets with ceramic inserts, the knot connecting the copper to the leader or the backing would eventually knock the insert out causing problems. A solid eye is necessary I bought some of the Okuma copper rods, and they work well.
Just Hook'n Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 Sorry Yankee, didn't mean to ruffle feathers. Just my experience with non metal eyes, they tend to wear OR chip out as Tony suggested. I know guys that run stainless on normal rods and hey, it works most of the time. I preffer roller rods for wire, metal eyelets for copper.Just me.Either way, it's hard to beat that okuma copper/leadcore 8'6" rod for about 30 bucks.You can pick them up for this price at most sports shows (typically 40 at a shop not on sale).
Line Dancin Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 I'll agree with Mark on the chipping from a haywire twist the individual strands sticking out and catching the guides. i junked a couple rods because of that exact problem. Now i am running all copper designed rods with my copper rigs. Maybe on the cheaper rods it is a problem but it was a problem i also had the issue of nocking the inserts out as tony described.
southtrollsouth Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 This is soooooo false! We were part of the first batch of guys to run copper on Lake Ontario, and probably one of the first to run it down on the west end of lake O. Learned from guys like Ernie Langtene of Fish Doctor charters in Oswego, NY. Copper is waaaaay softer than wire we use for divers. If the wire divers dont put sharp spots in eyelets (not made of metal) then copper surely wont. I have run wire divers for the past 3 or 4 seasons on Daiwa's diver rods with NO twilli tip, and there is NO sharp spots or wear spots on them whatsoever. The only reason you would need big eyes on your copper rods would be if your using big swivels to connect your copper to your mono and backing. Albright knots are small, and the Spro swivels are also fairly small. On Lake O A-TOM-MIK or Fish Doctor copper is run by prolly 95% of the boats. These guys buy thier copper specifically for themselves, and it comes down to how many twist per inch or foot (I cant remember). One 45lb coppers sink rate isn't equal to another manufactures 45lb copper. The tighter the twist the heavier the copper is per foot. So, if your not fishing a similar copper to the rest of the boats around you your 350' might not be getting down to where the other boats hot 350' copper is. Just something to remember.Twist rates do vary, but impact only the usability and fishability of the copper, very little on the sink rate. So many other factors play a much more significant role in where copper is running in the water column compared to twist rate. How fast are you trolling, into the current, with the current, cross the current, flasher (big or small), plug, spoon, and what type of leader. Fluoro sinks, mono adds buoyancy, etc. At the end of the day, other than in specific situations where you are fishing during spring with spoons in the top 40 feet with little more than subtle sub surface currents do you really know where copper is exactly pulling (or leadcore for that matter, or divers for that matter!) A guy can go drag a 450 copper with a spoon trolling north next to a guy dragging a 450 copper (same manufacturer) with a flasher going south, and neither is anywhere near each other despite what others may think.Fish the water column in thirds, and stuff the active strike box (third) with as many segmented coppers as you can without creating a mess for yourself, and catch fish.
Everol Posted January 18, 2011 Author Posted January 18, 2011 Welcome to GLF! As long as you don't have a rod with really small eyes you should be alright. 20 to 50# for the rod sounds a bit heavy to me, I usually use 10 to 30# rods.You think it will be ok to rig 45# copper line through 10-30# rods?
KJ pluggin Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 You think it will be ok to rig 45# copper line through 10-30# rods?I have run up to 300' of 45# copper on ours, if you were going to go with something longer it wouldn't hurt to have a little more backbone though.
allout280 Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 Guys use a shimano talora -model number tla-90mc-2 not cheap 79 to 99 all stainless eyes
Pioneer Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 That Okuma copper rod for 40 bucks is nice, got 8 of them.
ruder Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 I have been looking at the Okuma Copper rods but certainly have not seen them for $40. Cheapest I have seen them online is around $75.Would love to know where your getting them!
killerbe20 Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 Started going through rods/reels today and thought i would re-evaluate my copper rods. After reading this, i have been contemplating switching to the Okuma rods because of my loyalty to the company and how good they have been to me. I have been using $30 Ugly Slick rods for about 4 years now and am pleasantly surprised at how well they have held up. The eyelet inserts are aluminum oxide and show no signs of wear what so ever. i am not sure if i want to give them up! http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/gallery/files/1/7/5/0/2011-01-18_00002.jpg' alt='2011-01-18_00002.jpg'>
Hotdog71 Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) Jim, I got mine from Alfs Tackle. Here is one through his ebay listing. It's for a 8'6" rod. 35.95 +9.95 shI just looked at my account and this is actually Tackle Haven. I bought 2 of these rods in July for $80 and change. Edited January 19, 2011 by Hotdog71 more info
Nailer Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 I have been looking at the Okuma Copper rods but certainly have not seen them for $40. Cheapest I have seen them online is around $75.Would love to know where your getting them!Jim, Welcome aboard.
Pioneer Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 Got mine at Marine General in duluth MN. (Marinegeneral.com) Okuma's Base 8'6" copper rod is 39.99$, they had free shipping just a while ago. It has big Metal guides which I find is easier to feed out the super copper. I have tried Uglies, TDR's and Diawas, just like those big guides.
ChampionShip Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 That Okuma copper rod for 40 bucks is nice, got 8 of them.After playing around with Tony's this past year, Okuma rods were my first Winter purchase. I can't justify Talora rods at $80/ea.
ruder Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 @Nailer - Thanks! Love the forums!Jim, I got mine from Alfs Tackle. Here is one through his ebay listing. It's for a 8'6" rod. 35.95 +9.95 shI just looked at my account and this is actually Tackle Haven. I bought 2 of these rods in July for $80 and change.Thanks Hotdog71! That explains the difference. I was looking at the Okuma Convector Copper Rods.http://www.okumafishingteam.com/dyn_family.php?k=247544I will have to check out the classics.I purchased 1000' of Blood Run 45# Super Copper, treated myself to an Okuma CV55L and CV45 over the holidays and now just need a couple poles. Cant wait until summer to try them out. Will be the first year with copper in the program.
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