best bottom bouncing rods

[doubleheader]

I bottom bounce alot, almost every time my wife and I fish together. A typical bb set-up for in 10-20' of water would be 10 lb powerpro to a 1 oz bb. Over the years I've tried all kinds of rods, from short high modulus graphite fast action to 10' noodle rods. After all these trials I've only found one rod that I really liked for those hanger- on type bites, a 7' basic ML Ugly Stik spinning rod. (I use spinning rods because my wife doesn't like casting reels). Anyhow, I've found the soft action of this rod avoids most of those dropped fish, yet usually allows me to feel bottom. Over last fall I managed to break 2 of these rods so I've been trying to replace them; apparently it is no longer made in a ML action. So, my question to all you expert bottom bouncers out there is, "what is you favorite rod?" Now, feel free to tell me you like Loomis and all those expensive deals, and I'm sure they're great, but anything rod over $75 for bottom bouncing just isn't happening for me. Thanks everyone

[Esoxchaser]

I run BB's on the same rods I use for darn near everything I troll for, from early lake run browns and steelhead on the big boards to pulling muskie baits. 7' Ugly Stick BWC 1120's. The moderate flex seems to help keep fish buttoned up. They are rated for 1/2-2 oz lures,but for trolling are quite capable of darn near anything I ask of them.
Now for the rod I hold in my hand.....well............
Now, feel free to tell me you like Loomis and all those expensive deals, and I'm sure they're great, but anything rod over $75 for bottom bouncing just isn't happening for me.
I guess theres no point in going there. ;)

[locomoto]

I use Okuma Classic Pro Trolling rods in 7ft ML action. They seem pretty durable. I've landed everything from Catfish to Pike and they've held up well. The best part is they are less than $20.

Good Luck

[blueroof]

A typical bb set-up for in 10-20' of water would be 10 lb powerpro to a 1 oz bb. ...I've only found one rod that I really liked for those hanger- on type bites, a 7' basic ML Ugly Stik spinning rod. ....yet usually allows me to feel bottom.


Sounds kinda like rigging to me. In my opinion BB is more of a troll, I use completely different rods. Something graphite med-light with a fast action for 3 way rigging for hanger-on types. Pretty much anything medium/moderate will work for BB cranks and spinners.

[Knot Tellin]

Does anyone pull anything other than spinners (ie crawler harness) behind your BB? That is all I have used.

[doubleheader]

Blueroof, we normally troll spinners with our bow mount anywhere from .75mph to 1.2 mph until summer then we'll usually start to speed up, but obviously this is a generalization and as you know our speed is dictated by what the fish want. I can tell you this though, at least in the waters I fish, rod selection is critical to the number of hook-ups and I've seen faster action rods be outfished 10-1 by soft rods with a decent butt section.

Locomoto, I'll give that Okuma rod a try. Thanks for the tip.

Knot Tellin, mostly in the fall we'll pull a crank behind a bb exclusively in deeper water rather than run lead core or dipsys.

[blueroof]

Blueroof, we normally troll spinners with our bow mount anywhere from .75mph to 1.2 mph until summer then we'll usually start to speed up, but obviously this is a generalization

Yeah, spinners are kinda the grey area of trolling. :) I call anything under 1.3 power rigging and usually have the rod in hand as you do. I wind up fishing closer to 20' and use 1.5-2 oz often. A little expensive, but the legend series light bouncer casting rod is amazing for that, has an exceptional moderate action and is light. I rig lindy-style and 3 way around 1 oz pulling spinners and hooks (slow death, floats and such) with a hsr9000 (or similar.)

How the heck did you bust the ugly sticks? You've seen the commercials right?

[doubleheader]

Not sure how I managed that one other than I know I stepped on one of them; my favorite one too. I snagged it from the bottom of the lake and I don't know whether spending at least a year underwater softened the tip or not but that rod was perfect for what we do, a real bummer. I've actually considered submerging a rod or two for a season to see if it would make a difference.

[Rowdie22]

What I like to use for BBouncing is a baitcast reel with a pistol grip rod, where the the back of the handle has a place for your finger to rest on an exposed piece of the rod. That little exopsed piece is a must when I buy a rod to use for bottom bouncing. Small strikes send a shot all the way down my arm, and bottom and strikes easy to tell apart. Medium Heavy with a sensitive tip, I spend about $50. Length......If all I ever did was Bbounce with it I'd go shorter.

[chitterchad]

Does anyone pull anything other than spinners (ie crawler harness) behind your BB? That is all I have used.

Slow Death Hooks work great around us.;) I've also used Original Rapala's too.

