Looking for something;
XF-fast,
7.5-8.5’
20-30 pound line
glass would be ok
I would like it to have some power to handle bigger fish
The rod will be loaded up on the downrigger
Durability over sensitivity


Thanks for the help

See you on the water, Doug
Captain Paddlefoot

Check out the Rainshadow BP1025. That line of blanks make some of the best salmon downrigger rods

The x fast threw me, not usually a downrigger rod trait.

RainShadow!! Batson is located near some of the best salt water downrigger fishing in the US, so they know downrigger rods. And the Batson guys fish downriggers.

I am building two now on the RGR100H-GB blanks, they may be obsolete, got them maybe 5 years ago, but current production blanks are in the catalog.

If you do not have a Batson Catalog, you are missing out. Call Batson or you can get a catalog from Utmost. Once you figure out what blank you want, give Utmost a call, they have access to the Batson inventory.

Yea you do not need an XF blank for down rigging!

Although I have built hundreds of rods over the years, I have never built any downrigger rods.

It is just the simple fact that it simply does not make a lot of sense to build downrigger rods.

Basically a downrigger rod needs to be a glass rod so that the continued bend will not cause a permanent set in the rod.

Also, it is pretty easy to purchase very nice down rigger rods for under $50 - ready to go into the boat and are virtually indestructible due to their glass construction. Because the rods spend their live in a rod holder there is no issue about the physical weight of the rods.

------------
However, if you wish - by all means build your own. Also, learn from others and don't build the downrigger rods on all graphite blanks. A downrigger spends it life being bent into a pretzel. When the day is over, one would like the rod to be straight again.
No issue with a glass rod. However, over time - a graphite rod will take a permanent set and when the rod is taken down it will have a permanent 90 degree bend in the rod. Your choice.

Also, there is no issue with sensitivity with a downrigger rod. The rod is loaded to about a 90 degree angle when the lure is down and working. When the fish hits lure and pops the line off the rigger cable, the disconnecting of the rod line from the rigger line causes the rod to straighten and set the hook on the fish. Grab the handle and wind in the fish.

Good luck on your choices.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2021 11:05AM by Tom Kirkman.

Roger,

Accepting, for a moment, your pretense of a graphite downrigger rod taking a set from being constantly bent and under load while fishing, wouldn't the solution be to simply turn the rod 180 degrees in the rod holder each trip?

Or, perhaps, keep the rod reel-side down when trolling, but fight all the fish reel-side up in order to offset any permanent bend the rod takes on?

Surely, we fishermen/rodbuilders can come up with even more solutions to avoid this problem, and a fine set of graphite downrigger rods can be built without anxiety over our rods taking a permanent set.

Ahhh but where is the fun in catching a prize Chinook on a Wal Mart Rod?

Rod Building gives this old fossil something to do.

Right in your hand as the fish makes its run and you provide the leverage to bring the fish to heel - no matter the value of the rod and reel or the appearance, or the balance or anything else about the rod and reel.

If the rod and reel bring the fish to the boat - you have a winner winner.

--
No, john - Graphite is really not the material to use for a a use where the rod is essentially bent at 90 degrees, but then need to snap straight upon the line release by the bite of the fish.

----------------------------------------------------------
It is this exact same argument that one uses when one looks at the poles used by champion pole vaulters. In many cases, the pole can be bent to nearly 160 degrees just before being launched over the bar: [www.alamy.com]


Here is a picture of a down rigger rod in action:
[www.leeroysramblings.com]

----------------------------------
Note the bend in the rod, starts right at the fore grip on the butt end of the rod up to the tip. The bend is a continuous bend that bends uniformly from the butt to the tip - forming the equivalent of the spring of a mouse trap. i.e. when the line is release the full length of the rod, uncoils and helps to set the hook on the fish.

Thus, to satisfy this need, the blank will typically be a fiberglass blank with an extra Slow action. You want the entire rod doing the bend - when setting the trap for the fish, and you want the full length of the rod, unwinding as the trap is sprung on the fish.

This action is identical to the fiberglass rod, delivering its stored up energy from being bent, back to the body of the pole vaulter, as the vaulter is flung over the bar by the energy stored in the glass pole.

Be safe

Rainshadow has an excellent selection of rods to use in downrigger applications:

[www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

I caught a big Chinook on th St. Mary's river, next to the powerhouse in Sault Ste Marie, MI., several years back. I was using a $15 glass pole I'd purchased 15 years before, with a Mitchel 300 reel, and 15 lb, mono-filament line. The rod creaked and groaned, and the reel was a bear to wind. But the fish was landed, and the tackle held up with no damage. The right fiberglass rod is just plain tough. Plus, it is slow enough action that it bends all the way to the handle, instead of snapping off.

The lure was a purple spoon, long and light. It was a pain to cast as it tended to catch a lot of air. But the salmon liked it better than the Cleos, KastMasters, and Swedish Pimples everyone else was using. My youngest son landed another Chinook with the same rod, reel, and lure. We were both pretty excited.

For my 2 cents, I also say, go with a glass blank.

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF

I built 2 wire dipsy rods on the BP1025 blanks. Spiral wrap with slick butts. The blank loads up perfect.

Are there any important differences between different downrigger rods besides durability?

I've been using Lamiglas GSA102 2H blanked rods for 30 years and they haven't took a set yet, after reading the article mentioned, they recommend the G Loomis SAR1265C, another graphite rod that won't take a set either. Many believe a downrigger rod need not be expensive or particularly well designed, I won't dispute that as I have seen lots of fish caught on all sorts of rods. That said the two graphite rods mentioned above will do so much more, the SAR126C for instance is a great Chinook flatline trolling and stream rod, just what I would use for Chinook float fishing. I could use it for everything but maybe hover fishing.

I try not to enter into posts that I have no experience with. But we do fish downriggers in my area and I am a little confused about this whole salmon/steelhead/trout thing.

So salmon are (sometimes) caught in saltwater? What about steelhead (it seems never)? I guess I'm even more confused because rainbow trout are both members of the salmon family? I'm used to store bought salmon with pink meat and farm raised rainbows with white meat. I ask because I am curious but also because I love some of the blanks and don't know if I should expand into different types (only have hotshot).

As far as downriggers in my area; We don't fish them with a lot of bend in the rod. We don't use fiberglass blanks. I have never had a graphite blank take a set but I have had fiberglass rods do so. Mostly from how they were stored though.

In my waters the whole point of a downrigger is to get the bait into the zone to hook the fish and then be unencumbered with a heavy rod with which to fight the fish. The heavy rods were required with planers and they sucked. So sort of the exact opposite of the picture Roger paints.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I've caught salmon, steelhead, and searun cutthroat trout in saltwater, ocean, bays, and river mouths. Coho, steelhead, and SRC trout run shallower than the Chinook. Downsizing the offering seems to work better also.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2021 10:29PM by Spencer Phipps.

I've caught salmon, steelhead, and searun cutthroat trout in saltwater, ocean, bays, and river mouths. Coho, steelhead, and SRC trout run shallower than the Chinook.Downsize your offering for success.