Best Downrigger Rods

[35hawkeye]

I need to add a few downrigger rods to my arsenal. I would like to use Fenwick Riggersticks but they have not been made in years and can not find them for sale.

What would be a best downrigger rods to purchase? I like downrigger rods that have a fast action.

[SeaCatMich]

The Shimano Talora rods come in medium fast actions and medium-light to heavy power with 7', 8', and 9' lengths. Plenty fast (I wouldn't want any faster action for a downrigger application). Plus a lifetime warranty. I have them and they do a great job. The medium power have plenty of backbone for big Kings -- even the 7' model.

Click on the "Specifications" tab at this page at shimano.com to see the details on the various models:
http://fish.shimano.com/publish/cont...ner_Board.html

[big][font color="navy"]Ryan
Think [/font][font color="green"]KINGS!! [/font][/big]

[Thirsty Whaler]

I'll second Ryan's recommendation-very well made rods that are bomb proof.

[Twinpups]

I love the taloras and am also very happy with shimano tdr s. I have a bunch of broken rods laying around but not a single one of them is a shimano

[TAMTAM]

If you want good reliable solid very nice action 8.6 in lenght look for USA made old St.Croix rigger rods 20lbs! (cannot remember the actual model)
Got four of them the best rods I ever had on the riggers.
A bit slow action with great backbone when needed bends nicely to the releases, great quality nothing breaks them! (its true thrust me tested)
Did replace them for a couple of years with ringless inline rods crap but now they are back again.
Also great fun to play the fish. regards

[The Candyman]

I switched to Shakespeare Ugly Stiks a couple of years ago and I really like them. I think they're a little less expensive that the Shimanos too.
Dave

[chauzer]

not to hi-jack your post but who made the downrigger rods that had the spiral guides on them?

[Twinpups]

I have one with the spiral guides, has walker downriggers lable on it called chinook classic tournament twist. It seems ok, loads up nice for a rigger rod, not my personal favorite but the giude system is intresting

[Jekyll]

I haven't owned or used every downrigger rod made in the last century therefore, I can't make any credible statement on the "best downrigger rods". I doubt anyone can.

I can tell you I don't like Taloras and won't put them or any other graphite rod on my boat because they are prone to arcing when thunderstorms are in the area. I've had Taloras snapping, popping and arcing with storms 10 miles away. Anything building up a charge on the water can act as a lightning rod.

I do like Heartland, some Okuma rods and Ugly Sticks. Cabela's rods are inexpensive and serviceable and they will usually replace them for ANY reason, even breaking them in your tail gate. Gander Mountain Guide Series are good rods as well.

I had 2 Eagle Claw rods break on their first use when popping the riggers. Nothing yellow allowed on my boat, rods or fruit.

[HONDAM]

I also vote for the Taloras. Mainly because the lifetime warrenty. Accidents happen and its nice being able to simply exchange it vs having to buy a whole new rod.

[Thirsty Whaler]

You might want to reread the rod components of the rods you mention-graphite, graphite, graphite. You are right, the depolarization that proceeds a lightning strike does occur at the Earth's surface initially.

[Jekyll]

Well I'll be...I thought the others were glass. I only get the arcing with the Taloras, never anything else. Must be somethinng else in the Taloras causing/contributing to it.

[chauzer]

thanks twinpups!

[TopDawG]

Best downrigger rods are wolverine charter choice. They're a tiger blank made by shakespeare, once again though they are very tough to find. St. Croix make a helluva glass rod, I use 10 ft for dypsy and some board rods. Also use 7ft for walleye trolling. Talora is a nice rod, I have used just about every model they make and I was never impressed with the down rigger rods. good dypsy 10ft and 7 ft with stainless guides for copper and lead. Also used RP2 winfield. If you can afford them another great quality glass rod. No eagle claw or okumas on my boat!

[Patriot]

>not to hi-jack your post but who made the downrigger rods
>that had the spiral guides on them?
I believe Berkley made the first rod with spiral guides around 1993. I use these exclusively and never had one break.