Your Favorite Rod

[Water_Gremlin]

I have owned some nice fishing poles with smooth as silk reels but in the past few years I have gone cheap. My favorite spinning combo is an ultra light ugly stick with a cheap Abu Gracia spinning reel. Its not pretty but its a blast to catch salmon on this rod. Its small enough to pack on my ATV without sticking out, and if I do so happen to break it I wont feel bad. My old favorite was a Berkley Lighting rod with an Abu Garcia bait casting reel. Its small and stout and I used it on every type of salmon in Alaska. I had to retire her though, I prefer a rod with more play.

My favorite fly rod I own is a Plfueger 6 wt Pay-N-Save special with a scientific angler reel. LOL who remembers the old Pay-N-Save's? Its small enough for trout but tough evenough for salmon.

I cant wait to buy my daughter her first Snoopy pole. :-)

[Michael Strahan]

Snoopy poles and Daisy BB guns

I cant wait to buy my daughter her first Snoopy pole. :-)

I have pictures of those days. Man, everyone says it goes by quickly. That ain't the half of it. Enjoy it!

We took one of those up to the Arctic one year, just a bunch of us guys on a caribou hunt. We were going to do a tournament where the only requirement was you had to catch the fish on the Snoopy pole. I think IGFA should have a special records section just for snoopy poles... Lotsa memories there.

-Mike

[Alaskan4life]

Shakespeare Ugly Stick Med/Heav with a Abu Garcia 6500C Bait caster
"Insert Tim Allen GRUNT here "

[Water_Gremlin]

Snoopy Poles

My daughter is only 10 months old but I cant wait for the day I can strap a life vest on her and take her to the lake in the canoe while she is holding tight on her snoopy pole. Her first fish will definately be on camera.

I have caught a lot of fish using an ice fishing pole on narrow and heavily wooded creeks.

For the money its tough to beat an ugly stick. In some situations they are too flimsy and have too much play but most of my non chinook salmon have been caught on an ugly stick.

[AKmud]

Ugly stik

I've got a 1 piece 6'6" ugly stik bait caster I teamed up with an Ambassadeur 6501C3 (I like the left handed reel even tho I'm right handed). Two years ago I got a 8' Lamiglass at the Sportsman show. It's not the most expensive rod, but it has great action.

For fly fishing I have a 6wt Fenwick Eagle Graphite that I have had since 1986 with a Pfleuger 1405 1/2 reel. With this set up I have caught everything from Brim in Arkansas to a 44# king on Montana creek.

Also, a handful of off brand, Wal-mart specials that work great for relatives visiting for the summer.

[patdavis333]

Favorite Rood and Reel Combo

I for one favor a 6'6" Ugly Stick-the reel I have had the most luck with is a vintage Mitchell 300 circa 1960. I have landed all five species of salmon and have had no problems. For those looking for vintage Mitchell 300's go to ebay-plenty to be found and at a good price!

[AkHunter45]

Mine actually belongs to my wife, it's a custom built Pacific Bay fly rod, 8.5 footer i believe, 7 weight with an Okuma Airframe large arbor reel, man that thing slays the reds!! She also has an All American 5 weight thats about 6 feet long, killer for grayling!

[Snowwolfe]

After breaking 4 different 10wt lamiglas flyrods in 2 seasons while fishing for reds I can certaintly vouch for the fact NOT to purchase another one. They are one of the less expensive 10wt flyrods out there and my experience shows you do get what you pay for.

[Grizzly1]

My go-to rod is a Rainshadow 7wt that I built, paired with a Galvan "standard" reel. That outfit is tough as heck and still going strong after 6 years of use.

[AkHunter45]

After breaking 4 different 10wt lamiglas flyrods in 2 seasons while fishing for reds I can certaintly vouch for the fact NOT to purchase another one. They are one of the less expensive 10wt flyrods out there and my experience shows you do get what you pay for.

WOW, you broke a 10 wt on reds? I'm glad you said something because i have been looking at those Lamiglas rods for a while now. Looks like i'll be looking elsewhere for another rod.

[Akn6pk]

Good old Snoopy poles!. Have caught nice silvers out of Jim creek on my
daughters. She claims she doesn't even remember having the pole....
teenagers. What she doesn't know is I still have that pole and when she
graduates it will be given to her along with luggage.

Best pole I still have is an old Browning Silas, 6'6". Have caught everything
from grayling to kings on it. Can't count number of reels that have been on
it.

Fav now is 9' Lamiglas with Abu 600 baitcaster reel for trolling. Great feel
and play.

[skipjack]

Any graphite flyrod can be broken. I have a friend who broke an 8wt flyrod on a 4lb bonefish. I broke an 11wt flyrod on a 15lb dorado.

The rod should never be made to bend to less than 90 degrees during a fight. It puts too much stress on the fibers and the whole thing literally explodes. Almost all rods break during the landing process. The angler tries to get the fish close to him by pulling back with the arm to get the fish closer to him so that he can handle it. At that point the rod is almost completly bent in a U shape and if there is any significant weight on the end, it will explode. It's called - high sticking.

I've caught 30lb yellowfin tuna on a 10wt, so I know it will handle any sockeye.

[BlueMoose]

Old Friend

Favorite Rod man that opens the door! Sorry Guys never had a Snoopy Rod I know Jaded Life eh!

Favorite Fly Rod, and Friend is an old 1980 Cortland Leon Chandler signature rod 8ft 6W Graphite with an original 1492. Ah those were the days. Never intended for King Fishing however some times it happened. Yes I learned to jump/fly and sail across the Tundra, and there I was thinking I was fishing Bows! Silly me :-)

Today's version 8' 6" Damon Salt and Salmon Rod Blank tapered to perfection with a Burl Ash Nickle Silver Struble reel seat up locking of course.

Great post I almost feel young again.

Tight Lines and Safe Wading!

Moose-O

[Marcus]

Lamiglas Kenai Special — thumbs up & hands down!

[J FICKES]

Until it gives me a reason to cuss it out, the Ugly Stick.

Mitchell 300 = blast from the past, that was my favorite fishing reel back in PA. Might have to pick one up on EBAY for old times sake.

We all cut our teeth on the black push button Zebco reel with the little two piece rod.