New member - seeking advice

[bmckenney]

Hi All. Great site here. I've spent quite a few hours reading threads here and it looks like a great discussion board with lots of experienced members and plenty of posting activity so I decided to join in.

I need some tackle advice. I will be fishing for Coho's, avg. 15 lbs, in a river in northern BC in a week. I am staying on a floating lodge and will be guided. I've fished rivers in the area this time of year for coho often and will be for years to come and I'd like to get my own rig for the times I wont be guided and even when guided I'd like to use my own rig. The preferred method for coho is jigging with 1/2 oz marabou jigs. A guide I've used before suggested a fast action medium powered rod, 6'6". I decided I wanted my rod to have a lifetime guarantee but I can't afford a Loomis so I purchased a rod from LL Bean, which is a great company. I actually had to use their great return policy the day I received my rod which was yesterday. The rod had a bent guide when I opened it up. I phoned them and they are sending me another one expedited shipping, no questions asked. I heard LL Bean was good, and I'm impressed right out of the gate.

I've fished this method before and I know from experience it's really important to have an appropriate rod. I soft tip just doesn't' work, believe me. So based on what this guide I know suggested I purchased a St. Croix Triumph 6'6" medium 6.-12 lb rod. LL Bean doesn’t have the best selection in spin gear so this seemed like the best, affordable option.

My wife tells me I don’t have much of a budget, but I could if I really wanted to. I have a Mitchell Excellence 300 reel and I wasn’t sure if this would be good enough or not. I was interested in whether for this application of fishing if a reel is all that important. Casting isn’t that critical other than I want the line to be manageable. Retrieval doesn’t seem all that important other than I’d like the ratio to be reasonable and drag to work well enough. I phoned a local store here in Calgary and asked if upgrading my reel would result in anything significant. I asked if I’d notice the difference with a better reel (like the $100 Okuma Inspira which LL Bean has, or the $130 St. Croix Avid). The person I talked to said I wouldn’t notice much difference and I’d be fine with the 300.

I also spooled some 15 lb (the guide suggested 15 lb Big Game, but the road is rated to 12 lb) braided Fireline on the reel because I think for this type of fishing I’ll want the sensitivity in the line.

So if you made it through all of that rambling, the advice I’m looking for comes down to this. I was wondering if my rod seems like a good one or not for this type of fishing. I know I could get a better more sensitive rod and I’d probably notice the difference, and I might one day when I get tackle envy, but I’m in this price range right now and I just want to know if this rod is going to work really well or not. And I’d really like to know if I should upgrade my reel or not… is the Mitchell 300 going to work well for this type of fishing or should I get a better (smoother, better drag) reel. I don't want to get up there and have issues because the reel isn't appropriate.

Bryan

[Schuler]

Sounds like an alright set up to me. The 300's are tough reels. I'm not sure how smooth the drag is. I think you'll find out soon enough since you're hooking into fish that will test it.

St. Croix's are great rods. I don't notice much difference b/w the triumph's and premiers other than sometimes the triumphs have some eyes that aren't lined up (not as good of quality control in China) But, they are either really messed up or done perfectly.

[PikeMan]

For this very same application, (though in Alaska) I use a Lipper Evolution rod and a Sahara 4000 reel. What you have should suit your desired activities just fine though. St. Croix is an excellent company, and my Dad (fishing partner) has relied on Mitchell Reels since the '70's.

[deadlift]

Be afraid ... be very afraid, Bryan. I used to be satisfied with "normal" tackle till I started hanging out with this crowd. Now, my credit card company loves me—a lot!

You'll get a TON of great advice here though! But once you start researching a little bit about the gear that gets recommended, you'll start saying to yourself that "$265 shipped to my door is a great price considering it's $330 retail!". Then you will realize that the "bait monkey" will start convincing you of other things you'll need ... bearings, knobs, more reels, more rods ... then he tells you that you still have more money on your card AND you listen to him.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!

[raul]

You'll get a TON of great advice here though! But once you start researching a little bit about the gear that gets recommended, you'll start saying to yourself that "$265 shipped to my door is a great price considering it's $330 retail!". Then you will realize that the "bait monkey" will start convincing you of other things you'll need ... bearings, knobs, more reels, more rods ... then he tells you that you still have more money on your card AND you listen to him.

BaitMonkey logic.

[OhioChamp183]

Advice




That there is you, every time you get a chance, on the phone, ordering more Bait Monkey stuff

[OhioChamp183]

BE AFRAID

VERY AFRAID

[bmckenney]

you'll start saying to yourself that "$265 shipped to my door is a great price considering it's $330 retail!".

LOL! And with LLBean, I get a lifetime guarantee. I find myself telling the wife things like, "and if 20 years from now I get a hole in the seem of these waders they'll replace them no questions asked. This is just such an amazing company to buy things from, isn't it?". Actually, she was very impressed when I can home yesterday and within 5 minutes of seeing my damaged rod I had just got off the phone with LL Bean who said they're sending me a new rod express shipping no questions asked. Now she's looking at the catalog for girly things. I think I played my cards just right.

Bryan

[deadlift]

Well played with the LL Bean catalog! I wasn't aware they had much tackle, but it if works ...

And Jeff is in NO place to be talking!

[progressive816]

Welcome to the forum.
As long as the drag on your reel doesn't studder, it'll be fine. When vertical jigging the drag has to start up smooth.

A new reel that would compliment the Triumph and is reasonably priced at $60 if I may recommend are:

Pflueger President
Daiwa Exceler
Shimano Sahara
Daiwa Laguna (good reel and can be had for less at that famous auction site)

This should get you in the right spending path.

[dragon1]

Hmmm....well...advice...

You may want to either re-phrase or withdraw your query. Less you wish to disturb your lovely bride!