[catfish48023]

This summer I'm going to learn how to troll for walleye (dont have experience trolling for anything yet - closes thing is drifting/using planers for blue catfish). I've done a little bit of reading, but otherwise its all new to me - using linecounter reels, controlling lure depth, etc. Very excited to learn the art.

What would be some good choices for rods and reels for a beginner? Don't want el cheapo junk, but not interested to spend a fortune either. Something decent that should last a while for someone who doesn't plan on turning pro during this lifetime LOL

Thanks in advance

 

[yellowbelly80]

okuma and rods from northwoods cant beat them for the money 75.00 a combo up there i think

 

[2010flhtk]

I got diawa wilderness rods, $14.99 and okuma reels $35 I think, at northwoods.

 

[fishinthed]

I like the el cheap yellow Eagle Claw rods for trolling. Have hauled in some big toothy critters with 'em and their soft tips do a good job of keeping lightly hooked fish on.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

Do some searching for okuma linecounters or Daiwa linecounters on the website....and you will find a ton of people asking the same question you have. That will be your answer.

 

[detroitjim]

Rough guess between 5 and 10 grand. Just for the gear.
Boat,motor(s),trailer(all used),trailer hitch,rods,reels,line,terminal tackle,lures,depth finder,net,PFD's,oar,horn,fire extinguisher,plates,registration tabs,and don't forget about launch fees. If your present vehicle isn't suitable for towing a trailer that'll add another 5 to 10 grand for a decent used truck.

 

[Jimbo 09]

Diawa wilderness rods 7’ medium. Diawa accudepths 27lcs.

 

[catfish48023]

Do some searching for okuma linecounters or Daiwa linecounters on the website....and you will find a ton of people asking the same question you have. That will be your answer.

sometimes I fail to think of the obvious - good suggestion

I've decided on Daiwa Sealine 17LC3B and Daiwa Great Lakes Trolling Rod

 

[jbing]

My 2 cents, spend the money on the good ****! Good quality gear will always be "good quality gear" okuma will always be ****. I meant **** gear will always be ****.

 

[hhlhoward]

My first choice us the yellow eagle claws. Lots of action to fight the fish but have back bone. Second would be Okuma then diawa. I have all 3 brands in my boat.

Sent from my moto z4 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app

 

[Hitstick]

Okuma Great Lakes trolling combos are great rods to start with

 

[Hitstick]

My 2 cents, spend the money on the good ****! Good quality gear will always be "good quality gear" okuma will always be ****. I meant **** gear will always be ****.

What isn’t “crap” in your opinion ?

 

[jbing]

Just spend the money. "You get what you pay for" is very true with fishing gear. One of the biggest mistakes most all of us have made is those great deal combos. Most fishermen buy the age of 60 have a garage full of s#%@ and a boat rigged with quality gear. Myself included.

 

[Tom (mich)]

I'm not going to recommend any brand names, but I would advise you to put 80-90% of your budgeted amount into the reels. There's just no reason to invest big dollars into rods used only for trolling. Conversely, there are countless reasons to spend bucks on good reels.

 

[catfish48023]

I'm not going to recommend any brand names, but I would advise you to put 80-90% of your budgeted amount into the reels. There's just no reason to invest big dollars into rods used only for trolling. Conversely, there are countless reasons to spend bucks on good reels.

I think Im on the track - got Diawa Sealine 17LC3B reels. I think I have a $40 Daiwa rod selected

 

[Slimshady]

I agree. I have some of those cheap Magda combos and the reels eventually crap out. I have thrown 3 or 4 of them away this year. The line counters stop working. Sometimes you flip the lever and line won't play out anymore. Or you are reeling a fish in and all of a sudden it just won't reel any more. The Diawa Accudepth reels seem to be decent. They run about $80 a piece and they have been good for me so far.

 

[piketroller]

I agree. I have some of those cheap Magda combos and the reels eventually crap out. I have thrown 3 or 4 of them away this year. The line counters stop working. Sometimes you flip the lever and line won't play out anymore. Or you are reeling a fish in and all of a sudden it just won't reel any more. The Diawa Accudepth reels seem to be decent. They run about $80 a piece and they have been good for me so far.

On the bottom end of the linecounter market are the Magda, the Cabela's Depthmaster, and the Shakespeare ATS. Out of these three, I thin the ATS is the clear winner in my book, and it's also the cheapest. Northwoods did finally jack the price up to $30 from like $26 or $27 last year. Are they as good as an Accudepth? Of course not. But when you can still buy combos for $40 with those reels, they will get you through a season if you are just starting out, and likely a few more seasons too.

 

[Slimshady]

Good point. The 3 I tossed this year were probably 10+ years old, so I shouldn’t complain

 

[Cpt.Chaos]

These are MY best recommendations based on personal use and experience for mid priced gear.

Reels....Okuma Coldwater line counters, size 20. Yes Tecota’s are nice and but nearly double the price. Great drag and adjustability, I have 10 that I use for trolling.

Rods....Ugly Stiks, tough as nails, great price point (Anglers Point ordered all mine and beat everyone else price wise) and like many others have said, trolling rods are not important as reels with good action. One thing that limits them in some boats is they don’t offer a model with a collapsible butt end like some manufacturers do.

Boards.... none other than Offshore. You can find cheaper boards like Opti’s, Cabelas or other Crazy Benzie’s brands, but for a couple dollars more you can own the best, most customizable and reliable board on the market. Frank’s in Linwood offers a special on two boards equipped with tattle flags already for the best price out there. Michigan made too, great pro-staff support at shows and seminars.

Nets....Ranger, while there are tons of nets on the market, some at outrageous prices, nothing compares to Ranger in price and durability. Also, based in Michigan.

Line...Berkeley XT 10lb or Berkeley Big Game in 10 lb. Don’t believe the hype in a few other brands that some guys hype as the best, made that mistake with Sunline a few years ago, biggest waste of money I’ve spent on fishing line.

Baits....I think we all know Bandits, DDHJ’s, & Flicker Minnows are at the top of every list.

Trolling app, Precision Trolling, the one and only original that started the whole revolution in knowing exactly where your baits/ lures were positioned. You can buy the lifetime membership and pay a onetime fee, or just pick out the lures/gear you fish.

Sonar, personal preference and experience was Lowrance for 20 years but the new boat I purchased in ‘19 came with a Helix 9 and I really like it. This is one area that really can go from a few hundred to few thousand rather quick. I also have a Helix 7 on the bow that would make a great unit for anybody and the price point was not too bad at $449 on clearance.

As I said, personal experience and these are what I use with great results, others may or may not like them but it’s all in what you want to spend and how you store and maintain that gear that will help it last for years.

 

[snortwheeze]

Not a troller and it could've been mentioned (didn't read replies) but I've seen a lot of good deals on trolling rigs up at Northwood's if your looking for a few at a time