# okuma surf rods



## sliprig (Nov 20, 2004)

I was wanting to know what you guys think about them. They are cheap but it sounds like that cheap is not good for distance rods.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

There will be differing opinions here, I bet.

IMHO 
They are a decent rod for the money. I own 3 12' Solaris rods and they are my favorite for heaving up to 8oz. For the same money, if you need to heave a bucket of lead, an Ocean Master is better suited.
/IMHO

.


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

Depends on conditions, water, weather, and bait choice, me OM for 6 ounces plus (and then some bait), especially in heavy surf. Just started tossing a Solaris, 4 ounces of lead and bunker chunk or head, tosses sweet, 5 ounces okay, go 6 ounces or more, for me the OM.

So, trying to be honest, depends on where you are fishing, type of bait (shrimp I would think less weight than bunker chunks) and weather and currents. Can you hold bottom with 4 ounces and bait? Yes, then you don't need or want an OM, 5 ounces plus bait, borderline and six ounces or more plus bait, me thinks, go backbone, broomstick, old reliable, OM.

Have Jeep will travel


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## sliprig (Nov 20, 2004)

i am throwing 1 to 2 oz buck tail jigs and i need to get about 110 yards out. Fishing at a dam in TN for stripe and their is one guy catching fish. No one else can get out there, except boats. I'm about 30 yards or so short. The reel I'm using is abu 6500c3. Just got new bearings, rocket fuel, power pro 30#, and fiber blocks to try to get the distance. The rod is 8ft. Any advice on how to get the distance would be helpful.

Thanks,


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

Now at the 8' length, I am by no means an expert, but know a few who have an 8' Solaris, me, I really like Okuma's reels for surf and salt, but your fishing is out of my league, and it's not that I don't appreciate, but you may want to send Sandcrab a pm, he loves tossing metal at jetties and stuff, me, I am an 11' rod toss and wait kind of guy.

Ron knows his stuff though, and it may be worthwhile, tell him shaggy sent you.

Have Jeep will travel


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

By the way sliprig, welcome to the P&S "family".

Have Jeep will travel


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

sliprig said:


> i am throwing 1 to 2 oz buck tail jigs and i need to get about 110 yards out. Fishing at a dam in TN for stripe and their is one guy catching fish. No one else can get out there, except boats. I'm about 30 yards or so short. The reel I'm using is abu 6500c3. Just got new bearings, rocket fuel, power pro 30#, and fiber blocks to try to get the distance. The rod is 8ft. Any advice on how to get the distance would be helpful.


My favorite rod for lure casting is a 8' Solaris, but have no idea the distance I'm getting with it. Usually toss between 1/2oz to 2oz.

If you can handle the change with the size of fish you're catching, I suggest you drop down to 15# PowerPro. That will add some distance.


BTW, Bob, ok, I'll give in a little. Anything over 6 I'd pick up the OM too.  Refreshing seeing you talk positive about that "other" rod.  Must be the FLF mojo left on it.   

.


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*Welcome sliprig,*

The 8' 1/2 t0 3oz Solaris will throw a 2 or 3 oz Stingsilver a easy 170 or 200 yards all day long. Useing a Bucktail you are going to lose some distance. You never did say what rod you are useing now? IMO for the money, you can't beat a Solaris and it smokes some of the better rods too! .....Tightlines


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## sliprig (Nov 20, 2004)

the rod i use now is a daiwa sealine-x


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## longcaster (Oct 3, 2000)

Hello "sliprig",

Welcome!

If I were you, I would introduce myself to the other fisherman that is consistantly catching fish. I would ask him what it takes to be able to reach and catch the fish.


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## sliprig (Nov 20, 2004)

He works in the fishing business. He is pro staffing for abu, stren and quantum. Every thing he had was experimental. The abu reel, only 3 made. He was doing a review on them fishing for heavy fish. The lins was a new braid not on the market yet. The rod not on the market yet. 

He had Bill Dance do a show down below the dam!


