Another downrigger rod question

[Patriot]

Is there a manufacturer that makes a factory spiral wrap downrigger rod?

[Miss em]

Not that I know of Greg.  I think Fenwick made one at one time and Berkley had theirs that made the spiral with one offset guide on the butt section and the tip section that just went on upside down.  I rebuilt twelve of those for a boat in Mexico Bay a few years back but I made my spiral over 6 guides, just like we do on the ones we make now.

[Patriot]

Yea Jeff, I searched for about 2 hours yesterday and found nothing from the major manufactures. Now I'm just thinking Shamino Talora or the Daiwa DXT rods.

[bigblue]

I just sold my last Fenwick spiral stick and was glad to get rid of it . I have run them on and off for years they all fail eventually they stress the blank and blow up like a 12 gauge shotgun on big fish . Had this happen on several rods both composite and glass . The Taloras have been bullet proof for me .

[fishdawg]

I think Walker might have been the last to manufacture the "twist" style downrigger rod. This was maybe about 5 years ago.... ?

[Miss em]

Walker had those inverted level wind reels a few years back that hung like a spinning reel too. I guess the concept never took off.

[Patriot]

Did Walker sell out their business to Bert's Tackle?

[bigblue]

Yes they did going on two years now.

[Chas0218]

I have several of the walker rods, they work fantastic.  I always get a bunch of confused looks with these rods because people don't know which way to hold them.

 

I believe they are called walker chinook classics.

 

Looks like FishUSA used to sell them.

 

http://www.fishusa.com/product/Walker-Downrigger-Rods