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Posts: 286
Location: VA | Whats the best rod and reel for casting pounders? |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Do a search, please. this one has been beaten almost beyond good information, and you'll find all you need in recent discussions.
here's a short sampling using the keywords Best Rod in one forum:
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/search/query.asp?fid=0&action...
Another thread:
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=61...
Another:
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=61... |
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Posts: 1224
Location: Okoboji | Toro winch revo and a xxh 9' tackle industries rod |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | What Kodiak said a Toro Winch on a Tackle Industries XXH Rod
one of the best combo for the Pounder !!!!!
If you don't like a low profile reel like the Toro then the Calcutta 400TE is one of the finest reels you can buy today.
GOOD LUCK with your search |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Okuma telescoping in the heaviest actions and two longest lengths will do a great job on pounders, the TI rods have a great reputation, but I can't vouch for them because I keep forgetting to order one. Tooth Tamer has a rod that will handle the pounder well, so does St Croix, and about every other Muskie rod builder out there including the garage guys. It comes down to personal preference. Pick up the rod with the reel of your choice strapped on, and see how it feels. You will spend from $125 to $500 depending on what you decide is the 'best' for you. Asking a wide demographic like the crew here will get you plenty of recommendations from low to WOW pricing.
Reels are another story. Big bait reels like the Daiwa, Abu, Shimano, etc all are expensive, and for a reason. The stress on a reel throwing 1 pound of stuff out there is tremendous. I'd recommend you not try to use a reel that is designed for the lighter loads, you will have problems. It's sort of like going to a Tractor Pull and entering your lawn tractor.
No matter which you choose, get a Bass Pro rod balancer kit. Worth it's weight in gold when using long, heavier sticks tossing big weights all day. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | The past few seasons, the Okuma 8'6XXH has been the pounder workhorse for me with some time on the 9'3" XH Okuma. In both cases, an Abu 7000 has been the reel and has held up to the constant pounding it gets with ripping a pounder for hours on end. For the money, this set up has been excellent! |
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Posts: 1224
Location: Okoboji | so using a C4 garcia would be like bringing a spitball to a tank fight?! lol |
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Posts: 202
| I would recommend the Tooth Tamer XXXH 8 foot rod which handles lures from 8-48 ounces. For feel the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Winch handles pounders like no other reel that I have used.
Captain Doug Kloet
http://www.dougkloet.com |
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Posts: 1224
Location: Okoboji | reeds had them 20% off but i dont know if they still are. |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | why the winch for pounders? |
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Location: Sun Prairie, WI | fish4musky1 - 11/17/2010 11:56 AM why the winch for pounders? Yeah, I don't get it either. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | If $ is not a concern. Have Frank (one_more_cast_) build you a custom rod, then slap a 400 TE on it. Best possible rod/reel combination. If you have a budget, I would recommend the Okuma 9'3 XH, and a 5:3 to 1 reel. I use 7000s myself, but I am waiting patiently to try the new Isis from Okuma on my 9'3 XH for pounders. |
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| Custom Calstar Grafighter built by Frank with a Calcutta TE. The Grafighter throws them with little effort. Rod loads up perfectly. You pay for the luxury of being able to cast them all day long. They aren't cheap. $350 plus |
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Posts: 8835
| fish4musky1 - 11/17/2010 11:56 AM
why the winch for pounders?
I was wondering that myself. |
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Posts: 182
Location: musky waters of SE, WI | Legend big dawg and calcutta lucanus jig reel! |
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Posts: 432
Location: Eagan, MN | esoxaddict - 11/17/2010 12:44 PM
fish4musky1 - 11/17/2010 11:56 AM
why the winch for pounders?
I was wondering that myself.
Glad I'm not the only one... nice to have some speed to take up the slack. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | The size of the pinion gear in the Toro Winch, is twice the size of the 6.4:1 pinion gear, so when you are cranking in 12-14oz of dead weight, the gears in a winch will last longer then a high speed gears like the 6.4:1. I know line pickup is nice but you will replace 6.4:1 gears a lot faster, the 4.6:1 gears will just last longer. I think a set of gears both pinion and main is about $35.00, so you should replace the 6.4:1 about every year, after hard use of a full season, then your reel will be quiet and smooth. When a pinion gear teeth wear, they will take set/bend that is when a reel will start to make grinding noise.
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Posts: 432
Location: Eagan, MN | I know that you know a lot about reels, but two things I question... 1) I understand that the gear is bigger, but the part that wears is the teeth, is there any difference in the size of the teeth? 2) I don't find dawgs that difficult to crank in, they don't really wobble or vibrate and just kinda slip right through the water, not at any worse than an average size bucktail really imo. |
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Posts: 286
Location: VA | How do the telescoping rods hold up over time? I have never had or seen one. Very limited in VA for musky tackle shops. |
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Posts: 618
Location: Michigan | cast10K - 11/17/2010 4:34 PM
I don't find dawgs that difficult to crank in, they don't really wobble or vibrate and just kinda slip right through the water, not at any worse than an average size bucktail really imo.
