I am trying to decide on what action would be best for a saltwater trolling rod. What are the benefits of a fast action compared to a medium action rod for trolling? And vice versa. The rod will be 7' in the 15-30 lb range. I plan on useing 20# mono. They will be pulling small plugs, and small rigged ballyhoo, or small live bait. Also some kite fishing.

Thanks for your thoughts and input.

Trolling and fast actions rods don't belong together.
Rather slow or moderate rods work much much better.

When trolling the pull of the lure through the water automatically sets the hook on the fish. So, you want the softer front section of the rod to be able to give to allow the fish to move around a bit without throwing the hook.

Save the fact action blanks for other applications.

It really comes down to how you plan to fight the fish. Is this going to be stand-up type fishing or chair fishing?

A more moderate action rod tends to offset the leverage advantage of the fish to some degree - the upper section bends making the lever effectively shorter. A fast action rod, assuming at least equal power, will shut off quicker and allow more line recovery per rod pump, but the fish will have more leverage over you.

Beyond that, do you need a softer tip in order to watch the action of your plugs? If so, then a fast action rod combined with a softer tip may be your ticket.

.............

Hello All.

I agree with Tom on this one, you need to know the usage of the rod.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

The type of line you use could influence your rod choice also. Monofilament has enough stretch to decrease the need for a soft tip, whereas braid could work better with a softer tip.

So they will be standup rods, with 20# mono. They will all be run through outrigger clips and flat line clips. So the actual pulling of the baits will be more from the clips then the rod tips. So would that change some of the dynamics at the ohitial strike? And the reason for 7' rods is that I've had difficulty finding shorter blanks that are medium to medium light in power.

David,
If you want a shorter rod, you can always chop off the butt of a rod to make it shorter.

Take care

Effective lever length and how it relates to rod action can be found in the RodMaker speciality article on stand-up rods.

If you're planning on fighting large and/or powerful fish, a 7 foot stand-up rod may tax you to the limit. If you must stick with that length, you might opt for a moderate action which will typically allow the rod to bend more deeply, shortening the effective lever and denying the fish some of the advantage it has on such a long rod.

............

Hello David.

Seeker HERCULES GTS70L (MudHole carries them).

I use them trolling for small to medium king mackerel and mahi-mahi, I have caught up to 20# kings on it, and also caught an 18# yellow tuna on it (had to do a little chasing though).


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thanks for all the information. I’m going to do some more research, play around with a blank or two, and come back with more questions. I even have some questions for my self now.

David,
A trolling rod is an ideal time to do a spiral wrap with the casting reel set up that is commonly used with these rods.

Hello Roger.

Right you are Roger, the rod I mentioned is a spiral wrap.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Ideal specs for rod blanks for battling 20# Dorados are quite different from ideal specs for blanks for fighting 40# Dorados. Locals, not World-Wide-Web consultants will be your best source of information.