Thread: All Around Trolling Rods

This question is for everyone BUT Nimrod. Everyone knows you only need 2 poles to catch a limit!

I know that this question has been asked and answered probably a million times on this forum, but I will ask it anyway. What are the best all around trolling rods that can be used for spider rigging, longlining, and pulling cranks? I recently bought some used Drift Master rod holders and I want to expand my arsinal. I have done quite a bit of reading on the topic and it seems like everyone has an opinion. I have been looking at 14' B&M BGJPs but they are a little costly (~$360 for 8) and I wasn't sure if they had enough back bone to pull cranks. They seem to be one of the top choices for spider riggers.

Also, what are yalls thought on buying used rods to save money. Is this too much of a gamble?

I'm not sure how much trolling I will be doing, so I don't want to break the bank. If i had the choice, i would rather be verticle jigging all the time (I love that thump!). I just want to have more options when this method isn't working and I want to put my son on some fish.

So what would work best all around that isnt too expensive and why? Thanks!

Matt

Everybody is building a better mouse trap these days. Better/Cheaper is usually NOT true. There are rare exceptions to that rule however. Suzuki Outboards are a prime example. They are the best for less, but that's because they don't spend the huge dollars advertising which You pay for in the overall price.

With that being said, if I buy poles, and I've owned and sold almost every brand at some point in my fishing career, I'm a BnM guy. Their customer service is outstanding, and they have a pole for every situation and style of fishing. If I were going for an all around pole, it would be the PST. If you can get a set of 8 16'ers for 360.00, that's a fair price. Those poles are 40.00 each Dealer Cost. To only make 5.00 per pole, someone is doing you a huge favor. That barely covers freight.

I've heard good reviews on the Southern Crappie rods, and the new Denali's (90.00 each), but I haven't tried either. The Ozark is a really good all around pole, but their customer service is a bit less than desirable. I have a friend that uses the Southern crappie rods to spider rig, but the tip is too soft to pull cranks I was told. He uses the PST's for that, and he recently bought the C&C tips for his PST's, and said it was just like the Southern pole with that tip on it. With a tip change, the PST's are the real deal for ANY trolling situation. That's my choice. I also have the BGJP's, and I love them. Can't pull cranks with them tho.

Save a few more bucks if you can't get the PST's right now Matt. You'll thank yourself for doing that later. After you get them, saving $$$ for a set of C&C tips will give you Everything you'll EVER need to troll, and you'll have a great company to stand behind them for the Long Haul.