Kokanee/Trout Rod Reviews

[Anonymous]

Downrigger fishing and trolling for trout and particularly Kokanee has become very popular over the last several years. In the past, serious Kokanee fisherman usually resorted to making their own specialty rods out of fly rod blanks or spending a small fortune on rods made by high end manufacturers. The ideal rod for Kokanee fishing is between 7 and 9 feet long, has a soft/slow action, strong backbone with a casting handle and appropriate reel seat. Now several of the larger tackle manufacturers give you several choices from which to choose for under $50. I picked up four different models of these rods early this year and have put them to the test, here are my observations.



Shakespeare Ugly Stik – Model CA11702UL approximate cost: $35.00 (pic, second from bottom)
Length:7’ 0”
Line rating: 2 – 6lb
Number of guides: 10 including tip
Handle Material: Cork Reel seat: Exposed blank, trigger style
This was the first of the four rods I purchased this year and I was not disappointed with it’s performance. When fully flexed the number of guides and their placement keeps the line off of the blank and there is plenty of power in the lower end to handle large fish and easily pop the line off of the downrigger clip. The 7’ length is perfect for those times when you are fishing by yourself and need to net your fish. The handle and reel seat are top notch and a hook keeper is also included. It is versatile enough to be used for fishing with leaded line or sinkers, it also makes a great lightweight drift fishing rod for trout and whitefish.

Daiwa Spinmatic – Model SMC 762ULFB approximate cost: $45.00 (pic, third from bottom)
Length: 7’ 6”
Line Rating: 2 – 6lb
Number of guides: 9 including tip
Handle Material: Cork Reel seat: Trigger style
I purchased this rod while shopping at Joe’s and immediately felt like I had found a lost love. If you are looking for a true ultra light trolling rod to pair up with a light weight level wind reel, this is it! This one has become my dedicated Kokanee rod and I also use it when trolling for trout if I’m sure not to run into any over 4lbs. When playing a fish with this rod it is next to impossible to apply too much pressure as it has nearly symmetrical flex throughout it’s length. It’s only drawback is handling larger fish near the boat as it doesn’t have the power in the lower end to maneuver a large (4+ pound) fish around your motor or keep it from running under the boat. Don’t get me wrong, you can still use it for larger fish, you’ll just need to play them till they’re almost dead before you bring them to the boat. If your fishing during the summer months, long fights in the warmer water spell certain death for trout so I won’t use it when I’m looking to do some CNR fishing.

Okuma Celilo – Model CE-C-702L approximate cost: $20.00 (pic, bottom)
Length: 7’ 0”
Line Rating: 2 – 8lb
Number of guides: 8 including tip
Handle Material: Cork Reel seat: Trigger style
I wish I had taken a closer look at this rod before I made my purchase. The number of guides and their placement allow the line to make contact with the blank even at moderate flex. I really like the length and feel of the handle and reel seat but the cork edges are not finished in a couple of places. A hook keeper is included but overall it just looks cheap. This rod has the potential to be the perfect rod for bigger fish, pulling pop gear or drifting fishing as it has a bit more backbone than the Ugly Stik, but the issue with the guides keeps me from recommending it for that use. I will most likely strip the guides off of this rod and install 10 of my own.

Daiwa Heartland – Model HL-D862LS approximate cost: $35.00 (pic, top)
Length: 8’ 6”
Line Rating: 2 – 8lb
Number of guides: 10 including tip
Handle Material: Cork Reel seat: Trolling/Spinning Reel style
Do you fish for large Kokanee, fish that reach 2 to 3 pounds? How about trolling for big Lake Washington Cutts? If you are still looking for an affordable rod for these activities, this is it. At 8.5’ long it provides plenty of flex so that one can use a super line and not worry about tearing hooks out of a fishes mouth. With that length it can be a bit difficult to land a feisty fish by yourself, but a long handled net cures this problem. The blank is designed for trolling and loads up beautifully while being sensitive enough to show a strike from the smallest of fish. It has plenty of backbone to pop the line off the downrigger clip and has brought a 10lb blackmouth to my boat. I have only one complaint, the handle appears to be designed for use with a spinning reel. This really doesn’t negatively effect the use of the rod for trolling, I’m just used to a casting style handle and would have put the reel seat further up towards the tip of the rod. It also sports a hook keeper and a rounded rubber fighting butt which my son appreciates when fighting larger fish.

I haven’t found the Heartland rod in any of the local stores, after I bought mine online and used it once I immediately ordered a second. The other rods I bought at Joe's Outdoors and I know they are also available at other local sporting goods stores. If anyone has any specific questions I didn't cover, don't hesitate to ask!

[Gringo Pescador]

Good stuff Gman! Thanks for sharing!:cheers:

[Bisk1tSnGraV]

Though I dont fish for either ... that was an awesome review and filled with a lot of understandable information. Good job!!!

[G-Man]

Just an update to this topic. Sportco's on-line store has some great prices on a couple of the rods that I have reviewed. Compare these to the ultra-light Lamiglass rods they offer for Kokanee and trout. I haven't checked out the prices or availability for the same products in their stores but I will be heading to Outdoor Emporium this weekend and will see what the offer.

A 7' version of the Daiwa® Spinmatic® C Ultralight Trolling Rod is available on-line at Sportco for a really good price of $28.49.

http://www.sportco.com/ProductCart/pc/v ... duct=46623

Also the Shakespeare® Ugly Stik Lite® Graphite Freshwater Casting Rod - 7' / UL / 2-6lb is available on-line at Sportco as well for $34.17

http://www.sportco.com/ProductCart/pc/v ... duct=46687

They also list a 2-8lb version of the Ulgy Stik for $25.62 which may be perfect for pulling lake trolls or fishing for Pinks. I'm tempted to give this one a shot.

[mascorella21]

yea man nice rigs. but yea i had a celio and it broke real easy, so i stupidly got another one and it snapped on about a 6 pound trip.