I agree, and most of the time I use them as a jerkbait so the angler is mostly reeling in slack line and not a ton of lure weight. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | cast10K - 11/17/2010 3:34 PM
I know that you know a lot about reels, but two things I question... 1) I understand that the gear is bigger, but the part that wears is the teeth, is there any difference in the size of the teeth? 2) I don't find dawgs that difficult to crank in, they don't really wobble or vibrate and just kinda slip right through the water, not at any worse than an average size bucktail really imo.
The teeth are the same size but the 6.4:1 pinion does not have the size/bulk of the 4.6:1 pinion. I think a 6.4:1 pinion has about 10 teeth and the 4.6:1 has about 14 teeth, so on the 6.4:1 will only have say 2-3 teeth engaging on the main and a 4.6:1 will have 4-5 teeth engaging the main gear, If you could look at a pinion gear you could see what I'm saying, a 6.4:1 pinion will not hold up to cranking/jerking of Pounders. Yes when you take up slack line there is no wear on the gears but when you RIP/JERK a Pounder the pinion and main gear takes all the the wear and tear. Like I said when a set of H/Speed gears wear out replace them, but a set of 4.6:1 gears will last longer. I see alot of guys engage a reel before the bait hits the water, and 12-14oz will destroy any pinion but a high speed one just can't take that kind of pounding from a pounder. |
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Posts: 8835
| So why not go with a mid-range ratio like 5.4:1?? Crank anything under a load with a 6.4:1 and it's going to wear out, nobody is arguing that. But the way most people fish the dawg is with long pulls, using the rod, and then using the reel to take up the slack line. A low gear ratio reel like the winch may hold up better in the long run, but you'll be fighting to keep up with the bait on your retrieve, having to reel like a maniac to take up the slack line. I see that as a cause for MANY missed fish, as it's been my experience that they hit it most often on the drop. |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | I have tried my winch for dawgs and don't like it at all... too much reeling to pick up slack. I stuck with it for a few hours because I paid so much for the thing and figured it's got to be better for something other than blades. I switched to the 5.4 toro and couldn't believe how much easier it was to work them. As stated above, my retrieve with a dawg only requires me to reel in slack line, so there isn't much pressure on the gears when reeling. The only issue is ripping them, which I would think takes a toll in the anti reverse, and the anti reverse seems pretty solid in the revo's. I haven't heard of anyone having issues with them like the Daiwa luna and St. Croix reels. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | I've never had an issue with the telescoping rods at all. First time I have ever owned a telescoping rod was when I picked up the Okumas. They've been solid with ripping anything from 14" jakes to pounders. Now if my back and wrist would just hold up. 
Mullhead - 11/17/2010 3:41 PM
How do the telescoping rods hold up over time? I have never had or seen one. Very limited in VA for musky tackle shops. |
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Posts: 1224
Location: Okoboji | fish4musky1 - 11/17/2010 5:20 PM
I have tried my winch for dawgs and don't like it at all... too much reeling to pick up slack. I stuck with it for a few hours because I paid so much for the thing and figured it's got to be better for something other than blades. I switched to the 5.4 toro and couldn't believe how much easier it was to work them. As stated above, my retrieve with a dawg only requires me to reel in slack line, so there isn't much pressure on the gears when reeling. The only issue is ripping them, which I would think takes a toll in the anti reverse, and the anti reverse seems pretty solid in the revo's. I haven't heard of anyone having issues with them like the Daiwa luna and St. Croix reels.
Wanna sell that winch? |
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Posts: 196
| I would suggest any 8' 6" rod rated for the weight. I use a musky innovations pounder rod, they aren't very expensive, but no more than you throw a pounder the heavier rod doesn't seem to be an issue.
For a reel, a calcutta 400B will get the job done, but if you want to use this rod for only big lures, I would say get the Diawa saltist 40LW. I have one on my pounder rod and when you are looking at them, they have a relatively low gear ratio, however do to the spool size, it picks up something crazy like 47 inches of line per crank. This reel is practically a boat winch and I'm pretty sure if you were feeling jumpy that day it would probably reel in two pounders with no issues! |
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Posts: 230
| I'd vote for the Legend Tournament Big Dawg as well. As far as the reel goes, I love my Saltist 30HA for ripping bulldawgs, it picks up the slack in one crank of the handle. The drag could be replaced, I plan on upgrading to Carbontex washers. Standard drag is around 15 pounds I believe, which is a little on the light side. |
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Posts: 7090
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | I'm a big fan of the 8'6" XXH eVx rod from Okuma. Tried that 9'3" XH in the eVx lineup, but just couldnt get the feel for such a long rod. I feel like there's a lot of pwer in this rod and I haven't had any breakage problems in the telescoping features or casting in even the coldest of temps. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I personally think the Mike Hulbert 9 ft. Heavy is an amazing pounder rod.....priced right and and BOMBS and RIPS pounders like a mother!!!! |
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Posts: 285
Location: Price County WI | 400TE and a Tooth Tamer Jawbreaker XXX. |
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Pounder Rod and Reel??