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Author Topic: Kokanee Rods  (Read 4186 times)

JDK

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #15 on: Mar 24, 2020, 02:58 PM »
That should count for something since it seems you have destroyed plenty of others. :laugh:

LOL

gamefisher says I could break a crowbar.  He's mean to me. ;D

# SAND

gamefisher

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #16 on: Mar 25, 2020, 06:42 AM »
gamefisher says I could break a crowbar. 

Sometimes the truth hurts!😚

Fish USA has many options and a great company to deal with.  I still prefer my old 4-8# Starfires on riggers and 8-14# on lead core but have many other brands.  To me, these have the best tips and plenty of backbone, I can tell when I'm dragging a single leaf with these things by the way they are acting.   Fan of the shimano tr200's or even the durability of the simplistic 209's and 309's, the older ones, just a little more winding.

Will be a lot of open water in next two weeks, can't wait to expand on my social distancing.😎🍺

stguy

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #17 on: Mar 25, 2020, 08:36 AM »
I'm a huge fan of the Big water rods, I've got them for just about everything, the only thing I don't realy like them for is dragging flat fish,  the light action Teloras seem to work better for me.

There are also Big Water fly rods, the one in the picture is an 8 wt and I really like it for streamers at faster speeds.

They are pretty d**n tuff,  I've had the line get tangled on a release and the rod tip at the same time and hung a 15 pound ball off of one.


JDK

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #18 on: Mar 25, 2020, 09:28 AM »
I agree and am 100% serious when I say that I believe they are the best general purpose trolling rod for Maine.  When I troll flatfish, I tend to use the 7'6" Starfire rod but had one break on me last year (SS and GF I've heard it already 8))

I picked up a Daiwa Great Lakes rod as a replacement and like it a lot.  Jury is still out on durability.  I have also been using the Okuma DeadEye and like those.

That said, if I were buying today, it would be 2-8'3' BW downrigger rods and I'd put quality line counter reels.  As always, YMMV
# SAND

stguy

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #19 on: Mar 25, 2020, 12:53 PM »
Another great trolling rod is the Eagle Claw wright/McGill, I bought a couple of them kind of as a novelty because the handles are golf club handles and I have a few clients that are very avid golfers, they turned out to be very nice down rigger rods, if they had the gimble butt caps I'd use them a lot more, I think they'd be a lot like the Kokanee rod the OP asked about.

SilverSides

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #20 on: Mar 25, 2020, 01:03 PM »
All this talk about downrigger rods makes me wish there wasn't still 2' of ice on the lake.
Maybe I need to take a ride down to visit ST

stguy

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #21 on: Mar 25, 2020, 01:06 PM »
Maybe on your lake, Sebago is wide open and after being exposed to someone with the corona crap I'll be quarantined to my boat shortly, I'll be sure to post some pics.

SilverSides

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #22 on: Mar 25, 2020, 01:07 PM »
I'm a huge fan of the Big water rods, I've got them for just about everything, the only thing I don't realy like them for is dragging flat fish,  the light action Teloras seem to work better for me.

There are also Big Water fly rods, the one in the picture is an 8 wt and I really like it for streamers at faster speeds.

They are pretty d**n tuff,  I've had the line get tangled on a release and the rod tip at the same time and hung a 15 pound ball off of one.

Looking at the pic, if those reels are Okuma Coldwater, Sportsmans warehouse has a killer sale on them right now. $79.99 plus another 10% once you enter an email address.

fishsluggos

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #23 on: Mar 25, 2020, 05:28 PM »
I'm a huge fan of the Big water rods, I've got them for just about everything, the only thing I don't realy like them for is dragging flat fish,  the light action Teloras seem to work better for me.

There are also Big Water fly rods, the one in the picture is an 8 wt and I really like it for streamers at faster speeds.

They are pretty d**n tuff,  I've had the line get tangled on a release and the rod tip at the same time and hung a 15 pound ball off of one.


