I have a good 8' drift rod. I am thinking of picking up a float rod. Any suggestions? I dont have alot of cash to put into it.
what size rod are you floaters using

A 10' or 10'6" rod works good. I have a 10'
silstar 2-10 pound line rating. Landed an 18lb steelhead on this rod using a nightmare jig. I also have a 10'6" shimano convergence with a 12-20 pound line rating and a 10'6" brownig gold medallion with a 2-6lb rating.
I have broken the browning twice so I don't
use it much. All these rods were between
$50 and $100 each.

You definitely want to use a longer rod to keep as much line off the water as possible. Lamiglas has a nice jig rod that is perfect for it. They make them in spinning and casting. They're rated for 6-15lb test. I have both the spinning and casting models and they're wonderful. They are very sturdy and I've caught everything from steelies up to big kings on these rods. I'm running 10 lb test and haven't had a problem yet landing fish on it. These rods are 9'6". They're the lamiglass pro graphite. I do believe the lami also has something similar in their 1000 series rods which are more inexpensive then the $144 for the pro graphite.

Good luck and I agree to stay away from the Brownings. They're ok rods, but I have three and have had them break a few times (hence to say that none of these rods are the original I bought) For some reason they just don't hold up. Almost like they've over loaded the rod for it's use or something. I have no idea.

tight lines........

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I bought a browning 2-6lb 10'6" for a backup rod, and for my girl friend to use when she comes with me. It is the first time I bought a browning, We'll see if it breaks. For its price it seems like a good rod. I think I spent around $70 for it. It is a little on the light side for big nates, but handles the hatchery fish great. It seems for a float rod you don't need a top of the line ultra sensitve rod, cause you are reacting to your bobber. Length, though is pretty important, I would try to stay 10 foot or above.--mike

[This message has been edited by KORE (edited 02-01-2000).]

I have the 10' Lamiglas Bill Herzog casting rod I use for float fishing. It is a great rod. Landed alot of nice Natives on the Sol Duc with it. Retails for around $150 but can't go wrong with it.

I wouldn't fish anything shorter than 10 1/2 foot and I prefer a spinning rod. I have an 11 1/2 and a 12 footer for winter fishing and I run a 13 footer for summer runs. St. Croix makes a nice starter rod that is 11 1/2 feet and rated 4-10 lbs line for about $130.

The key here is definately to use a long rod.
Preferably a bait casting rod for line control. For the resons I us bait casting rods check out "Sheps" post under float fishing, I put quite a lenghty explanation there. I personally suggest the Dave Vedder signature series Lamiglass 10'6" rod. Vedder gave me the very first prototype of his rod made and told me,"John, if a rod is going to have my name on it I want to know its good. Take it and work it hard and try to break it if you can." Never have I had someone ask me to break a rod. First steelie landed on it was a 16 pound nate out of the Sol-duc up at Riverside. Now 3 years later and many steelhead and salmon including kings, it has not yet busted. The investment in a rod of this caliber is well worth it. Try "Teds Sport Center" in Lynwood to find the rod.

For a jig or drift rod the Loomis 10'6 med-heavy 10-20lb is really hard to beat!!! A great all around rod!!!

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Tight Lines!!

I use a Loomis STR1265C GL2 for most of my float fishing, Its 10'6" long moderate action rated for 10 to 20 lb line. The rod works well for steelhead and salmon. I use for your typical "Canadian" style flaot fishing and bobber fishing for the big fall boys in tidewater. Check it out .

Loomis STR1263c, GL3, 10-1/2 feet, rated for 6-12 pound test. This rod does it all!!!!! Light enough and sensitive enough for light steelhead gear and tough as nails when it comes to landing big nookies. Drawback is it's cost $250.

I use floats quite a bit and I'll repeat the main theme: longer rods are better. They allow more effective mending of the line to keep the belly out and allow more line to be picked up when setting the hook. The longer rods are also more forgiving on jigs, which have more delicate hooks. I have 2 float rods:

10' 6-10lb light action Herzog Series by Lamiglass (spinning)

10.5' 6-12lb medium action Loomis GL3 1263C (Casting)

These 2 rods have steelhead tapers as oppose to noodle rods tapers so both make fine drift rods, as well. In fact the Lami is my primary low-water summer-run rod. The Loomis is also a great beach stick for throwing herring under a float off Whidbey for silvers. Good Luck.

