I'm looking to try trolling for steelhead in the rivers mouths come fall. I normally float fish for them later in the season but want to try something new this year. Since I've never done this before I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction as far as blanks go. Baits will probably be rapala 10s and 12s as well as little cleo spoons. I was thinking along the lines of a HS9000 or HS9001. Also do most build these as spinning rods or traditional trolling rods. My original thought was spinning so they may be able to pull double duty and cast the same baits from the breakwalls. Oh yeah, these will be used in lake erie tribs.

Thanks in advance for the help.

In my mind salmon and steelhead trolling rods get level wind reels with line counters. You want to get your baits at the same distance. You cant do that accurately with a spinning reel. I like an HS1021 for a steelhead plug rod.

You might consider a back bouncing rod. You can use many differnt plugs, spinners and baits. This typ of rod makes a great Bundogling rod (a drift casting rod from a boat)

Good Wraps Bob

Mitch,
If your a multiple species angler with a decent rod collection, I've found that a crankbait rod, you may already have, works very well for lake or reservoir steelhead.