Rod recommendations

[dschmunis]

Hi everyone,

I recently (2019) moved to Hillsboro from CA and am looking to explore all the fantastic rivers and fishing opportunities that the PNW has to offer.

As such I need to go buy some salmon/steelhead gear. I got reels (Okuma Trio BF-40 for drifting and Penn Fierce III for spinning). Next up I need to get some roads. So here's where I need some help.

What should I be looking for in terms of length/action for drifting and spinning?

My research indicates that for:
drift: 9'6" to 10'6" medium/heavy fast action road
spinning: 9' t 9'6" medium fast action road

Yes/no? Something else?
Any brand recommendations? My budget is probably no more than about $250ish per road

Thank for all the help and looking forward to meeting some of you at some point in the river!

Stay safe and stay healthy!
D

 

[Fishnsleep]

Are you fishing from a drift boat, bank or other?
If you are drifting and spinning sounds like fishing from shore?

 

[dschmunis]

Hey @Fishnsleep I guess I forgot an important detail! Bank/shore!

Thanks!
D

 

[nikita_pdx]

I've liked using GLoomis rods in drifting-IMX Steelhead Drift, E6X Steelhead (E6X 1084-2S STR).

Would you be using the spinning rod as a float rod or for spinners/spoons?

 

[dschmunis]

@nikita_pdx looking to get two roads. One for spinning/spoons and one for float

 

[nikita_pdx]

I’m not 100% sure about float rods but for spinning the lamiglas inifintity series is very nice. I bet their float rods in that series are good too

 

[dschmunis]

Thx @nikita_pdk. Will check them out!

Any advice on length, line # and action types?

 

[nikita_pdx]

Infinity ISS 90 MS for spinners and spoons. Refer to others for a float rod​

 

[Artwo]

For a steelhead float rod I use the Okuma Guide Select Pro GSP-S-992ML and really like this rod. I've used it for coho as well and it has handled them just fine as well............

 

[dschmunis]

@Artwo what action and line weight should I get for drif and what for spinning?

 

[nikita_pdx]

For drifting I like to use super thin braid (20-30lb) so that there is as little influence from the water and wind as possible.

 

[dschmunis]

any recommendations on stiffness/action? I read that for drift I want a longer and stiffer road (10’+ and fast action) and for spinning somewhat shorter, may be a 9’ and medium action?

 

[nikita_pdx]

Sounds about right. Drifting would be 9-10ft + with a good backbone and flexible/sensitive tip. M-MH

 

[Artwo]

@Artwo what action and line weight should I get for drif and what for spinning?

Sorry, not much help with those as I can only make a recommendation for the float rod as don't do much if any drift and/or spinner fishing...

 

[Spoonplugger1]

9 1/2 ft. 6 to 15 lb. line rod will cover 95% of the steelhead needs, all presentations. Lamiglas X-11 is a good start, LX96MS spinning rod. For your salmon rod, since it's also a spinning reel, the Lamiglas Redline HS 94 HS, it uses the same exact blank as the much more expensive XXC 934 rods which are probably the most used salmon rods out there.

 

[dschmunis]

@Spoonplugger1 thank you for the recommendations. Ended u getting 2 gloomis e6x 8-17. one 9-6 and a 10