Advice on rod and reel

[upstate88]

Getting my first steel head setup. I am looking at...

rod= (Okuma SST) SST-S-962ML
reel= penn conflict 2500 (I know this may be a weird choice but Its bullet proof with a sealed drag)

 

[Toyracer38]

Looks like a solid setup. I have a guide buddy who equips his spinning rods with the Penn Battles and he loves them. I have caught a lot of fish on a Lamiglas LX 106 MLS with a Pflueger President 6935 (pretty inexpensive setup). I did upgrade the drag with Carbontex washers (made a noticeable difference). Assuming this is for float fishing, spool that Penn up with 30# power pro or what ever brand you like. The heavier line helps reduce/eliminate rod wrap when you miss a fish.

 

[upstate88]

I have no experience with lamiglas I have always used ugly sticks and okuma. I know they are a little on the low end but seem to be sensitive and durable.

 

[Artwo]

What will be your primary technique for this set-ups?

Same rod I've used for quite awhile now for bobber/jig and really like it. I'm partial to the Okuma reels, I've had really good luck with my Epixor......

I'm also a Fireline guy, really like the 14# for bobber/jig (bait)....

 

[upstate88]

The primary use would be from the shore (corkies, beads, jigs, and spinners). Correct me if I am wrong but I would say it would be for "drift" fishing I am not real interested in "plunking" (where you cast or float out a big heavy weight with a bait or lure on like the Columbia). And I am assuming that "float drifting" is just drifting but from a boat?

The stuff in quotes was stuff I read but was really struggling to get a definitive answer on feel free to correct me.

 

[upstate88]

I have a ton of questions about line but just to start simple do you just use fire line as a leader and what is the advantage to that stuff?

 

[Artwo]

That rod you've chosen is built specifically for float fishing. Meaning it's better suited for jigs, bait, beads, etc. under a bobber. Not that it won't work for drift fishing or spinners but it's a really good float fishing rod. Float fishing is usually done from the bank more than out of a boat where other techniques are more effective such as side drifting and bobber-doggin.

As for the Fire line, it is used as the mainline. It's just one of many lines manufacturered for float fishing. The idea for float fishing is so that the line will float, not sink like monofilament line does, to effectively float fish. Your presentation (i.e. below the float) would be with a monofilament leader.

 

[upstate88]

So I am struggling with the vocab it seems that maybe some of the folks have been using a few terms interchangeably on me and I have gotten confused.

Float fishing= bobber with bait, bead, jig
Drifting or side drifting= fishing a bead or something on a side swing like a corkie light weight
bobber-doggin= ?
plunking= where you cast or float out a big heavy weight with a bait or lure on like the Columbia

correct me where i am wrong

 

[Artwo]

So I am struggling with the vocab it seems that maybe some of the folks have been using a few terms interchangeably on me and I have gotten confused.

Float fishing= bobber with bait, bead, jig
Drifting or side drifting= fishing a bead or something on a side swing like a corkie light weight
bobber-doggin= ?
plunking= where you cast or float out a big heavy weight with a bait or lure on like the Columbia

correct me where i am wrong

Looks like you got it pretty good....

Couple things:
Drift fishing is as you describe but it is done from the bank, rather side drifting is similar but done from a boat where you cast out usually eggs and follow it off to the side downstream with the boat.

Bobber-Doggin, do a search on YouTube, there's some really good video that will help you understand what it is and how to fish it. Again, this method is typically done in a boat but some are starting to do this technique from the bank.

Plunking, this can be done in the smaller rivers as well not just big water like the Columbia. It's actually a very effective technique for high water like we are having now. Again, YouTube is your friend....

Hope that helps some more....

 

[upstate88]

So these are the specs on the Okuma...

SST-S-962ML

Float Drifting

9' 6"

A

2

Med. Light

6 - 12

[SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]4[/SUB] - [SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]2[/SUB]

I am drawn to beads, corkies, spinners, and running stuff under a bobber. I really dont wantto get a rod thats to specialized I have done that before I own a 11' #3 fly rod hahah. For $70 bucks will this get it done or is there something elese out there that would be a better choice?

 

[Artwo]

I'd say for what you described you want to fish above, that rod will do fine. Might be a little on the none sensitive side for th drift fishing as super sensitive rods ( higher end more modulus rod) are the norm, but it will work.

 

[Lurker]

So these are the specs on the Okuma...

SST-S-962ML

Float Drifting

9' 6"

A

2

Med. Light

6 - 12

[SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]4[/SUB] - [SUP]1[/SUP]/[SUB]2[/SUB]

Sportsman's Warehouse has 30% off their Shimano rod selection. Pretty much the same type of rods that you're looking at, but at a price of $70.

 

[Casting Call]

let us go to the dark side for a moment you can have the best of all of the above with the exception of plunking if you go pinning you can drift 50' 100' or 150' from the bank even farther in a boat you will need a 11' to 13' medium action rod Tony

 

[upstate88]

I do like the idea of the center pinn thing but I think the spinning had to come first. The center pinn thing is expensive.

 

[Casting Call]

let us go to the dark side for a moment you can have the best of all of the above with the exception of plunking if you go pinning you can drift 50' 100' or 150' from the bank even farther in a boat you will need a 11' to 13' medium action rod Tony

just found this today on u-tube "Rainbows On The Center Pin" Tony

 

[jhop111]

If primarily drift fishing I'd recommend and 8.6 rod. A little stiffer than a float rod. There is no perfect rod to do it all. So buy 2 or 3. Then in a couple years buy a boat or maybe two. Wait...that was my path. Narrow your preferences on how you will be fishing and we can suggest specfic rods in your budget.

 

[upstate88]

My new (Okuma SST) SST-S-962ML showed up in the mail and looks great especially for $68 shipped. I figured this will work well for working floats (which seems to be the best way to get into the game of steelhead) and will work well enough for drift fishing. I plan on using it for light work on the coast as well. I still plan getting the Penn conflict 2500. I will be adding some rods as I go for sure but this is one step closer to catching some steelhead.

 

[upstate88]

My new (Okuma SST) SST-S-962ML showed up today and looks great especially for $68 shipped. I feel like it will work well for working floats (seems like the beginner steelhead fishing) and work well enough for doing some light drifting. I plan on using it at the coast for some light work as well. The penn conflict is on the watch list and will be ordered soon. I am sure I will get another rod or two but I got a start.

 

[Hooked Up]

That rod should work great for steelhead.

 

[Willerman]

I just got the same rod and love it so far. Only downfall is I fish strictly from the bank in some sometimes heavily wooded areas - can be a pain to cast sometimes, and bushwacking with it can definitely get interesting. For this reason I wish I would have gotten the shorter one. I paired it with an Okuma avenger 40b. I have the 30 for trout and panfish and love it, very cheap too. I swapped out the handle on it though because I like the smaller one on the 30. Whole setup was very cheap and I love it (I haven't caught a steelhead on it yet, so take it as it is). I use powerpro 30lb braided for mainline; I tried p-line hydrofloat but the yellow coating kept peeling off. 10lb flouro leader.