Does any one own a shimano convergence10 1/2 foot rod 8-17 pound test or looked at one? And if so does it seem a little front heavy or would it balance out with the right reel?I use the 8 1/2 footer all the time and its a nice rod for the money. Im looking to buy so any opinions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

I am not familiar with the exact rod you are talking about but do fish 10' 6" rods.

They do feel quite abit top heavy.Even if you do not feel it initially your back will tell you if it is not balanced.

Last summer I switched from my favorite regal z3500 to shimano2500 reels.There is quite a weight differance between the two,the 2500 being lighter..My back imediatly started hurting after a couple hours of fishing.This summer I am using an okuma which is again heaviar.I have not had any back problems since.

They also make weighting systems for the but of your pole.

I highly reccomend a long rod.once you get used to it you will wonder how you ever fished without it!

I am assuming that you are fishing steelies...
so I don't have any experience in that capacity with this rod.

I use the Convergence 10 1/2 for DR fishing and it is a great rod for the salt. I agree with being top heavy, but I have a larger Quantum reel that evens this out. I don't like the real seat- cheaply made. But for under $50.00 and the way I go through rods in the salt, I am a buyer.

I have both a 10'6" and an 8'6". The reel seat on the 8'6" came loose recently after 4-5 years of use. Yes, the long rod is top heavy. I'm not sure if a heavier reel would help; it needs more weight behind the reel in the butt.

Glad you asked!
I've got four of them......
Two 10'6", one 10', and one 8.5'.

- If you're using the 10.5 for steelies you miss out on a lot of fight. I love my 10.5 for kings and chum. Very powerful rods. They are a bit on the heavy side like you said. Using a lighter reel makes a WORLD of difference. I used a cabelas megaroyal for a while with my 10.5 and during chum season this year I switched to a pflueger trion. HUGE difference. Go with a lighter reel. Great rods for bigger fish but I'd go with something lighter for steelies (if that's your plan).
Oh yeah, the guides on the top two eyes seem to wear rather quickly. Just thought I'd let you know. But for 60 bucks, who cares!
Good luck...

I have the 8 1/2 footer for steelies. The big version would be for chums, and kings in the rivers. How does it do for them?

Any rod of such length will be tip-heavy...it's a matter of physics. Thus if you want to balance the rod, you need to find a way to add weight to the foot of the rod. One of the best way is to either stuff lead into the cap, if possible, or else put lead into a cylinderical tube ( I use a syringe disposal clear plastic tube) and then tape it to the end of the rod. It works beautifully. Doing this will reduce the strain on your forearm and make casting much more pleasant. This is true for shorter rods as well.