Taking a trip to Alaska (Yakutat) this Fall with 5 other guys who need gear. I have a Stradic 4000 on a GL3 STR 1025S that I use for both Kings and Silvers. We are going up for Silvers and the others are looking for advice on what rod and reel they should go out and get? On last years trip to Kodiak I used the 1025 and it felt like overkill. I might pick up a 1024 this year but the others are looking for a less expensive option. Anyone used the Shakespeare Intrepid, Cabela's, Fenwick, or Berkley Air rods for Silvers? Or what is your favorite combo for Alaskan Silvers (length & action)?

I am a Loomis man but I have had a couple of those air IM7 Berkleys. For the money they are not a bad rod (under $80) They dont have many options though most of them are 8.5 footers. The 10-20 is kind of a club but the rest of them are OK. They make a great keeper sturgeon rod in the 15-50! Are you banking it or going from a boat?

crayfin

Fishing the rivers from the bank.
Thanks! Do you think the 1024S is a good choice?

I have been using the IM7 Berks. Love them, used them for guiding in alaska for kings and silvers and had no problems with them. Couple them up with some 5500 ambassadors and you can just about use them for any type of fishing you would run into period. For line the green 15# Ande was adequite and easy casting, I also have lamiglass and loomis rods but think the IM7's are fine for your dollars spent.have fun!!

Crayfin,
I've busted 5 of those pretty Berkley Buzz IM7's(Spinning model), but the other "low-end" rod you mentioned, the Intrepid- bought one for my boy last summer and paired it up w/ an ambasador 5500 and couldn't be more impressed. Paid less than $95 for the combo- the boy outfished me until I set down my Lami, grabbed it and landed a 20 Lb Silver on my favorite river. See ya in Yakutat(I wish!)
L.R.

Crayfin, sorry that last msg. was for jduck1.

Forestbay.com has the IM7 for 47.00 right now
I own two and for that price you cant find a better pole also great price on thier 5500's

Duck, I went round & round with the 1025 or 1024 about 3 yrs. ago. Got the IMX 1025C use it for hac. & native steelie's/ silvers up to 15 lbs. Anything over 20 lbs. and this rod feels overmatched! Biggest s-head on it 17 lb. buck, 5-6 kings 20-25 lbs. If I could do over whould get the 1024 as it's 6" longer and has more backbone for bigger fish.

I have a friend that owns a 8'6" 10-20 intrepid casting rod and it seems like it works great. They have an IM7 blank and for the money you can't do much better, there around 60 bucks pretty cheap.

The ST 1025 is a wonderful all around rod. Plenty of power toland large kings, still light enough to fish for steelhead.

The ST 1025 is 8'6" rated 8-17, the ST 1024 is the same 8'6" but rated 6-12, a bit lighter.

The GL3 ST 1024 will have plenty of power to land all of the silvers in AK. It is also a reallylight feeling rod and won't case you pain if you end up casting it all day long.
We have landed 30+ chinook on the 1024c in the past and havn't w/ no probelms.

Thanks for letting me play.

TH
www.thcustomrods.com

Gotta go with TH — after all he builds em'. My personal dream silver salmon rod n' reel combo (spinning) would be the TH customized G. Loomis blank (STR1025-S) GLX matched with the Van Staal 100s (in annodized gold or silver).

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of salmon!

J-A-S