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| Business and the economy appear to be looking up (good news eh?) and therefore Slamr starts to look at blowing more money on gear (NOT BAITS...never going crazy down that route). Was in the garage last night, smoking (surprised?) and staring at the rod/reel combos....GODDAMN I LOVE WHAT I HAVE!!!! Just had to get that in there....
BUT of course, there is always something ELSE that I need. Thinking that I need a sucker combo....OK GUTTER BRAINS I MEAN FISHING ROD!!!! Looking for something over 8+ to go with a 6500C3 (see the clicker).....looking for a HEAVY action rod, thinking that I am going to be wanting HEAVY AMOUNTS OF POWER for those hooksets for fish that are 20ft down (lost a 48"+ a few weeks ago just like this), but something that could possibly double as a trolling rod or heavy crankbait rod. Before giving a suggestion, read below.
I am going to be using this rod SUPER EARLY AND SUPER LATE IN THE SEASON.....think 37 degrees with snow and wind. Now someone tell me the chances that on a QUALITY ROD (no Rizzos for me anymore) along the lines of Loomis, St.Croix, Diamondback, Lamiglas.......that in these conditions I really have to worry about breakage, or basically any kind of damage from the elements if I go with graphite (verus using fiberglass). AND, if I do have to worry about snapping a graphite rod or basically f***ing it up, is it going to make a difference if I am using a higher quality graphite rod versus a cheap-o? Or is fiberglass the only way to go? Please give me your experiences, your suggestions, or basically just a word or 2.
Slamr
*as much as I sucker fish (or really just play SUCKER BOY for the boat) the pic attached is the only g****ed fish I have been able to boat!!! |
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| Earth calling Slamr...... dude that loomis you got is a sucker rod. [:blackeye:] |
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| Slamr, Take a look at the Bass Pro Shops Cat Max fiberglass rods. They are 49.99, are the sizes you want and work great for those late season runs with mr. musky. Your Abu will fit on it nicely and if it breaks just go back and get a new one. With their "yes we can" policy, you'll get a new one and be on your way. Hope this helps. |
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| My dad made four impulse buys on garcia colonon bucktail rods even though if he thought about it would never use them and would not. Since they were being unused they are now our sucker/trolling rods. So far so good and no troubles even in the cold weather. |
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| Hey Bud,
I don't think you know what a 48+ fish looks like!!!!!!
[;)]
Can't beat the St. Croix 8' Classic Cat.....It's a fiberglass/Graphite blend....plenty of back bone and you can use it for trolling too. Oh I forgot you don't troll!!!!!!![:bigsmile:]
WHO YOU CALLING "SUCKER" |
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| Slamr - I have been using fiberglass in the fall for the past 20 years and will continue to do so. Never have had a failure and the prices are a whole lot more attractive. Today the selections are great, especially the newer "catfish" rods. Just picked up a closeout Quantum 7'6" for $30.00 @ Fleet Farm. Can't wait to test it this November. Would'nt want to use it for casting, it weighs a ton, but it sure will work for soaking the filet mignons. |
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| Classic Cats if you have the cash.....
IF NOT: South Bend makes a catfish rod that comes in 8 ft and 7 ft heavy. It is fiberglass and has SERIOUS backbone...none of that wimpy tip stuff, especially the 8 ft. I got the rod on sale at Sports Authority in Madison for like 20 bucks. Oh and they work too..caught a few on it last year up to 45 inches (see attached..rod pictured in lower corner of pic).
I have used it too for trolling and works great. Scotty Jenkins like them too after seeing mine he ran out and bought two himself. He has the 7 footers.
So if you don't want to drop over 100$ for a sucker rod check them out...they are white with a bright yellow tip and black wraps.
Otherwise I will show you what kind of load they can handle this fall on Lake X as I drive home the hooks!!
Cory
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| Thanks for all the options....BUT, no one told me whether or not I need to worry about breakage under harsh (cold) condidtions with graphite. Any experiences? Thoughts? Pontifications?
Slamr |
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| Can't tell you as far as using graphite for musky in winter but most all of the rockfish guides here use glass as they have had breakage w/ graphite rods...after losing a few 40+ lb. fish they didn't waste any time in doing so either...I use the same rod Cory posted on + in my opinion for the $$$ you can't go wrong...yes the graphite can break in cold weather! [:sun:] |
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| If you want to get technical Slamr. Yes, there is a somewhat greater chance of blowing up a higher quality graphite rod than a fiberglass or blended (graphite/fiberglass) rod. Has to do with the modulus of elasticity and loading properties. You will always get more broken rods with graphite than fiberglass because graphite loads much quicker putting more pressure on the rod at certain stress points. Very cold weather compounds the loading problem because as materials get colder they lose some elasticity. Fiberglass has way more give this way than graphite.
BrianW[:bigsmile:] |
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| Thanks DocE, long time no see. Tell the LITTLE woman I say hi....
Slamr |
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| SLAMR-
Go with the Tony Rizzo Special. A 6'9" extra heavy will do.
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| Hey Slamr, those graphite rods will break in cold weather. I had two stiff action rods rated up to 6 ounces break on me in the same day with suckers. Go with a classic cat or proglass rod and don't worry about breaking one on the hookset anymore. |
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| Slamr,
We've got the Pete Maina Signature Combos and just love them! We haven't had one problem with them yet. We haven't fished them in the summer but in the Fall they get a good workout. You should take a look at these because there a good sucker combo. |
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| Slamr,
I have blown up two rods in the past 30 years of my fishing life. One was a fiberglass rod in mid July/August broke on the hookset while fishing Cats. The other was a graphite St.X rod two years ago on a Muskie hookset with a home made quick strike rig and about a 16"-18" sucker. The rod was in good condition (so I thought)so I don't believe there was previous damage to it. The weather conditions were upper 20's to lower 30's during the week of Thanksgiving.
I fish glass rods when rigging suckers, but I do so because I like the power and bend of the rod as much as the fear of breaking a graphite rod. I used graphite in the cold for years with no problems until I broke one. The rod I broke was on it's first season so I don't beleive it to be fatigue as the cause. The glass rod I broke on the Cat was older.
The South Bend C.Painter mentioned are good rods. I have heard some very good things about Pete's stuff from Bass Pro for trolling and for sucker use but have no personal experience with them.
Good luck,
Mark
www.muskyadventures.com |
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| Slammr
I dont sucker fish but I have a rod that everbody always tells me would be a great sucker rod when I meet people...it is a fenwick fiberglass lunker stick...very stiff but yet with give in the glass and 5 1/2 ft long,,maybe we could swap if intrested |
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| Slamr,
Got to agree with Ralph on this one.I've been using 7' XH St. Croix Pro Glass for the last few years and they've been adequate+ but I will be using a pair of 8' Classic Cats this fall.Mount a 7000 on there and you've got a sucker combo for the ages!!!The rod is a brute stick!Talk to ya' soon. Steve |
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| Slamr,
For the perfect outfit as you described your needs I would suggest a catapault. Load the machine at about 400# payload, and when you need to set the hook, simply trip the lever, and stand by with the net as the fish comes back down....
Seriously, the 8' Cat Series from any of the rod companies, are perfect.[::)] |
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Sucker Rod: Fiberglass vs. Graphite