Buying a new Rod Advice: West Coast Swimbait Rod

[Vince]

Hey all,

Wondering if anyone can give me advice about a nice rod to pair with a Penn Squall 15 (star drag). I'm thinking of spooling it with 30 lb braid.

Intended usage:

Fishing from a boat (ideal length between 6 ft and 7 ft, I suppose?)
Type of fish: Rockcod/Lingcod/Yellowtail (occasionally)
Type of fishing: Long casting light jigs/swimbaits (Medium action rod?)
Price range: ~$100
Line weight: Since I want to spool with 30 lb braid, I think I need to get a rod that can handle up to 30 lb of line (or risk breaking the rod if I'm snagged on structure?)

I'd ideally like to take advantage of the long casting ability of the squall's live spindle design and cover a lot of ground around the boat. The bite this season has been pretty slow (and bait is abundant), so rather than drop chunks of bait and wait for an already full fish to get hungry, I figure I'd try to go for the reaction bite and cover a bit more ground by casting as well.

Any advice you all have would be great. Thanks!

[mackereljoe]

Really liking the Okuma Shadow Stalker 8.5' XH.  The rating in the handle is 20-40 but it has a light tip and strong back.  It's good enough to bounce up to 6 pound inshore fish.  It flicks the 60 grams Shimano Coltsniper way out there.  Also tried flylining a 3/4 pound mackerel and it's doable but not close to ideal.  For a shorter rod I use a Shimano SE Teramar 76H, a little slower action, excellent all around rod. Attached is a pix of the Okuma paired with Quantum EX300.  The reel is spooled with 245 yards of Sufix 832 braid with 20' #25 fluorocarbon (blue label seaguar). 

[Vince]

Awesome- I had looked into the Shimano SE Teramar, but didn't know about the Okuma Shadow Stalker. I'll check them both out!

[MarkT]

A 6-7'er is too short in my book.  I mostly use 8'ers for those purposes.  My Penn 525 Mag rides on an 8 1/2'er for 20# live bait.

The SE Teramars are mostly too soft and slow of action.  Look at the West Coast Teramars... I think I have 5 of the original brown ones, A couple of Daiwa inshore, 3 Graftechs and multiple Phenix and Cousin's rods too.

[Vince]

A 6-7'er is too short in my book.  I mostly use 8'ers for those purposes.  My Penn 525 Mag rides on an 8 1/2'er for 20# live bait.

Good to know. Transporting in my car does become an issue at around 8 ft though- I drive a hatchback and don't own a boat! (Sounds like a personal problem, I know). Maybe a 7 ft-7.5 ft rod would be better then.

[mackereljoe]

For around $100, it's hard to go wrong with what Vince recommended and wished you consider longer rod (8-9').  I had the old WC Teramar 76MH its  an excellent choice if you're limited below 8'.  The only thing I didn't like is the versatility, it's an excellent swimbait and light jig stick; live bait not so much since it's harder to flyline small live bait to softly land.  A Graftech Inshore Rod GIS80M will also work good, currently one of my go to all around rod.  The line rating on the Graftech is a little conservative and can handle the upper range easily. 

[steelfish]

Really liking the Okuma Shadow Stalker 8.5' XH.  The rating in the handle is 20-40 but it has a light tip and strong back.  It's good enough to bounce up to 6 pound inshore fish. 

by bounce up .. do you mean lift a 6# fish from the water using only the rod? (sorry, english is not my 1st lenguage)


if that correct I really need to start using mine, I also have an Okuma shadow stalker 8ft rod XH version 20-40, but since I use an old sabre to troll, a musky stiff rod to fish cut bait on dropper-looper and trevala for jigs I havent used the shadow stalker since a bough it which it was more than a year, it still have the plastic cover on and tags.

and yes, you are correct, it has nice stiff lower part and soft tip for casting plastics lures really far or tossing irons and metal spoons to the moon.

[mackereljoe]

Yup, reel as close to the fish and pull the fish onboard the boat.  I really like fishing lighter rod but on a hot bite on a Sportfishing boat for bonito, baracuda, small yellowtail.... The deckhands just don't have time to gaff or net your catch.  Just need to be careful not to high stick the shadow stalker asnit is known to snap the tip.  When I first have the rod, I attched a rockcod sinker and it seems to bottom around six pounds.  Attached are from last week aboard an overnight trip mostly on ahi brown 60 gram colt sniper.

[MarkT]

A Graftech Inshore Rod GIS80M will also work good, currently one of my go to all around rod.  The line rating on the Graftech is a little conservative and can handle the upper range easily.  

I have the GIS80XL, L and M. They're old and I think the M is rated 12-20 which is a very conservative rating. I think the newer ones are rated 15-25 and that's conservative too. I've caught YT, YFT, Dorado and the 3 B's on the M with a ProGear 255 with 30# spectra and 20# mono. They haven't made the XL for years.

I have a couple of Shimano Convergence rods, 7' rated 12-25 that are good light rods. I used to use them for fishing 12# one have had some 50 fish days on them at Dana Point and out at San Clemente Island.

[steelfish]

Yup, reel as close to the fish and pull the fish onboard the boat.  I really like fishing lighter rod but on a hot bite on a Sportfishing boat for bonito, baracuda, small yellowtail.... The deckhands just don't have time to gaff or net your catch.  Just need to be careful not to high stick the shadow stalker asnit is known to snap the tip.  When I first have the rod, I attched a rockcod sinker and it seems to bottom around six pounds.  Attached are from last week aboard an overnight trip mostly on ahi brown 60 gram colt sniper.

I was hear before about not to high sticking on this rod, tips are too thin for highsticking.

Thanks buddy

[SoCalAngler]

Well here is a silly question, what lb max topper test are you looking to fish on that rod? I don't know how anybody can give you good info until they at least know that

[Keta]

He said 30#in the first post.

[Vince]

He said 30#in the first post.

Yep, 30 lb line most likely as I seem to snap off with anything lighter when a big lingcod or chunk of granite grabs onto my line.

[MarkT]

I like the original Teramar tmc-x80h, 8', rated 15-30 for 20-30#. I often use it with a Calcutta 300te loaded with 40# spectra with a 25# leader.

[Vince]

Thanks for the feedback all! Decided to get the okuma shadow stalker xh in 7'6". Looking forward to throwing some swimbaits in a few weekends.