For my float fishing I use a fenwick HMX series 10 1/2 foot. I love it it has handled every thing I've trown it's way.with I'ts long cork handle and adjustable reel seat it's very versital, cost at sportco was about 70 bucks what a deal, I love it....the big sringer I caught last spring wasn't too impressed though,amazing rod. just my .02

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Tight Lines
<*)>><

thanks guys for your info. Now I just need to wait for payday!!!

Obsessed,

how would you rate the lamiglas v the GL3. I was considering a longer rod and would like to get one I could use for both floats and drifting and was curious how the certified pro stacks up vs the GL3 as far as a drift rod.
Any input from others who have fished the two would be appreciated.

thanks

[This message has been edited by Stadle (edited 02-02-2000).]

As mentioned, I think the Loomis STR GL3-1263 10'6"and STRGL3-1363C 11'4" are both excellent float rods, with the edge going to the STR 1363. Both of these rods are also excellent spoon rods because of their ability to keep large amounts of line off the water, which also makes them great float rods. By the way, I have both of these rods listed "used" on Bob's classified's page. sebastian

I have both rods and many, many others. If you want a rod for both drift fishing and float fishing go for the Bill Herzog signature series rod.

Stadle, I have both rods in the 9 1/2 ft casting versions. Although I have landed more fish on the Lami, if I was to buy just one, I'd lean towards the Loomis. Like Obsessed mentioned, both have fast tapers, but for me the Loomis is a tad "quicker," i.e. more responsive. Both rods have similar line ratings, the Certified is a 6-15 and the GL3 is a 6-12, but the Certified feels "heavier" in the hand. Thus I have the Certified paired with a CT 251 and the Loomis has on a Chronarch 101. I use the Cerified to play with Pugets Sound's smallish summer kings and the mighty chums of Hood Canal. The Loomis is my #1 driftfisher for brats.

I like both rods, but they're quite different from one another.

The Lami is definitely a light action (6-10 lb line rating). It handles small jigs well, especially where I have to hold the fish in a hole (like blue creek). Also great with 6lb leaders when I'm low water summer-running. I don't use it for C&R because I'd rather have the backbone so I don't have to play the fish to exhaustion (which you have to do with big fish). Also don't use it too much during high flows. In other words, if you hook a big one, or medium sized one in fast water, you need room to walk him down.

The Loomis definitely has a medium action backbone. I can turn the head of just about anything with the rod. With the additional backbone and 6", I've made 100yd floats, had a takedown, and succesfully hooked and landed the fish. It handles 8lb just fine, but thats as light as I'd go. I make sure I keep a loose drag when I'm using jigs; don't think I've straitened a hook yet, but its possible. The rod is physically heavier than the Lami, which is the only drawback I can see.

There you have it. I guess if I were to pick one for both winter and summer fishing, I'd go with the Loomis. When drift fishing, the added weight of the Loomis is a little bothersome, but I've never had that whistling hook set. If this isn't a problem for you, go for the Loomis. You can't beat the Lami for summer-running though.

[This message has been edited by obsessed (edited 02-03-2000).]

[This message has been edited by obsessed (edited 02-03-2000).]

Stradle:

One more point that I just thought of:

For drift fishing, my primary rod for winter and early summer-running is the Loomis GL3 1143c. The rod is a 9.5' 6-12lb medium action. I love this rod for drifting and used it for floats before I got the 1263 and Herzog. The rod being a full foot shorter than the 1263 is physically lighter and I have more confidence in setting the hook stongly when drift fishing. You just don't have to set the hook as hard when using floats, and its more important to pick the line off the water, so you can get away with a heavier rod or a noodle rod, as long as its long.

If you want a longish rod that can fish most situations well, but don't need something over 10', I'd take a look at the 1143.

A lot of choices out there, but I love shopping for a rod. Have fun!

Thanks to all for the input, it is much appreciated.