Bucktailing Rod Choices

[PottersPond]

Getting up to speed on lure fishing. Very interested in bucktails and thinking about investing in a rod to be used just for .50 to 2 ounce bucktails, mostly along coast of SOCO Rhode Island. Doing my research and coming out more confused then when I started. Looked at Lami, St Croix, Tsunami, TFO and TICA, all around $200-225 or so. Thinking moderate action 9 footer as most fishing will be done on open beach. Thoughts, experience all advice is welcome. Thanks

[Icepants]

I fish bucktails quite a bit. For open beaches I like a longer rod like a 10 or 10.5' rod. I like to have the rod in my groin area as opposed to holding it under my shoulder less strain on me in the long run. I have used slower rods and faster rods for bucktailing and it really didn't make much of a diff to me.As long as your tail is in productive water you will catch fish regardless of rod action. If forced I would lean towards a softer rod. For the buck it's hard to beat the Tsunami Elites either the 9.5 or 10.5 should handle the bill.

[ASrod]

I like my St. Croix Mojo 9' Moderate action rod a lot. It throws and works any bucktail from 3/4-2 ounces without an issue. I prefer 9 footers, but a 10' would work.

The 9' Mojo can cast 1/2 ounces, but don't expect it to load well and "launch" it like a 1 ounce. I still use any weight bucktail I have (1/2-2oz).

 

Alex

Edited September 6, 2015 by ASrod

[In The Surf]

Check out the lami GSB 1081 l or the factory model for that blank which should be in your price range and give you the action you are looking for.

Edited September 6, 2015 by In The Surf

[needles]

Check out the lami 1081 l or the factory model for that blank which should be in your price range and give you the action you are looking for.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[PottersPond]

Thanks Needles, I looked on the Lami website and couldn't find the 1081 but did find a 1061, any idea if this is the model you mentioned?

 

Thank you

[Sweetwater]

Thanks Needles, I looked on the Lami website and couldn't find the 1081 but did find a 1061, any idea if this is the model you mentioned?

 

Thank you

Must be a misprint. There is no 1061. The gbt1081 is the same rod.

 

There really is no reason to get a "bucktail" rod. Any rod you own that will handle .5-2 oz. will make a perfectly acceptable bucktail rod. I recommend that you learn bucktail fishing before you consider buying a specialized rod. These lures are both mindlessly simple and worthy of a lifetime of study. How much time you choose to use them is completely up to you and many fishermen never pick one up while others use them nearly exclusively. Is it worth your time to get a specialized rod when you don't know what your preferences are?

 

I don't live on the striper coast, so my needs are different, but if I moved that way, I would own four rods. Each would be for specific weight lures/ bait.One would be for back bays: 1/4-1 oz lures. The second would take me from 1/2-2 oz. My third rod would work well with 1-4 oz lures, and my fourth would go from 2-6. With these four rods, I could cover any lures I would want to cast for stripers. If I had a particular style of fishing that I really liked, I would get a specialized rod for that, but I would make it work for other lures in its range as well. 

[TLap21]

This is from a John Skinner article I read over the winter:

 

"Given the relatively light weight range [Of Bucktails], I prefer a medium-action 9-foot graphite spinning rod built on a Lamiglas GSB1081L blank. That rod is matched nicely with a Penn 5500, Penn Slammer 560, or Van Staal 200. Some anglers like a Van Staal 150 on that blank, but for the ocean surf application, I'd prefer the larger model. I admit to the overall outfit being a bit smaller than most I see on the beach, but it's what works well for me. A medium action 10-foot rod, such as one built on a Lamiglas GSB 1201L, along with an appropriately matched reel, would also be an excellent choice."

 

I'd also take a look at the Fiberstar Raptor 1087.  Good luck!  

[redfin]

Personally, I would not fish any bigger than a 9 footer on SOCO RI beaches. I think the BT lure range would more realistically be more like 3/4 - 1.5 oz. I would not recommend rods that are rated that low. Rod ratings are misleading. IMO most but not all factory rods that will handle those jig weights well are going to be rated 3/4-4 or 1-4 or better. So be careful when looking at rods and don't go too light. An example would be the Tica Dolphin 9 ft 1/2 to 3 is a fine rod but it is not a rod for 1.5 or 2oz jigs. On the other hand the Daiwa Team Daiwa 9 ft 1-4 would be ideal.

[Jersey Salt]

Shimano tiralejo 9'6" rated 3/4-3. Bad ass for open beach.