Any spinning rod recommendations?

[Andy Macfarlane]

Dan, it does sound like you're asking a lot of one rod. A 9 foot will cover a lot of things but you'd lose a lot of sensitivity when fishing for trout and you wouldn't have the length advantage you'd have with a shorter rod. A shorter rod again, would cover a lot of applications but then you'd feel slightly under-gunned for the pollack. I really have to go along with Ken here.

Buying 2 rods need not cost the earth though. There are loads of really nice little 6 foot rods that you could use for brown trout, perch, chub...that kind of thing and you'd really enjoy going after them.

As an instance, it's the right size for throwing small mepps around in tight spaces and you'd have a hoot playing a 2lb brownie.

By the same token there are loads of really nice 9 foot rods that would cover you for pollack jigging/spinning, sea-trout/salmon, big perch/pike, mackerel and loads of other applications and you'd have that bit of backbone you'd be looking for crashing pollack.

[Glasgowdan]

I know it's possible to get a nice rod that does it all, erring on the lighter side knowing it will handle the big pollack as well. I have just broken my Ron Thomson Santana (don't be too quick to form a judgement on that! This was one of their posh rods, lovely action, top quality finish and about £60). Granted the corks did heave from time to time but the butt weas still stiffer than most of the rods I picked up in the angling centre last weekend.

 

I hope to go back as I think they had the wychwood AND the prologic rods mentioned on this thread so I can do a wee comparison.

 

Cheers

D

[Steve Burke]

Although in many UK ranges the longer rods tend to be more powerful, length and power are totally independent. I use to design rods for a living and formulated short, powerful rods and long, light ones as well as the other way round.

 

Length has as more to do with the type of lures, and also whether you're boat or bank fishing. In many cases with the latter a longer rod is preferable purely as it's likely to cast further. On the other hand on overgrown waters a long rod would be a liability. For boat fishing I prefer shorter rods as they're less tiring.

 

I often used to write that the 3 main factors in a rod can be remember by the initials PAL. These stand for Power, Action & Length. They're all important, but few catalogues tell you much, if anything at all, about the action. The ideal here again depends on the type of lures you're using. US anglers often carry a multitude of rods ideally suited to different types of lures, but then they're almost invariably fishing from boats and so don't have to carry the gear!

 

I've long since retired and am not up to date with what's on offer in the shops so am not qualified to comment on the individual suggestions. However Vidar buys very high end tackle (that I can't afford!) and knows exactly the action required to fish the various types of lures. I'd definitely have a look at his suggestion.

 

Having said that, I'd echo what others have said about ideally getting two rods for the various tasks you have in mind. A dual purpose rod for pike and pollack is no problem. But it won't be suitable for burn trout. Here you want a much lesser powerful rod both to cast the lighter lures and to give you some sport.

 

Any suggestions here guys?