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| Scotties are it for me too. The Striker model is much adjustable than the downeasters, and it cradles the fore-end of the rod to reduce stress at the reel seat. Yes, the Scotties are plastic BUT they are designed for big halibut and rock cod that weigh in excess of 200 pounds, so muskies are minnows to these rod holders. The new model has a special stainless insert that makes them even stronger still. The down easters are made of a white metal alloy, and fatigue over time. They WILL snap if you put too much torque on them, especially in the really cold weather. They also have some rough edges that can cause problems. It is more difficult to get the rod out of a down easter with a larger fish in my opinion. I've tried both, and I've been using the Scotties now for 8 1/2 years without the slightest hint of a problem. They also offer a greater array of mounting options than the down easters. Once the base is installed, it takes all of 10 seconds to remove them from the boat. You can buy different mounting bases, so the rod holders are portable between different boats once the bases are installed.
If you don't think they're up to the task, Bill Craig has been using them for 15 years on the Upper Ottawa. The only guy who puts anywhere close to the numbers of big fish in their boat that Bill does is Mike Lazarus. He regularly tangles with 30 pound plus fish. In fact, he released a 55 x 25 last Thursday (that was stuffed with mooneyes) that was a 42-45 pound fish. He won't use anything else, and also has never had a problem with them either.
With due respect for the number of guys that do use the down easters, I don't think you can go wrong with either the Scotty Strikers or down easter salties. Price 'em out and check out the availability of both (with the mounting bases you want) and get fishing!
Steve Wickens | |
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