Disclaimer...all commentary is the opinion of Captain Clint. No commentary has been solicited nor has Captain Clint been compensated in any way for his opinion.
This section is an ongoing project. New opinions will be added on a regular basis. At the bottom of the page you will find a short list of upcoming subjects that will be reviewed. I hope you find this informative.
SCOTTY ELECTRIC DOWNRIGGERS...
Scotty Downriggers are, in my humble opinion, your best bet. I have been using Scotty electric downriggers for about 15 years. I fished with Penn manuals before that. I have fished with other people who were using Penn electrics. Price had been a deterrant regarding Cannon. In no way do I intend to demean other brands, rather I believe, based on personal experience and conversations with other fishermen, that, at least here in the Northwest, Scotty is hard to beat. I have had virtually flawless performance from Scotty's and on the rare occasion that an issue came up, Scotty's lifetime warranty has taken care of it. No problems-No cost and in a timely fashion. Hard to beat that. In practice, the Scotty's are noticeably faster than the Penn's and, on paper, faster than the Cannons. I did replace the pulleys on the end of the booms on my older ones. A new/improved design solved an occasional situation where the cable would jump the pulley. No problems since the change over. The original (Hella) electrical plugs tend to cause minor issues with age. I will be changing over to the newer design (Marinco) as I run out of the old inventory. Scotty has come out with a new high powered super duper model now-haven't tried it yet and with the much higher price tag, I'm not sure I will be anytime soon. Besides, the old ones just keep on doing their job, dependably, day in and day out! Considering cost, dependability, durability and warranty, this product gets an A+
FOLBE ROD HOLDER...
Folbe rod holders have been out for a number of years but seem to really be catching on the past year or two. A friend of mine, who fishes primarily at Neah Bay, convinced me to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Having now been using them for several months I'm a convert. Attaching them to my Scotty downriggers with an extension at about a 45 degree angle inwards allows me to stand upright in the boat (no leaning out over the gunnels) to remove the rod. Standing fully upright, a moderate pull in towards my body and I've got the rod ready to play. No awkward leaning out and pulling upwards and outwards. One fishing trip and I was wondering why I hadn't tried them sooner. I see that Scotty has now put an almost exact copy on the market...another indication that Folbe's got it right!
LAMIGLAS RODS...
Lamiglas rods are a NorthWest legend-they've earned it! This company, has for decades, built quality product at competitive prices with a good warranty. They continue to expand and improve their product while keeping things that work. My only gripe is that they have done what so many others have done and import some product from China...what won't a company do to be competitive and stay in business. My limited experience with their imported product has been good. I just feel better when I know that I'm using something made right here in the good 'ol USA, especially when it's local. The only time a Lamiglas rod has failed me has been due to an accident or a brain fart. And NO, warranty won't cover that, but they do help you out in those situations. Over the years I have probably owned somewhere north of thirty Lamiglas rods. Many are rods I have built on Lamiglas blanks. Among my current collection, one is...well let me just say more than twenty years old and still used on a regular basis. Among all the rods and rod blanks out there I have to say that Lamiglas is my top choice. There are a lot of very good rods and blanks available (of which I own and have owned many) but when you consider quality, fishability, durability, cost and company integrity, (equal consideration given to all of those factors) Lamiglas is the leader in my book.
G.LOOMIS RODS...
Gary Loomis is a legend in the fishing rod manufacturing business...well earned. His fingerprints are all over the rod building business, not just his namesake. I have fished with a handful of G.Loomis rods over the years and only have one complaint...they challenge my budget. Don't get me wrong, they are worth the price, but I believe for the average Joe they are hard to come by (most of us have to settle for a Chevy when we would really like a Cadillac).
The quality is second to none. G.Loomis rods are strong, durable, sensitive-they just feel good and you know you can depend on them.
Now that Gary no longer owns the G.Loomis brand, many of us are waiting to see if parent company, Shimano, will maintain the same level of quality. Time will tell. Meanwhile Gary is back in the business and I am waiting for the opportunity to try his North Fork product.
UGLY STIK RODS...
For novices and veterans alike, it's hard to beat an Ugly Stik. They are not the most sensitive, they are not the prettiest, they are not the cheepest. They are one of the most durable rods on the market. I have fished with Ugly Stiks a lot over the years, fresh and salt water-no complaints! Never seen one broken, although I heard about one being broken, once. The CA1186MH (8'6" 10-20#) is a great starter rod in the boat, which may eventually become a backup. I have used them for years on my boat for downrigger and jig fishing with a little mooching mixed in.
They seem to be a great compromise rod, able to do many things, although not as nicely as something more specialized in any given area. Although I use, primarily, custom rods on my boat now, I still keep ugly stiks at the ready, particularly for folks who are known to be tough on equipment.
For the price (usually around $69-maybe $59 on sale) they are tough to beat.
COYOTE SPOONS...
SILVER HORDE SPOONS...
BIG AL'S FISH FLASH...
SAMPO BALL BEARING SWIVELS...
MATZUO SICKLE HOOKS...
PENN REELS...
NEWELL REELS...
SHIMANO REELS...