I have one of the Shimano Charter special reels. It is a nice reel that will hold 10 colors LC and the lever drag is very nice but at a 4.3.1 retrieve ratio it 's a slow as 5h!+ reeling up all that LC with a 100' leader. The reels I have weigh half as much and are 6.3 retrieve ratios. Just my .02 worth.

I can't speak for those rods as I don't own one. They look nice though.

stguy

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #24 on: Mar 25, 2020, 06:22 PM »
The charter specials are great when you have people on the boat you don't know, it's amazing how many guy's that "fish all the time" think a drag should be locked down solid when they get a fish on, these take away that option, they are a little slow but I don't think of it as a race.

I have to ask, why a 100' foot leader?

seamonkey84

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #25 on: Mar 25, 2020, 07:02 PM »
Maybe on your lake, Sebago is wide open and after being exposed to someone with the corona crap I'll be quarantined to my boat shortly, I'll be sure to post some pics.
It was chilly but nice out today, my buddy and I managed 4 fish today, three togue and one salmon. we did the best we could keeping distance in a 16’ boat. Sorry no input on the topic of down rigger rods, I use lead core line on a cheap eagle claw black beauty 7/8wt fly rod and reel setup.



"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." - Mitch Hedberg

Crazy Chris

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #26 on: Mar 25, 2020, 07:23 PM »
Thanks everyone for input and suggestions.  I've got a pair of Cannon Powertroll rods and Daiwa Sealine 27LCs which work well for downriggers, just looking to try something lighter for more action on salmon and brookies.

Assuming the corona-mess blows over, maybe I can actually get out to the tackle store!  I like the looks of the Lamis, so I may start there.
Key West 2020 DC

fishsluggos

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #27 on: Mar 26, 2020, 06:43 PM »
The charter specials are great when you have people on the boat you don't know, it's amazing how many guy's that "fish all the time" think a drag should be locked down solid when they get a fish on, these take away that option, they are a little slow but I don't think of it as a race.

I have to ask, why a 100' foot leader?

Definitely agree with you about some people onboard cranking down on the drag. Can't say I never made that mistake though.  :'(

Yep, agree again it's not a race. I just enjoy playing the fish in on the lighter gear within reason if I'm planning on releasing it. That's about 98% of the time. What I should have elaborated on was the reels with a slower retrieve ratio get old reeling them in to check the lure after I wind up getting a hit & miss or if there's actually salad on the hook. That's the PITA.

Again, I should have been more specific on the leader. I run about 80' of 8# mono then a tiny spro swivel attached to 10' or so of 4-6 # fluro on my LC setups. A guide told me awhile back that the mono will stretch and absorb the shock of the strike and he used it because salmon and trout have soft mouths. It made sense to me. The added length also helps when the pressure & boat traffic are high and the fish are skittish. I know this isn't set in stone as sometimes the fish will come right into the prop wash and hit. Hope that answers your question. 

tight lines     


stguy

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #28 on: Mar 26, 2020, 07:42 PM »
With that much leader your loosing the biggest benefit of your lead core, not only does the lead core sink, it also "occilates" or "wags" back and forth, if you steer your boat back and forth, your lead core will make an S shape in the water where mono will stay in a straight line, it's the reason lead core almost always out fishes downriggers, it gives your lure or bait some action.

With that long of a leader your lure is just traveling in a straightish line, like a down rigger. Sometimes when I can't get a hit on a down rigger I'll tie on 3 or 4 colors of lead and send it back down and usually start getting hits.

My leaders are 2 arms lengths, 10 or 12 feet, the bow that is in the lead core will absorb the shock, using a longer, softer rod helps too.

I should also add that I keep my drags really loose, just enough to hold it plus a little.

seamonkey84

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Re: Kokanee Rods
« Reply #29 on: Mar 26, 2020, 08:22 PM »
I use a rods length of 15-20lb mono to a small swivel, then another rods length (at most) of 6-10lb floro to the spoon. That way the swivel doesn’t have to be reeled into the rod guides to land the fish.  Since I use a 9’ fly rod, it usually have 13-18ft of leader at most.
"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." - Mitch Hedberg

 



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