I'm asking Santa for a new pole for Christmas... :-)

what i want it for is to toss about a 5 oz. pyramid weight along with either some small spoons or a shrimp with a wing-bobber flittering out there in the river's current.

Any advice on specs on a rod I should be after? (not necessarily brand name, though that would be welcome too!)

thanks!

Rookie,
It sounds like you are primarily looking to plunk. You can go to sports authority in Lynnwood and pick up a 9' downrigger rod for probably less than $40. These will handle 20# line and all the weight you will need in the river. Unfortunately this will also require you to buy a level wind reel of some sort. You can buy a spinning rod instead that will do the same thing for maybe less money. Not sure if you can get a rod that will handle 5oz leads and throw little spoons as well. Two different techniques. Look at a lot of stuff and get other sugesstions then make a choice. Good luck.

I would go with the 8 1/2 foot Lamiglas
g-1000 Medium-Heavey with a 5500 or 5501.
Good luck, STRIKE ZONE

Hey Rookie fisher, I know far too well what you are looking for. Depending on how much money you plan on spending, well this is what my favorite set-up is. I use a 9' GL2 heavy 10-20# and a 5500 reel. This set-up works great for both. I use 8oz. of weight were I'm fishing and it will through it at least 25yds which is plenty of distance for any plunking application. I just use this rod last weekend on the cowlitz and banged out a nice #10 hen steelie drift fishing. It will work fine for both especially spoon fishing, this rod has plenty of good back bone and has a fast action also. Not my #1 choice for drift fishing but down on the cowlitz if you get a big fish then you need some power to control the fish before it goes to the point and you loose it in the current. Just my .02, good luck!

There are a lot of great rods out there that match your criteria , some better then others.
Why not buy the best you can afford or get, the first time so you don't have to replace it or make sure it has a great warrenty with it. There are a lot of rods that offer this but I like the GLoomis HSR(1021) GL3. 3/8 oz to 4oz (but can handle up to 6+ oz with out a problem)
Light and cxan feel that subtle bite too. Abu Garcia has a custom signature series with a smilar spec for about $60(glass not Graphite)
Good Luck!

[This message has been edited by Aerofly (edited 11-27-2000).]

Ok, here comes an old time plunker (yeah, I may only be 30, but I've been plunking with my Dad since I was about 6). I've had a lami I tried plunking with, but I'll tell you the way to go.

I use the old traditional made in the USA 70's and 80's models, but you can buy one of the newer series that are built by Berkeley (I do believe) now. They are the Fenwick series rods, in either F85C, F88C, or F89C. The 85C is actually the old driftrods, they have smaller diameter eyes. The 88C and 89C is the "mooching" rods. They're made of fiberglass and have ALL the backbone you can use. I currently have 3 of these rods, 2 that I use for plunking have 6001's on them, the other has a 5001 on it. They're all older fenwicks, when a fenwick was ACTUALLY a fenwick. I use up to 6 oz pyramid sinkers and they can handle up to 20# test. The nice thing is, that with the strong backbone on the rods, they have a flexible tip, making strikes very visible. I even use these as plug rods too. I have my loomis's and Lami's, but I always seem to go back to my old Fen's. This is just my .02 on rods, the lami's and loomis' are great, but I like the feel of fenwick glass rods for plunking.

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you haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

Steelheader 69 and Brian have good ideas. The GL2 that Brian speaks of is a decent plunking rod. Its has a fast taper so the tip is sensitive enough to transmit sandshrimp bites and its got serious bone. Plus the rod doubles up as a heavy driftfishing rod for salmon and nates. The downside is when plunking short-water using plugs. The rod is so sensitive the plug vibrations will literally shake the entire rod in the holder, rendering bells useless.

The 'ol Fenwicks that SH69 speaks of are awesome plunking rods too, especially when using plugs. These glass rods transmit vibrations so well that you can tell if your plug's fouled with debris just by checking how the rod tip is bouncing. The downside is a lack of backbone. If you're running just bait, make sure the pyramid is on a slider for a better hookset.

My pick would be an Ugly Stick 8 1/2 to 10 foot, rated to 25 lb line. It has the main attributes of both rods in one, which are a decent backbone and a sensitive fiberglass tip. Plus it's way cheaper; $59 versus $89 and $180, respectively. Make sure you bring some electrical tape and tape the two rod pieces together, though. Ugly sticks are notorious for coming apart while casting.

I can give you some great advice: About one week ago today I went down to Wal*Mart and picked up a great pole and spinning reel for a grand total of $29.99. That is the best darn pole that I have ever owned in my life. FGoomis 5ft 8in rod, I have hooked so many 55 pound kings this week then you could ever imagine. Take my advice and do the same. Sinceraly, The Steelhead_Slammer

Steelhead Slammer:

I can't tell if you're serious or not. Are you pulling my leg???

I can't picture a 55 lb. king on a 5 1/2 foot rod...

Everyone else...is this guy jiving me or what?

Have mercy on a true rookie, please!

Rookie--SteelheadSlammer's is giving you the Blue Light special advice it does not hold water. Sounds like it is his snagging set up. You have been given worthy advice up above-Strike Zones set up would run $180ish. Go to Ted's in Lynnwood-talk to Kent/Brian/or Mike.