trolling rods

[Jess]

I have a pair of Okuma rod and reels and love em. I thought I'd try a couple of Diawas this year also. the 27lcw. I fish boards and dipsies on Erie. Wht would you all recomend as the best rod to pair up with these reels? Or any other advice on rod n reels on Lake Erie.
Thanks,
Jess

[Jess]

Another question. I live at a place that has fish cleaning houses with electric plug ins etc and the whole bit. I kinda pride myself in cleaning fish the old fashioned way and I know I do a great job on my fillets. (so do most of the guys w/ elec knifes)I would never sacrifice quallity for speed but I want to be faster. The guys with the electric knives blow me away and on work days my cleaning time is cutting into fishing time. Dose anyone know how to clean fish lightning fast (or how to learn) with a knife? Or do I need ta give in and get an electric? I realy don't want to use an electric knife. I once saw an old salt on TV clean a cod in like 5=10 seconds ! It was ausome ! he was goin nuts using his teeth and everything to skin em! I've always wanted to be able to clean fish like that. Can anyone help me? I live in NW Ohio. Also I presently use buck fillet knifes. Is there any advice on some professional fillet knifes?
Thanks,
Jess

[bob oh]

Jess, just wondered why you are so opposed to electric knives. I switched 10 or so years ago and would never go back to fillet knife. Just wondering???

[FreeByrd]

Jess,
The Okuma rods are very nice for dipseys. The 8 footer medium action is very popular. Best piece of advice I ever received on rod and reel setups was to make them the same as much as possible - meaning make all your dipsey rods the same, all your board rods the same, etc. At least make each side of the boat the same. Makes it much easier to "read" the rods and figure out what is going on down there. I have both the Okuma reels and the Diawa reels. I prefer the Diawas but the Okumas are tough to beat for the $. I believe you are talking about inline boards so I'll let others answer that piece (I run big boards 90% of the time and use 7' Medium action St. Croix Pro Glass rods) but I suppose you could use the Okumas for double duty at least for now.
Good Luck,
Steve

[CarpetBagger]

Just thought id add my 2 cents in here seein how here in the central basin all we troll is deep water with dipsy's, riggers, and boards. Im gonna do a quick run off the rods i use.

4 Okuma 30DX's on 8'6''Medium Diawa Heartland rods (strung with 30lb Ripcord)
2 Diawa SG47LC on 8'6'' Erie Series Rods (Medium Heavy big dipsy model) Spooled with 40lb Ripcord
2 Diawa 47 older models on 8'6'' Shimano TDR with 20lb Ande Mono

I use the okuma's for small dipsy and planer board rods. I use the Diawa's for big dipsy rods and the other diawa for the riggers. I also use the Cabela's Ripcord in 30# and 40# to get a lil more depth outa the dipsys.

In my opinion ive found to like the okuma's alot better for the smaller dipsys just that the freespool with the clicker on lets u move away from the rod and go rig another to be let out, while the diawas have a much stronger hold on the freespool and u pretty much have to sit there and let them out. Also when ur lettin ur small dipsys out 225ft the Okumas have a much better gear ratio so bringin in those long lines is fast.

The diawa's by far is the nicer of the 2 brands, but for 90 bucks i can get a 30DX on a 8'6'' medium Hearland rod. Not too bad of a buy in my book...

my 2 cents
CB

[Len]

On the trolling rods I`d say go with the best you can afford that suits your needs..I love the 6 diawa LC47 reels I own and wouldn`t trade em for two okumas and I own both makes.To me the drag on the diawa`s is far better and I only gave about twenty bucks more for them than the okuma`s.I fish diawa`s jupiter series rods and they seem to work fine in my boat.
As to fileting fish I`ve seen guys with knives at tables in michigan that I`d bet could whip anyone with an electric knive on big fish!.
Those guys always seem to use THE salmon knive .A forschner with a 11" swept blade.I`d loose fingers if I tried to go that fast but once you clean a couple thousand salmon and trout you seem to get pretty proficeint with the big 11" knives..
They just start at the head and cut down to the back bone then slice all the way out the tail in one motion..Fold the filet over and skin it in one motion..Slick as a whistle..Tight lines..Len

[Jess]

I'm not sure why I don't like electric knives that much. I guese I just have a picture in my head of that old salt flying through those cod and I always wanted to be able to clean fish like that. I'd like to know I could clean fish like that wherever I was w/o any power plugs needed.

[Jess]

Thanks . Steve are they ever gonna get us shore power? I'm at GC.

[Jess]

Everyone thanks a lott. The only thing thats get's me through the late winter is thinking about spring:)

[CarpetBagger]

I hate the Diawa GLS 47LC's the only diawas worth the money are the SG47LC u can tell these ones, they have brass gears and are a great reel the original LC47 has Nylon gears and i have 1 older one that the drag went bad on...Okuma's Beat out these cheeper diawa's with bronze gears and 2 ball bearings, you cant beat em for the price...

But if u want the good reels u cant beat the SG47LC and the Sg27LC reels, but if u wana geta nice line counter for like 60 bucks u cant beat the Magda 30DX's by Okuma..

CB

[Jess]

Len,
I can't find a forschner called the salmon or one with an 11' blade swept. I did find some simular to what your describing though. I've also looked at elect. I'm gonn try both this season.
Thanks,
Jess

[bob oh]

Jess, when does GC or Wild Wings ever do anything that was promised :-) I'm at WW, go through GC to reach my dock in SE corner of marina.

[Jess]

can't remember hehe