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I believe it's time to buy new downrigger rods What Brand?

Patriot

Patriot
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Patriot

Patriot

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My Berkley Power Rigger rods are about 20 years old and they have served me very well but they're getting tired and I think it's time to retire them.

They're 8'6" 12-30 lb line and I used them for everything, salmon, trout and walleye.

I looked online at Shimano Talora 8'6" rods in M/H and they run about $79 each. I like the fact that they have a life time guarantee

 

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance

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spoonfed-1

spoonfed-1

Posted
Posted (edited)

My Berkley Power Rigger rods are about 20 years old and they have served me very well but they're getting tired and I think it's time to retire them.

They're 8'6" 12-30 lb line and I used them for everything, salmon, trout and walleye.

I looked online at Shimano Talora 8'6" rods in M/H and they run about $79 each. I like the fact that they have a life time guarantee

 

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

If you go with the Talora they are great rods.

Medium action is all you will need.

Been running several for years without a glich and fought many big Kings including a 32 + during the 2011 Niagara pro-am on the 8' 6" medium action.

A little heavy for Browns unless they are big ones in my opinion but I tend to lean towards a good battle over wenching fish in.

Edited by spoonfed-1
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Patriot

Patriot

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If you go with the Talora they are great rods.

Medium action is all you will need.

Been running several for years without a glich and fought many big Kings including a 32 + during the 2011 Niagara pro-am on the 8' 6" medium action.

A little heavy for Browns unless they are big ones in my opinion but I tend to lean towards a good battle over wenching fish in.

I use 30lb line and the mediums aren't rated for 30. Will that matter?

Thanks

Greg

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Gator

Gator

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We run the 7' Taloras on our downriggers and I personally greatly prefer the shorter rods. Easier to maneuver, easier to control the fish, and they run tighter to the boat. Our other junk rods are taloras, too, though and they're all great. Gradually, we've replaced everything else with them over the past few years and I'm really pleased.

 

That having been said, you don't need aerospace engineering for downriggers, and our Shimano TDRs served for many, many years...

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Sean Youngblood

Sean Youngblood

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Daiwa Heartlands, best bang for the buck, or if you really want to get long term investment, Fish Doctor custom rods!!!

Capt Rich

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Glad you have had good luck with the Heartlands.I have used alot of diffrent Daiwa rods and reels.I have had terible luck with the Heartlands.I have broke several that were less than a year old.I will use Daiwa rod but have written off Heartlands.

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Patriot

Patriot

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I will say this.....it was my fault that the rod broke....and Okuma took care of it..... Happy Scott? Lol

Sent from my VS980 4G using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Funny you mention a broken rod. I've fished since a kid at 12 years old, on my own, I'm 59 now and all that time I broke 1 rod.

Was trout fishing the Delaware River around 1990 or so, had my rod laying on a rock. I turned around to do something then turned towards the rod a tripped on a rock and my foot landed 18  inches from the tip. It was a Berkley IM6 limited edition spinning rod. Luckly I bought 2 of them

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MooseKnuckle VI

MooseKnuckle VI

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I have all Cabelas brand trolling rods. 7'-6" for the riggers and 9' for the dipseys. I've had them maybe 4 years now. They came with the depthmaster line counter reels. Overall they work fine. Only complaint is the line counter sticks sometimes. Had one that just plain quit but Cabelas replaced it with no problems. Time will tell how they hold up. I think they were only $90 for the combo, got them on sale for $75 maybe. Wasn't sure if I'd enjoy trolling when we first started a few years back so I got cheaper rods, ended up liking them and got more.

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Chas0218

Chas0218

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I have all Cabelas brand trolling rods. 7'-6" for the riggers and 9' for the dipseys. I've had them maybe 4 years now. They came with the depthmaster line counter reels. Overall they work fine. Only complaint is the line counter sticks sometimes. Had one that just plain quit but Cabelas replaced it with no problems. Time will tell how they hold up. I think they were only $90 for the combo, got them on sale for $75 maybe. Wasn't sure if I'd enjoy trolling when we first started a few years back so I got cheaper rods, ended up liking them and got more.

I have been running the depthmaster rods for a few seasons but have had the blank un-twist and split.  They have some serious bend, but seem to fail more often for me. I started to replace with Okuma DR rods 8'-6" and will eventually have some nicer walleye rods but for now these work.

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John E Powell

John E Powell

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As a custom builder I have the opportunity to do a fair number of repairs on factory rods. Overall quality control on the handle and reel seat assembly of Shimano trolling rods is hit or miss. Shimano is so big and produces rods so quickly that they honestly seem to have very little to no quality control, they just trust in the skill of their employees and handle warranty replacement for shoddy workmanship through the profit scale of economy affords them. 

