New rod for Lingcod, Rockfish, Halibut, etc.

I have been really impressed with the Okuma Baidarka rods.

+1 -- won it at one of YakHoppers events. I'd passed them up a couple times when shopping for a rod, but have grown to really like it. Been using mine for about a year now, works like a champ. I also like Ugly Stiks, probably the best value.

Just to throw in something different, I also like my Okuma Guide Select a lot. Light with lots of back-bone. I've been snagged up and heaving on the thing w/o a problem. Cost about $100 and I think came with a lifetime warranty.

Ben

I don't know about you all, but more times than not my reel finds a way to get very wet if not submerged while fishing from my yak.  Not a problem...my Penn Reel can be taken apart flushed with fesh water and cleaned in a matter of minutes.  If for no other reason than this, I swear by the Conventional Penn Senator or Jigmaster series.  I find a ton of these (used/refurbished) on eBay for under 50$.  There's a reason why Penn hasn't changed their basic design for many years...toughness, reliability, simplicity and cost, not to mention ease of cleaning and maintenance.   

I don't know about you all, but more times than not my reel finds a way to get very wet if not submerged while fishing from my yak.  Not a problem...my Penn Reel can be taken apart flushed with fesh water and cleaned in a matter of minutes.  If for no other reason than this, I swear by the Conventional Penn Senator or Jigmaster series.  I find a ton of these (used/refurbished) on eBay for under 50$.  There's a reason why Penn hasn't changed their basic design for many years...toughness, reliability, simplicity and cost, not to mention ease of cleaning and maintenance.   

Mango is right and Alan Tani, "The Reel God", would agree that the most practical reels for saltwater kayak fishing are the old school Penn reels.  Alan also says he prefer that our reels have bushings rather than bearings for ease of maintenance.

I don't know about you all, but more times than not my reel finds a way to get very wet if not submerged while fishing from my yak.  Not a problem...my Penn Reel can be taken apart flushed with fesh water and cleaned in a matter of minutes.  If for no other reason than this, I swear by the Conventional Penn Senator or Jigmaster series.  I find a ton of these (used/refurbished) on eBay for under 50$.  There's a reason why Penn hasn't changed their basic design for many years...toughness, reliability, simplicity and cost, not to mention ease of cleaning and maintenance.   

Mango is right and Alan Tani, "The Reel God", would agree that the most practical reels for saltwater kayak fishing are the old school Penn reels.  Alan also says he prefer that our reels have bushings rather than bearings for ease of maintenance.

had this conversation with EricB. From guns to reels (ak47 & colt 1911a to Penn reels), sometimes "loose tolerances" are an advantage to keep a machine working under dirty circumstances.

Well, that and I HATE kayak rods w/extra-long butts! It's kinda uncomfortable to have the butt of the rod jabbing me in the stomach all day while jigging.

Pat, I see it better the other way. I like the longer butt cause I like tucking it underneath my armpit for better leverage. AND, when I set the rod on my rear flushmount rod holder, it keeps the reel higher off the water and get's less paddle splash when I'm trolling.

The long butt thing isn't as much of an issue when baitfishing or fishing vertically, like for rockfish. But try casting a plug 100 times and you'll have issues.
Like you said though, it's always a tradeoff--the shorter butts don't sit in the flush-mounts very well and are also prone to get more water splashed on em.
There is no one-size-fits-all rod, especially in the context of kayak fishing. For me, it's all about knowing what you personally like/dislike in a rod, and then finding a rod that meets your preferences. And the best way to find out what you prefer is to try lots of different types.

The long butt thing isn't as much of an issue when baitfishing or fishing vertically, like for rockfish. But try casting a plug 100 times and you'll have issues.
Like you said though, it's always a tradeoff--the shorter butts don't sit in the flush-mounts very well and are also prone to get more water splashed on em.
There is no one-size-fits-all rod, especially in the context of kayak fishing. For me, it's all about knowing what you personally like/dislike in a rod, and then finding a rod that meets your preferences. And the best way to find out what you prefer is to try lots of different types.

so you are sayin' I gotta HANDLE LOTS OF RODS!

The long butt thing isn't as much of an issue when baitfishing or fishing vertically, like for rockfish. But try casting a plug 100 times and you'll have issues.
Like you said though, it's always a tradeoff--the shorter butts don't sit in the flush-mounts very well and are also prone to get more water splashed on em.
There is no one-size-fits-all rod, especially in the context of kayak fishing. For me, it's all about knowing what you personally like/dislike in a rod, and then finding a rod that meets your preferences. And the best way to find out what you prefer is to try lots of different types.

so you are sayin' I gotta HANDLE LOTS OF RODS!

Yup, cause you gotta make sure the rod works for you and the butt I guess. 

This post is quite old and I was wondering if it will be possible to get an update for a reasonably price set rod/reel.