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## reelrebel18 (Oct 13, 2004)

i have a 7' solaris with a penn4400ss that will thro a 2oz. silverstinger a good 120yds. when it is calm 
this is my striper rod


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## jimmatthews (Nov 17, 2004)

*Tsunami/Tica*

No offense to anyone but I have done a side by side comparison between Solaris and Tica/Tsunami and there was no comparison. The Solaris rods seem like the top of the line for "cheap" rods while the others resemble more expensive rods as far as weight (or lack of it) and stiffness goes. The one time I made it to the mega-store outside Baltimore they didn't have any OM surf rods in stock so I have never seen one and can't compare them.


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## ADIDAF (Mar 24, 2004)

*8' rod-200yards?*

No offense intended but I'd pay money to see an 8' rod throw 200 yards.


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*I would say,*

if you can't throw a 2oz or 3oz Stingsilver or Hopkins that distance with a 8' rod & braid? You need to do one of two things, get a better rod or pratice your casting. It's really very easy! ....Tightlines


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

Some reel bad info in this tread , there is no one and I repete no one who can cast an 8' rods 200 yards . Hat aren'y you the same person claiming you cast live eels 150 yards on a squidder !!!
Secondly 15lb braid will not make a baitcaster cast further it will let a spinning reel cast better but not a baitcaster, it is a recipe for a good old back lash . Sliprig the easiest way to gain the distance for what you want to do it use a longer rod , 10-11'


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*First off Connman,*



Connman said:


> Some reel bad info in this tread , there is no one and I repete no one who can cast an 8' rods 200 yards . Hat aren'y you the same person claiming you cast live eels 150 yards on a squidder !!!
> Secondly 15lb braid will not make a baitcaster cast further it will let a spinning reel cast better but not a baitcaster, it is a recipe for a good old back lash . Sliprig the easiest way to gain the distance for what you want to do it use a longer rod , 10-11'


No I'm not that person that made that claim. Second, I'm useing braid on a spinner for metal not a conventional. 3rd, your oh so wrong. A 8' Solaris will toss a 2oz Stingsilver 600' easy!....Tightlines


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## greybeard (Nov 9, 2004)

Did you say 2 football fields distance with 2 ounces and an 8 ft rod easy? I'd like to hear your stories about the ones that got away. Could be very entertaining.


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

Hell what do I know about this subject, on a good day, I can probably get an 8nbait out maybe 70 - 80 yards, 6nbait maybe further, but it doesn's seem to me that farthest is always the best for my fishing anyhow. Tossed a peanut bunker just past the shore breakers, maybe 25 - 30 yards, and hooked into a 33" striper. So distance is a factor, but conditions dictate distance.

Now, I realize this has no connection with an 8' Solaris tossing 2 ounce stingsilvers, never even tried tossing 2 ounces out at the beach, may be fun to see how far though, but I am working on trying to get about 100 yards with six ounces and bait, but the bottom line is that I have FUN fishing again.

Have Jeep will travel


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## ADIDAF (Mar 24, 2004)

*8' 200yds*

Hat, again, no offense, but I think you need to throw on a measured field for a while, it might change your opinion of what 200 yards is. 200 yards is in the A-AA division on the tournament field and a very respectable cast. I have to agree with Conn, it's impossible with an 8' rod regardless of it's quality. 200 yards is a very long cast with 2 ounces on a Nevada or a Powertex Bass and they are top of the line rods. Measure one of your casts accurately and let us know what you come up with.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

i dont know about 200 yrds, but with a 9 tica, and the penn captiva 5000 series, and 20lb pp, i can throw a 3oz chesapeake bay lure/hopkins well well over 125 yrds, i know this because i used to just use the 125yrd spool of pp on my metal rod, and i would go well into the backing on a cast. 200 does seem like alot, but depending on wind, and if your casting from a high pier, i could maybe believe that. far from me to tell you something is impossible unless i see if for myself.

on the orig topic, buy a longer rod... at least a nine, i noticed a huge gain from 7-8-9 for my metal spanish rods. 

imho, i like tica, better backbone and quality.... alot better than the okuma, i've broken 2 of them and okuma's warranty dept is not very responsive, on the other hand, i have broken a tica and had a brand new one at my house within 5 biz days of me mailing the broken rod and sending a letter.

neil


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

In defense of my original post to drop to 15# Power Pro. I was speaking from a spinner mindset.

