need new rod

After breaking my rod a week or so ago at Egg Rock, I'm looking to buy another. I figured I'd actually get something decent for a change instead of the usual 20 dollar variety I've fished with for years. Probably need to buy a new reel too, the basic Penn reel I have is pretty big and heavy. I want something for all-around fishing; I don't have room to carry more than one rod 'cause I'm usually packing dive gear too. (I do have a smaller spinning set-up for casting already).  I'd like to feel the fish but I want to be able to land a big salmon, 'cause some day I know it's gonna happen again. I think I'd like the handle on the left 'cause that's what I grew up with and I still am not used to reeling with my right hand. I'm not interested in spending more than a couple hundred dollars. Any suggestions?

I just got a Penn 321 GTI left hand reel and love it. It was under $100. Look on ebay. One just sold brand new for $67 including shipping!!! It is a bit heavier than what I was used to. I was using the smaller lighter Abu Garcia 6501 C3, a left handed retrieve also. I think the Penn will handle the larger fish much easier. I carry both reels now when I go out.

What is your price range?

You can get pretty spendy if you want to.

MolBasser

MMMmmmmmm  Trinidad TN14

($350)

MolBasser

I'm not interested in spending more than a couple hundred dollars. Any suggestions?

Oops, my bad.

MolBasser

rich, order quickly:

https://www.ffo-tackle.com/detail.cfm?PassProdId=2342

5 left.

That's a pretty good deal, but the rod is sort of sucky, but it essentially like buying a 6501 and getting a free rod.

I think he was trying to upgrade rods a bit.

MolBasser

well, it's a 7 foot 10-25lb 1 piece graphite rod by a reputable manufacturer.

how sucky can it be? it might be sucky compared to the high end
stuff, but most would probably find it pretty good and plenty capable.

I do like longer rods myself. Also that 6501 is an older non-carbon-fiber drag model. but you can
add that yourself for $9.

But I can almost guarantee that if rich spends $200 on a rod/reel, he will break/lose that one too.

you know how that goes.

the expensive ones break just as easy and sink just as fast. sometimes faster,  . ask mooch!

also we are talking about the guy who follows up shark sighting posts asking how the halibut spearing is.
so based on his posts, it would appear rich is crazy and he breaks stuff.   . 

imo, he should stick with cheaper stuff, but maybe buy more of them. or else go long and get
a custom rod from erik k.  . then he would dive in after it (well he might do that just
for fun) and try hard not to high stick and break it.

Thanks you guys. Two piece rod is essential for me. Jmairey, I'll address the insanity issue later (after I get one of those 'buts).
How about the 8 1/2 foot Ugly Stick, medium heavy? Anyone have one?

I had one and hated it heavy and clunky. I like the fiberglass lamiglas mooching rods for about $90.http://www.lamiglas.com/prod_indiv.php?groupid=45

rich, I only said you were crazy. insane is totally different. 

I like 8.5' 2 piece too. with 3.5" cut off the butt so you can reach the reel while sitting down. 

those ugly stick rods are not real sensitive, but super durable, I have 2 spinning models.  you can get a 9' 2 piece ugly stick @ fisherman's warehouse for about $70, they probably have them @ coastside #2 as well.

have you fished with them? you can feel the big strikes, but not the little ones. you'll see the tip move, but feel nothing in your hand. I don't like drift fishing with them for that reason. you could miss a lot of strikes. fine for trolling.

you can get it here too:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166&id=0011493110349a&navCount=4&podId=0011493&parentId=cat600377&navAction=push&catalogCode=IG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat600377&hasJS=true

if you don't care as much about sensitivity, why not go cheap tho:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166&id=0004947115024a&navCount=13&podId=0004947&parentId=cat20372&navAction=push&catalogCode=IG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20372&hasJS=true

still plenty durable.

I have decided I need all the help feeling a strike I can get, I'm not freddie savage. so graphite for me unless trolling.

I also like everything to be pretty light. heavy sucks on a kayak especially if you are not a huge dude. that's why I like
those abu reels.

I use the shakespeare 'catera' or 'intrepid' 8.5' 2-piece 10-30lb made of graphite for non-trolling stuff. I guess it's a generic steelhead rod. not so durable, but super light and sensitive. cheap too, $50 @ fisherman's warehouse.  If I'm trolling I have a 10.5' cabelas trolling rod I got for $17.50, close-out 50% off deal. cut some off the butt on that one too, it's 9'11.5" now.

maybe get yourself a long cheap fiberglass rod for mostly trolling and a slightly more expensive and less durable graphite one for when you want more sensitivity like for rockfish or halibut or sabiki use. you can get two rods and one 6501 with 300 yards of 30lb braid for less than $200.

good luck on the 'buts!

Thanks John and everyone. John, I'm probably just a bit loco but I do aspire to insanity. It's part of the contractor/dad/freediver mission in life!
I am now a bit confused but that is better than knowing nothing. When salmon are happening (most other years) that is about the only fishing I do; mainly trolling. Am I going to be unhappy with a longish (8 1/2) rod with a medium or so action for trolling? I've always had a stiff 7' rod; am I going to miss hooking fish with a softer rod?

well, it's a 7 foot 10-25lb 1 piece graphite rod by a reputable manufacturer.

how sucky can it be? it might be sucky compared to the high end
stuff, but most would probably find it pretty good and plenty capable.

Yeah, must be my inner bass fisherman talking.  It is fairly low modulus compared to the rods I fish with.  I'm sure it would be servicable, but he said in his OP he was looking to upgrade from servicable.

Now he is saying he must have 2 piece and I have to recuse myself from the discussion as I can't stand 2 piece rods except for backpacking and I still  don't like the rod but don't have a choice.

If you get the 6501 for the ocean I would buy a power handle for it to replace the twin handle.

PS, I just LOVE the 6501.

MolBasser

if you are mostly trolling sensitivity doesn't matter much. you
will only wish you had a more sensitive rod if you are fishing for
halibut or rockfish or striper or even using a sabiki for
anchovies. basically any non-trolling application.

so the 8 to 9 foot ugly stick would be just fine for trolling. but
there are a lot of cheap durable fiberglass rods that will work
well for trolling.

longer rods sometimes have longer handles which you might not like
if you are used to a 7' rod.  I have an 8.5' rod and cut a few
inches off the handle so it matches the handle length of a 7' rod.

the rod mickfish suggests is real nice. I have seen that one @
bayside marine in santa cruz for ~$90.  it is fiberglass but
probably pretty sensitive, it is built lighter. I have only picked
it up and admired it, not fished it. probably pretty good all
around for ocean fishing out of lindamar, and that's a fancy brand
name, fishing a lamiglas rod is like driving a BMW.

the abu garcia ambassadeur 6501 C3 model should be about $70 or
$80 @ bass pro shops.  but there are a lot of nice reels in the
$50-$110 range that are real similar.

In the end you will catch fish and have fun with most anything you
get.

J

I prefer the extra long butt on rods so that if I have a heavy one on I can rest the butt against my seat like a fighting belt.