 

A friend of mine, that I fish with often, has a complete set of Shimano rods on his boat from light 7' rigger rods to the long roller-guide diver rods, and about 20-30 percent of them have needed some form of corrective attention after just a few years use.

 

Without knowing total production of each model rod among all the various manufacturer's it's honestly difficult to offer an accurate assessment as to the build quality of handle assemblies because unless you tear a rod down for a rebuild, you can't see how the grips are attached, how they shimmed, prepped, and glued the reel seat, or attached butt caps. It's easier to judge things you can see like the thread wraps which hold guides in place, finish quality, durability, application, and film thickness. You can also inspect ferrules for uneven wear on two piece rods. Guide wear used to be another indicator, but not so much anymore as all the guides on moderately priced rods nowadays are pretty much up to the task.

 

I've been building rods since '79 and have seen some really good factory rods and a lot of just plain junk. If I was going to buy and fish a moderately priced factory rods, here's my choices.

 

Light to medium rigger, spring/mono inline planers, large boards - light 7' and 8'3" 1101 ugly stick

heavier rigger, lead core inline planers (except copper) - medium 7' ugly stick

copper - classic pro GLT copper rod

 

Divers are a very subjective rod. People have a lot of preferences as to power, reach, and action. Some rods might work well for smaller dipsies or slide divers, but be totally inadequate for magnum dipsies dredged deep on wire. Every boat is different, layouts of riggers and rod holders differ just like personal preferences. The kind of line is a factor, mono, braid, or wire? Because of all these overriding factors, I'm just not comfortable making a specific recommendation except one:

If it has adequate reach to clear your outdown, the shorter Shimano roller wire line rods make a good inside wire dipsy rod with larger sized divers.

 

There are certainly better factory rods from better companies at higher price points, but I see very few of the models I mentioned in for repairs. That, of course, doesn't mean you will get a Monday morning or Friday afternoon rod... none are perfect at any price.

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Yankee Troller

Yankee Troller

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As a custom builder I have the opportunity to do a fair number of repairs on factory rods. Overall quality control on the handle and reel seat assembly of Shimano trolling rods is hit or miss. Shimano is so big and produces rods so quickly that they honestly seem to have very little to no quality control, they just trust in the skill of their employees and handle warranty replacement for shoddy workmanship through the profit scale of economy affords them. 

 

A friend of mine, that I fish with often, has a complete set of Shimano rods on his boat from light 7' rigger rods to the long roller-guide diver rods, and about 20-30 percent of them have needed some form of corrective attention after just a few years use.

 

Without knowing total production of each model rod among all the various manufacturer's it's honestly difficult to offer an accurate assessment as to the build quality of handle assemblies because unless you tear a rod down for a rebuild, you can't see how the grips are attached, how they shimmed, prepped, and glued the reel seat, or attached butt caps. It's easier to judge things you can see like the thread wraps which hold guides in place, finish quality, durability, application, and film thickness. You can also inspect ferrules for uneven wear on two piece rods. Guide wear used to be another indicator, but not so much anymore as all the guides on moderately priced rods nowadays are pretty much up to the task.

 

I've been building rods since '79 and have seen some really good factory rods and a lot of just plain junk. If I was going to buy and fish a moderately priced factory rods, here's my choices.

 

Light to medium rigger, spring/mono inline planers, large boards - light 7' and 8'3" 1101 ugly stick

heavier rigger, lead core inline planers (except copper) - medium 7' ugly stick

copper - classic pro GLT copper rod

 

Divers are a very subjective rod. People have a lot of preferences as to power, reach, and action. Some rods might work well for smaller dipsies or slide divers, but be totally inadequate for magnum dipsies dredged deep on wire. Every boat is different, layouts of riggers and rod holders differ just like personal preferences. The kind of line is a factor, mono, braid, or wire? Because of all these overriding factors, I'm just not comfortable making a specific recommendation except one:

If it has adequate reach to clear your outdown, the shorter Shimano roller wire line rods make a good inside wire dipsy rod with larger sized divers.

 

There are certainly better factory rods from better companies at higher price points, but I see very few of the models I mentioned in for repairs. That, of course, doesn't mean you will get a Monday morning or Friday afternoon rod... none are perfect at any price.

 

John - Have you built any of MudHoles MHX downrigger blanks?

 

http://www.mudhole.com/Rod-Building/MHX-Salmon-Steelhead-Rod-Blanks

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