Also the discussion saying Tica is better than Okuma. Only comment I have is that I'm surprised it took 15+ posts before it came up.  Used to be some good, ahem, discussions on here arguing the merits of OM vs Solaris, etc. 

I may change to another line of rod at some point, but right now I like my Solaris rods. I've also had excellent results from their service dept. Sorry you had a bad time hanguk. If you still feel you are not satisfied with their service, shoot me a pm. I may be able to help.

Distance. I'm guessing I'm tossing 1oz maybe 80yrds with the 8'. Better with more weight. (Never have measured the 8' casts.) On a good day and a fresh index finger, I top out at 150yrds with a 12' Solaris with 5 and small or no bait. Brighton.

Still learning and improving. Will continue until I'm too old to toss a rod. Hope to master the OTG next year.

.


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## shaggy (Jun 18, 2003)

Bubba,


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

8' rod,2 0z.=200 yds 
haha,thats a good one hat!
10'rod,3 0z.=world record
next time we have a casting event,this guy is welcome to come out and show us how it's done.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Wow,

I'd really like to see a 2 oz stingsilver cast 600 feet. Sounds like some of the tales I've heard about guys throwing 8nbait over 600'.

Easy to claim, much harder to back up on a measured field.

Tommy


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## can't fish today (Oct 8, 2003)

Tommy said:


> Wow,
> 
> I'd really like to see a 2 oz stingsilver cast 600 feet. Sounds like some of the tales I've heard about guys throwing 8nbait over 600'.
> 
> ...



LOL, that's cause we're fishermen and like to spread fishermen's tales.


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

At a Sfcci casting tournament in Texas Sept 04 , a special event casting a spooner 3oz lure (similar to Hopkins shortie) was held , using 8lb mono and mostly 13-15' rods , the longest cast by any one was 550' by Jerry Valentine one of the top US casters of all time .


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## markedwards (Jan 29, 2001)

a 2oz stingsilver go 200 yds on 8 ft rod? yeah i wanna see that too.


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## jkcam (May 2, 2004)

*Oh, Boy! Into the frey.*

I am using a Tica 8' TC2, m/h, ueha524401s spinning rod, with a Okuma Coronado CD50 with 15lb mono.

I am usually throwing a 1 1/2 or a 2 oz Kastmaster, if I am trying for distance. ( I use the rod for everything at the beach, metal, topwater, live bait.)

I am pretty happy with the set up, but like most of us, it could be better. I think I am consistently getting 100 yards, (based on my half baked method of casting on the beach and walking off the distance). Sometimes I think i may get a little more. But who knows, maybe I'm getting flash backs from my youth, I grew up in the 60s.

I really like the lightness and easy handling of the set up as it is pretty easy to cast, carry, make short casts if necessary, etc.

But, if there is something out there that would improve things like distance, weight, manuverability, versatility, I'd buy it tomorrow.

I've tried braid, but it really tears up my hands. I can wrap my index finger with some horse leg dressing tape, but it is the corners of my fingers that get cut when I am tying knots to my leaders. 

bottom line, I'd like to do better and know I could profit from suggestions here, it is a great forum. Thanks, 
Jim\

http://photobucket.com/albums/v606/Jkcam

btw, all the snook in the photos where caught and released unharmed to fight another day. Fish on!!


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## surf rat (Jun 30, 2004)

*jkcam*

I see you went to the how to make a 10 lb fish look like it weighs 30 lb school of photography.That is a nice Snook .


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## HighCap56 (Oct 21, 2003)

surf rat said:


> I see you went to the how to make a 10 lb fish look like it weighs 30 lb school of photography.


Well... he graduated with honors!  

Nice fish!


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## jkcam (May 2, 2004)

*Eye Exam*



surf rat said:


> I see you went to the how to make a 10 lb fish look like it weighs 30 lb school of photography.That is a nice Snook .



"Envy is the ulcer of the soul."
Socrates, (469bc-399bc)


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