Steelhead/salmon rods

[Breadfan]

I just ordered this Lami on Sunday, made in USA and 93.00 on sale with a coupon code. They are still just 125.00 right now until they are gone. They should work perfect for surf fishing with the moderate action! Figured what the heck?

https://www.lamiglas.com/collections/salmon-steelhead-rod-blanks/products/xcc1502xh-126-2pc-20-40lb-4-20oz-troll-2-8oz-cast?variant=5291637145641

A follow up on this rod. I did a rather simple build on this, just black thread with AT Snagless guides and a aluminum reel seat with split grips. the specs said I could throw 2-6oz. I took it out and put 3.5 oz and my rig and bait, just sand fleas so it could not have been 4 oz total. The rod over loaded and was very late in releasing. I had to throw to the right to make it go straight. Not good. However, it fought pompano wonderfully, with a parabolic curve that kept them pinned down, no lost fish to this rod. But the casting was just off. I'm experimental so I thought, what the hell, tip it three inches and see what happens. it cast a little better and the action seemed unaffected, catching many fish and losing none. So I tipped it 3 more inches. My 12'6" was now a 12'. Next trip to the beach and this rod has become my best caster with almost zero difference in the action. What difference there is, is for the better. Paired with my fathom II CS, it is now a pompano catching machine!

[JasonGotaProblem]

Out of curiosity, just for the sake of an additional data point for an entirely separate discussion...

Re: not casting straight, did you build with the guides aligned with the spine of the blank?

[Breadfan]

I did align the spine. I cast slightly sideways (about 2:00 o'clock) to begin with, kind of Hatteras style, and maybe I adjusted an earlier release more than a more sideways cast or combo of both. The rod just wasn't able to handle the weight and when I tipped it, everything changed. I'm going to buy more of these so I have all the same rods in my outfit. I could have just backed down to 2oz and it would have been fine without being tipped, but normally we can't hold bottom unless we use at least 3 oz.

[Fishamen7]

I picked up a couple of the same blanks for light surf casting live shrimps and crabs.  The blanks are nice and light the moderate action should be perfect for what I am using them for.
I like the way they cast minimal effort to launch lead a good distance. 

[Cor]

I have never purchased any kind of rod based on manufactures description or recommendations.    Once I was offered a free blank by a local rod manufacturers rep.    I chose it from about 8 different blanks in his warehouse.   It was an HMG blank, stiff, light and too long.    So I shortened it from the back and made a very nice casting Yellowtail rod from it.   I fished it for 3 months, caught many Yellowtail and decided to order another one to make a similar but longer rod.    Before the new one arrived, the first one broke while lifting a fish.    I did not understand at that time that HMD was more fragile.     When the new longer blank came I made up an very nice rod for distance casting, it cast well and at the first opportunity  to use it I hooked a nice Yellowtail just outside the surf, worked it in towards the rocks and in the strong wash while exerting a lot of pressure to persuade it to go where it did not want to.....a horrible BANG and it also broke.    I was very annoyed, it should never have broken like that!

I now always choose a blank/rod based on the feel, the flex , stiffness and backbone because I know what I want to do with it.   If its a rod I don't usually worry too much about the components because I nearly always re build it.    Often that is a slow process, I go fish with it then may decide to shorten it by 3 inches or change the position of the real seat or whatever.   In this way I get it to precisely what I want and while fishing I determine that it is not going to break on me easily, or if it does.......

This long story is really to say that I will buy any blank/Rod based on my own "feel" not recommendations from manufacturers.    Yes sure I do look at the specs as a guide line and who made it but often I don't care either, these are just secondary considerations.     I have purchased many cheap rods from the east, rebuilt them in to superb fishing rods that others copy.    The critical aspect is that you need to understand precisely what you want and be able to identify a suitable blank.

Part of my approach is from lack of choice after my favourite blank builder went out of business 10 years ago.     We now have only 1 & 1/2 graphite rod manufactures here, the rest are all imported and very pricy.

[oc1]

The Lami did not specify a lure weight rating in the specs you linked to.  That is the only number that speaks to me.  They call it a trolling, plunking and downrigger rod and don't mention casting.  If they had used a lure weight rating it might have saved you some aggravation.

[Jeri]

I rarely believe what manufacturers specify as to the performance of a rod blank, as they are not under any kind of control; a lot is purely down to which market element they are looking to attract. Most often lure ratings and casting weights seem at best optimistic and stated more to attract a wider potential range of purchasers than is actually accurate for any give blank.

Have written in the past, about the need for a more comprehensive manner of labelling of products, but it is complex and exceedingly unlikely to happen. When we get a prototype, we will build it and test, both for optimum and maximum overload situations, especially in casting rods. A lot of pre-test handling can give a 'feel' towards what is going to be the kind of range, but pure testing is the only way we have found to get it right.

Perhaps the closest to outright expected performance can be seen in how UK Carp rods are marketed, against a test curve rating, which then gives a clear idea to the maximum weight loading the rod/blank can handle. However, there are numerous discussions as to how best to achieve even this simple rating, so a long way off for potential customers to get a really accurate expectation of what they are buying.

[Breadfan]

The Lami did not specify a lure weight rating in the specs you linked to.  That is the only number that speaks to me.  They call it a trolling, plunking and downrigger rod and don't mention casting.  If they had used a lure weight rating it might have saved you some aggravation.

From the website.  It says trolling 4-20 OZ or casting 2-6.

12'6" 2-Piece Blank

Leader 20-40lb Braid 30-60lb

Troll / Anchor 4 - 20 oz.


Cast 2 - 8 oz.

--- Matte Black Finish ---

Extra-heavy power but moderate absorption in the blank. Can troll heavier offerings or cast effectively. Excellent choice for a soft bait chunking blank or a salmon/steelhead/sturgeon plunking blank. Softer than most surf blanks which can allow some excellent live bait or chunk bait opportunity

Designed for trolling and anchoring for salmon. Able to pull flashers and bait or hardware with big spread. The fiberglass / graphite blend loads nicely but also drives hooks home. Highly durable yet classy. Very powerful but not stiff.


It's all good. Once I tipped it it quickly became one of my favorite surf rods. The action is perfect for pompano and it almost resembles my honey Lami. Pompano fishing can be frustrating. You need a moderate action rod to keep the fish pinned yet sometimes you can't reach the bar. If you stiffen up and go for a carbon rod the action is not there and it is hard to hook one let alone get him in without him jumping off. They are very sensitive to the rod when taking the bait, any resistance and they let it go.

[Breadfan]

I picked up a couple of the same blanks for light surf casting live shrimps and crabs.  The blanks are nice and light the moderate action should be perfect for what I am using them for.
I like the way they cast minimal effort to launch lead a good distance. 

It's a very good deal on a Lami!

[Fishamen7]

They are a great deal!  I put a 200 series Newell (Thanks to Randy) on mine and it seems to fit the rod nicely.
I went with the factory recommended guide spacing for this blank. Just used slightly larger guides in titanium to help keep weight down.