Rod pairing for XN Squidder

[ReelFishingProblems]

Looking for rod suggestions

I have an XN Squidder with SS sleeve / dog, steel gear and new crank.
I'm thinking this will be a nice reel for Rockfish and the occasional lingcod when moving back to the Pacific Northwest in a few years.

What is everyone putting their Squidders on?

I have a Squidder Magnum I picked up from Randy that is pretty sweet. It's on a Shimano Trevala rod

Thanks for the help

Nick

[thorhammer]

did you ask me this? cant recall if I responded.

[ReelFishingProblems]

did you ask me this? cant recall if I responded.

You said you're still trying to pick one for the CC Squidder.

I would love to build something on a Calstar blank, it is after all not going to be just any Squidder. It has the collective experience and ingenuity of so many highly skilled members here built into it.

Nick

[Swami805]

I use calstar 900L for rockfish and lings here. Fishing 200-350' deep with jigs.  30lb braid with about 30' of 20lb mono. Easy to break off when hung on the rocks. The extra length is good for underhand casting off a party boat. The low gear in the squidder isn't ideal though but that magnum has a little taller gear so that should help
For bait and heavy sinkers I use a bigger outfit

[thorhammer]

Nick has 4:1 Jigmaster gears so that will help. The question will be spool diameter when that little demitasse is down a 100 yards.

[ReelFishingProblems]

Nick has 4:1 Jigmaster gears so that will help. The question will be spool diameter when that little demitasse is down a 100 yards.

I had to look up demitasse! I feel like that is a word I should have known.

[ReelFishingProblems]

I use calstar 900L for rockfish and lings here. Fishing 200-350' deep with jigs.  30lb braid with about 30' of 20lb mono. Easy to break off when hung on the rocks. The extra length is good for underhand casting off a party boat. The low gear in the squidder isn't ideal though but that magnum has a little taller gear so that should help
For bait and heavy sinkers I use a bigger outfit

I really appreciate the suggestion. I'm gonna start looking at that. I'm hesitant to go 9' but I get your point and probably need to just pull the trigger

Nick

[MarkT]

You have an XN squidder and a squidder Magnum?  I rockfish with 30-40# leaders.  20# can get you rocked on even an average lingcod and big rockfish too.

[Rivverrat]

What length rod ?

What line class ?

How heavy bait will you be tossing ?

* UC Challenger Elite CE800 Mag  20- 30 line  1 1/2 - 2 1/2 oz. bait

*      Challenger Elite CE800 Mega 25 - 40 line  3/4 - 3oz. bait      

   Both offered in 9'. The challenger Elite series has a softer tip & is a bit parabolic in it's bend but does with a very noticeable increase in power as you pull on it. It wont just feel dead in your hands like lesser rods.  They load nice & are wonderful easy casting reels with a fast, free spinning conventional reels. They have a fiberglas tip that transitions to Graphite. Good power in the lower half of the rod.

There are versions of these in UC's  All Graphite US Series. In fact there are several I think that are rated for the line class you might use.  The all Graphite have a faster taper & just load up faster. They allow you you to really steer a fish if needed.

Before you go with Calstar I suggest doing yourself a favor & going to CharkBait or Bob Sands & pull on some of the off the rack United Composites with your reel. Bob Sands is set up for this if you can swing by there set up an appointment with Jamie. He has the best understanding of these blanks of any one I know.   Tell him "Jeff From Kansas" sent you.

 Calstars makes nice blanks. Based on the few I have played with. However I believe the material used in UC rods is of a higher quality & the blanks are noticeably more refined. Good luck ! Also if there is anything I can help you with just give me a shout... Jeff

[thorhammer]

Nick has 4:1 Jigmaster gears so that will help. The question will be spool diameter when that little demitasse is down a 100 yards.

I had to look up demitasse! I feel like that is a word I should have known.

You better know it six months lol.

[ReelFishingProblems]

Jeff,

That is great information, and I'm glad you shared what you like about UC blanks. I may have more work cut out for me in order to decide.

I'm planning for an 8-9' rod, with 40-50lb braid, using small jigs, or cut/live bait with a 3-4oz sinker. Something that could go with a heavier weight if necessary to get past bait snatchers faster, or to keep the line vertical.

I have a wide variety of rods/reels now so I try to take out the right combo for the conditions. (Nothing like having a double dogged, full SS, T4NI reel when the grouper won't seem to bite, and all that is biting are grunts!)

My XN Squidder is such a fun tiny reel, I want to give it a rod to pair with that adds another setup to the arsenal. And whenever Tom makes plates for them, I will keep strengthening the little demitasse (thanks for fancy new word John).

Nick

[SoCalAngler]

If it is mainly going to be a rockfish rod I like shorter rods than 8'-9'. Something around 7' is what I would look for. When I fish for the bottom grabbers I fish 25-30 lb topshots. You could use heavier lines if you want because rockfish are not line shy when on the chew, but if or I should say when you snag the bottom heavier lines will be harder to break free.

A Calstar all glass rod like the 870 would work great. If you want to go higher tech look at a Grafighter or for the highest tech then a UC. But, we are only talking rockfish and you really don't need high tech for low tech fishing. I usually use a Calstar 970 with 30 lb toppers for rockfish. The 970 is a little stiffer in the tip than the 870 but the 870 would fish 25 lb test a little better IMO if you wanted to go that route but can handle 30 lb fine.

Fishing 200'-350' I like the leverage of a shorter rod and depending on the drift you may need to fish 10oz or heavier weights. Reeling a 10oz weight with hopefully a couple of fish attached to your line can be a chore with a squidder and a longer rod.

[steelfish]

I use 9ft rods for shore fishing 

I cannot imagine using a 9ft on a panga !! 

for rockfishing I like using a light 7ft graphite musky rod with a calcutta 400TE or my saltist 20h, the whole combo is really light and sensitive, I can swear I feel when I fish bite for the 2nd and 3rd hook.

[Rivverrat]

I use 9ft rods for shore fishing 

I cannot imagine using a 9ft on a panga !! 

for rockfishing I like using a light 7ft graphite musky rod with a calcutta 400TE or my saltist 20h, the whole combo is really light and sensitive, I can swear I feel when I fish bite for the 2nd and 3rd hook.

UCPredator fits that description well.

[MarkT]

A Predator for a Calcutta or a Saltist 20?  No, but if you want sensitive, just use spectra.  It's so sensitive I can feel when a fish swims by and looks at my bait.