Bait caster/ pollacking rod

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#1 Post by **thompo** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:07 pm

hello

im looking at getting a rod for fishing pollock of rock marks, ive seen a wee Ron Thompson "jerk bait" 6' rod with baitcaster seems like it would do the job rightly and its around £70 my plan would be to load it up up with 30lb braid

just wondering if anyone has any views on these? or simlar deals at the same sort of money.

also will i get a decent fight out of a fish on one of these rods there 6ft long and can cast upto 4oz so there pretty stiff but id like to enjoy the fight of a good pollock

#2 Post by **fishinmidget** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:12 pm

i tried using a 6ft rod off ballyreen....as a consequence i lost the biggest pollack i had ever hooked. at the moment i am using a 12' abu enticer pike rod and a small multi and it does the job proper. also much cheaper if u get it with a fixed spool reel. you wouldnt get much fight out of a pollack with that gear anyway coz it is basickly a broom handle.

#3 Post by **thompo** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:15 pm

aye thats what i was thinking that there probably way too stiff to get any fight out anything, maybe a longer spinning or plugging rod would do the job. im quite fond of the multi's so ill probably be able to find something i can use

#4 Post by **fishinmidget** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:23 pm

well, i do like my multis but i find a fixed spool better. although i am using a 5500 abu with 30lb braid :? :D ....wouldnt reccomend braid again because of it shearing on the rocks which would prob happen wid da little rod.

#5 Post by **Ronald** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:27 pm

I regularly use a baitcaster of the boat for pollack landing fish to 7lb ,of the shore would be a different matter ,i'm currently using a 3lb test curve carp rod 12' long and 6010 baitrunner 50lb braid and still having a good fight from pollack of 4lbish but i know its got the bckbone to tangle with bigger fish when they come along .
Wee rods are great fun for dangling baits between boulders or into gullies for wrasse ,but you need a longer rod to get pollack out of the kelp at any range

#6 Post by **thompo** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:32 pm

good stuff been looking at a couple of pike rods aswell was recomended 2.5-3lb test so ill go with something along those lines. Off to north coast tomorrow to try and get one of the bigger pollock :D

#7 Post by **petekd** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:14 am

I always carry my baitcaster teamed with an abu baitcaster reel on the boat, its rated for casting up to 3/4 0z. I use 1 oz leadheads and jellies or shads and its super sport all the way. I've landed pollack and cod to 7lb or so with this set up. I wouldnt however consider it for use from the shore for pollack as it just doesnt have the guts to stop the dives.

#8 Post by **lumpy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:51 am

i used a abu bait caster coupled with a 5000 loaded with 20lb braid regurely for pollock fishing, its raited to cast 1 1/2 oz. have had pollock to 11 1/4 on it, cod to 10 lb and a 13 lb coalie. while it does take a longer period to land these fish its still no trouble. one thing i hav noticed is that its alot easier to land fish by using short pumping strokes, it stops the fish getting its head down and makes it more difficult for them to dive. i have used this rod off the shore with leadheads and shads and taken pollock to about 4lbs. one thing is that i was fishing pretty deep marks which means you are fighting the fish pretty close to vertical which in my opinion suits these kinda rods

#9 Post by **pete** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:58 pm

The Ed Shinkcliffe 'Rock Hopper' spinning rods are ideal for pollock, plenty of backbone when you hook a larger than average fish. I don't know if they make them anymore though.

#10 Post by **Conor H** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:14 pm

I use a 6'6" Uglistik spincast with a Shimano 4000 slade spinning reel (20lb braid) for leadheading for pollock from the boat - great sport.

If I do any spinning from shore marks I use the 9ft uglystik spinning rod with the same reel or the Abu Ambassadeur 5501C3 (left handed retrieve) - with 30lb braid. Same set up for pike.

I prefer the shorter rod, but it's not up to shore fishing (see fishinmidgets post !!)

.

#11 Post by **cky** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:47 pm

I have a Ron thompson axellerator jerkbait rod matched to an abu 6501c3 lefty reel with 85lb braid which I use for pike only.
I wouldn't dream of taking it to the shore,way too stiff,but it works great for pike.
For spinning at the shore I use either my ugly stik gold 9ft 25-60gm spinning rod with a FS okuma reel and daiwa 15lb sensor or 30lb whiplash braid.(I also use this for pike).
Or a cheap 11ft leeda carbon carp rod rated at 2.25lb torque curve with the okuma reel mounted on it.(again I use this for piking as well)
Or a 6ft ugly stik spin rod (or mini rod as some like to call them:D ) rated at 4-10lb line which cost me £23 with a small reel and load of grubs.I loaded the reel with 12lb braid (like a thread,casts amazing but can break off easy if dragged over rocks).
the two bigger rods will handle the pollack but baitcasters don't work on them as the line rubs the blank when they are bent.
the mini rod is probably the best fun as it casts easily as far as the bigger rods yet really bends when you catch something.again a baitcaster won't fit it :evil:
davy murdoch had a giant cod on a smaller mini rod so they can obviously take the strain but a longer rod would make it easier to fight them from the shore.
best wishes
cky

#12 Post by **pookie5488** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:08 pm

ed s rockhopper is now made by fladen and has lost none of its power he changed from normark a few years back i have one but still enjoy the carp/pike rod 2.5 test just as good

Boyd A · #13 Post by **Boyd A** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:01 pm

I use an Abu Conlon 300 onehand baitcaster 5/8 oz casting rod , 4600 reel, 20 lb braid on the boat, great fun and no problems provided the drag is properly set. I have also used it off the rocks but prefer a longer rod such as the old Abu 403S to keep clear of kelp.
Incidently, if using a one handed rod, match it to a LH wind reel [ if right handed]; you'll be amazed at the difference it makes.