down rigger rod question

[ds541]

greeting gents:i'm new to the site and new to trolling for salmon,i've been chasing walleye for yrs and decided i needed another way to spend money.

heres my first of many questions,after reading past posts i think i'll try 7ft .rods for my downriggers.what stiffness should they be,med/med hvy/etc

thanks.

[Pioneer]

shimano 7' med action TDR/mod fast tip. Got 10 and love them.

[fishsniffer]

talk to tony from eyefull custom rods (site sponsor)this guy will hook you up with everything you need to know."eyefull" on this site

[SPOONWASHER]

I would also go with Eyefull. Nothing beats a good custom rod.

[anonymous]

I prefer medium over heavier actions for rigger rods.

[captaink]

I prefer Chinook Classic Tournament Twist rods, 8'6" medium action rods made by Walker Downrigger Company. The line guides twist 180 degrees from the reel to the tip. When the rod is in the holder, the line guides at the end of the rod face the water. Also, the last foot of the rods are yellow, making them more visible in low light conditions.

[sherman51]

i see most guys like med action rods, and they are a good choice. i personally like med/light action. a deacent med/light has always worked good for me. i do like alittle longer rod than 7', i like 8' or 8'6". just another opinion

sherman

[DKuiper]

I am partial to Shakespeare 8'3" downrigger rods. I think they are #1103 or something similar to that. To lazy to go out and check the number right now. They are maybe a bit lite for the big kings in the fall, but work OK even on them. Great for spring and summer fishing and I've never had a problem with them over 40 years of using 'em. And at about $50 apiece, not to hard on the pocketbook.

Duane

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

If was got the cash for something better listen to the guys here.

I have heard nothing but good things about the 7 foot ugly sticks.

If your not looking to break the bank I have had no problems with 8 foot 6

silver bay downrigger rods like 15 bucks at fleet farm.

There a medium light rod I think, plenty of backbone for big fish but a nice soft tip.

Good luck out there.

[ds541]

thanks guys i had read on a other post that recommened 7ft dr rods,think i'll look for a couple shakespare dr rods to start of with.can you use dipsys on these rods?

[sherman51]

thanks guys i had read on a other post that recommened 7ft dr rods,think i'll look for a couple shakespare dr rods to start of with.can you use dipsys on these rods?

just my opinion again. but any of the rods thats talked about here can be used for divers. i dont even have matching rods for my divers. and i started running 8 of them this year. the only time i really had any problems was when i would get a white perch or white bass, then i sometimes got tangled in another line. but i use an 8 ft med/lite for my back rod then a 8'6" for the next then a 9' for the next then a 10 ft for my front rod. all of them are med/lite except the 10 ft and its a med. and these are all just lower priced glass rods. i think glass is just better than other rods for riggers or divers. but running this many divers i like to spread the tips out just alittle. and i run the back rod tip lowest then alittle higher on the next rod and alittle higher on the next. just helps prevent tangles. i run the back diver on a 1 setting # 2 rod on a 2.5 setting out an extra 20 ft. rod #3 rod on 4 setting out another extra 20 ft #4 on a 5.5 setting out another 20 ft extra. this just keeps them apart. if your only running 2 or 4 divers you can use just about any rod that will stand up to salmon fishing. i dont like to go to light tho, and i dont like broom sticks. so any good med or med/lite downrigger or diver rod is good. and like i said this is only one opinion. you should get more before you decide.

sherman

[Eyefull]

Downrigger rod length and actions are very much dependent on the individual boats setups. 7' one piece rigger rods are most common around Lake Michigan boat docks. It is mainly due to the fact that most salmon boats run lots of lines. Shorter rods are easier to get other rods over and around at the back of the boat. That also means that the lines point of entry into the water is closer to the back of the boat, again, the angler is more able to fight a fish around the rigger rods lines easier than if it were farther away from the transom. Shorter rods also have more power when compared to a longer rod of equal spine.

Longer downrigger rods, even as long as 9' are also common to a lesser extent. Longer rods distribute load and shock more evenly. Longer rods are more forgiving for less experienced anglers due to having less power, resulting in fewer lost fish due to overpowering.

Choose a rod length and power that suits your own fishing style and boat layout. There are no right or wrong answers for the most part, just what works for you.

Speaking of downriggers, I stopped in at the Traxstech shop today to pick up a few things for customers. The old Vector downriggers have gotten a complete makeover. Complete billet construction, large beefy motor capable of pulling 24# rigger weights at light speed, and an autostop system that is by far the most impressive thing I have seen in rigger technology. This thing is smart, fast, and most important, easy to operate. If you have ever seen the quality construction of Traxstech equipment, you can imagine what they have done with the new riggers. Not sure when they will be available, but at the very latest, they will be at the winter/spring shows in full force. There will definetly be a pair on my new boat for 2012, and I work for the company that owns Cannon!

Sorry about the infomercial, I just was very impressed and thats not easy as anyone that knows me can attest to.

[ds541]

thanks for the great info. think i'll go with the ugly stick for my downriggers.

anyone know the model # 1100/1103/ ect.

[sherman51]

Downrigger rod length and actions are very much dependent on the individual boats setups. 7' one piece rigger rods are most common around Lake Michigan boat docks. It is mainly due to the fact that most salmon boats run lots of lines. Shorter rods are easier to get other rods over and around at the back of the boat. That also means that the lines point of entry into the water is closer to the back of the boat, again, the angler is more able to fight a fish around the rigger rods lines easier than if it were farther away from the transom. Shorter rods also have more power when compared to a longer rod of equal spine.

Longer downrigger rods, even as long as 9' are also common to a lesser extent. Longer rods distribute load and shock more evenly. Longer rods are more forgiving for less experienced anglers due to having less power, resulting in fewer lost fish due to overpowering.

Choose a rod length and power that suits your own fishing style and boat layout. There are no right or wrong answers for the most part, just what works for you.

Speaking of downriggers, I stopped in at the Traxstech shop today to pick up a few things for customers. The old Vector downriggers have gotten a complete makeover. Complete billet construction, large beefy motor capable of pulling 24# rigger weights at light speed, and an autostop system that is by far the most impressive thing I have seen in rigger technology. This thing is smart, fast, and most important, easy to operate. If you have ever seen the quality construction of Traxstech equipment, you can imagine what they have done with the new riggers. Not sure when they will be available, but at the very latest, they will be at the winter/spring shows in full force. There will definetly be a pair on my new boat for 2012, and I work for the company that owns Cannon!

Sorry about the infomercial, I just was very impressed and thats not easy as anyone that knows me can attest to.

i think that was great info on the rods. now it really does make sence why so many guys like different length rods. and the shorter rods are alot better about getting around your other gear. and maby why i prefer alittle longer rod myself. i think i do get more fish in the boat with the longer softer rods.

great info on the riggers for anyone thinking about getting new ones.

sherman

[Priority1]

Another factor is the size of the boat. Anything under 20 ft. I'd go with 7s.