[ColumbiaR]

Yeah, spinners are kinda the grey area of trolling. :) I call anything under 1.3 power rigging and usually have the rod in hand as you do. I wind up fishing closer to 20' and use 1.5-2 oz often. A little expensive, but the legend series light bouncer casting rod is amazing for that, has an exceptional moderate action and is light. I rig lindy-style and 3 way around 1 oz pulling spinners and hooks (slow death, floats and such) with a hsr9000 (or similar.)

How the heck did you bust the ugly sticks? You've seen the commercials right?

I see the legend tournament rods have a mod action while most bottom bounce rods have a fast action. Why the softer action than anyone else and what is the advantage?

[Esoxchaser]

Why the softer action than anyone else and what is the advantage?

Personally I like a faster rod for the one I will be holding in my hand because I feel they are more sensitive, and I will be right there to drop back the bait then give a good hookset when the time is right. For a rod going onto a holder the softer action allows for a little "give" to let the fish get a hold of the bait. Then the softer rod helps avoid pulling the hook before you can pick up the rod and set the hook yourself.

[ColumbiaR]

I've never seen anyone fish a bouncer out of a rod holder. Maybe I just don't get around enough.

[Esoxchaser]

We do it all the time. One in the hand, one in the holder.

[mcbreth]

I run them off boards a lot.....

[ColumbiaR]

In Washington we're only allowed one rod per person. So no one in the hand one in the holder.

[doubleheader]

Think about it, most people running bb use one of the superbraids (thin diameter line=less resistence in the water=smallest possible bb weight to get to the bottom). The downside of course is no stretch, which means the fish immediately feels the resistence and many will drop the bait unless one compensates. You can feel them all you want but I've seen spinner bites where I've had to let the fish hold on for up to a minute before they had the bait. By the time you've felt it they have sensed the resistence already left the show. back in the 90's we started using noodle rods, and they can do the job, but can be a little unwieldy, especially when the bite is on. I'm telln' you all, if you've never tried a soft action rod pulling spinners, you're missing out. Now, in shallow water, 2-15', I'll usually also run mono rather than braid, and usually the fish will commit rather quickly as compared to the deeper water bite. Lot's of generalizations here, still looking for more input on rods.

[retire55]

I had to purchase a new bottom bouncing rod last year. After checking out various potential rods in local tackle stores I opted for a one piece Shimano Clarus CSC-70MA. I use this rod with a very old Penn 109 level wind reel spooled with 14 pound test monofilament. For my bottom bouncing requirements, this combination has worked like a charm. I have experienced no difficulty using this rod with 1 to 3 ounce bottom bouncers (dependent on water depth).

[locomoto]

I have never handheld a rod while bottom bouncing. I might have to try that this year.

[brentfrank]

I will usually have one in each hand and lay one down when I'm getting a bite. This has cost me a rod or 2 when going through a school of active fish as I'm usually on the bow and turn to the side of the one getting the bite.

[Mr.Seaguar]

To the original poster, are you sure they dont make the rod you are looking for? The Shakespeare website lists a casting 7' ML rod. The model numbers are 'CALB 1102 70'. Personally I am kinda in the middle here. You can tell whats a bite better with high end graphite. But you do have fish drop the bait and sometimes you rip the hooks out. I have been using IM6 rods but from now on I am gonna buy something like Ugly Stik Lites at $40 or Cabelas Whupping Sticks at $25. I prefer cork thats why I choose these. Good Luck

[btomlin]

I will usually have one in each hand and lay one down when I'm getting a bite. This has cost me a rod or 2 when going through a school of active fish as I'm usually on the bow and turn to the side of the one getting the bite.

A buddy of mine had a Loomis GLX go overboard last year when he sat it down to reel in a fish on his "cheap" rod. He spent the next 3 days dragging bottom trying to recover, but no dice. Worst part, was that he had just gotten it and never had reeled a fish in with it.

[doubleheader]

Seaguar, the 7' Ugly Stik ML is a casting rod, I've never tried it. I know that it's a better set-up to go casting vs spinning, but my dear wife, a Swede, is adament that she wants to stick with spinning gear. In fairness to her she is quite proficient at deploying her harness so using spinning gear is fine by me. But thanks for the note anyhow.

[rebs]

I've never seen anyone fish a bouncer out of a rod holder. Maybe I just don't get around enough.

I often have one rod in a holder and one in my hand when bottom bouncing

[rebs]

Seaguar, the 7' Ugly Stik ML is a casting rod, I've never tried it. I know that it's a better set-up to go casting vs spinning, but my dear wife, a Swede, is adament that she wants to stick with spinning gear. In fairness to her she is quite proficient at deploying her harness so using spinning gear is fine by me. But thanks for the note anyhow.

my wife is the same, she will not use anything but spinning rods, she has used a bait caster and did quite well but just insists on spinning gear.

[ColumbiaR]

Anyone try the Walleye Angler bouncing rods? What is their action like? We don't have any BPS out west.