Fishing for salmon is all fun and games until your rod breaks while you are out one day, and you’re left without a rod to tempt and catch fish. Just as you get attached to a pair of shoes or a specific cushion off of your bed, the same rule applies to a fishing rod.
So when one breaks, buying a replacement can be a difficult and heartbreaking task. This isn’t made any easier because finding a good trolling rod is a task in itself.
There are lots of great trolling rods for salmon available, but there are also a lot of bad ones, which can make finding the good ones difficult. To help you in your quest to find a new replacement trolling rod, we’ve put together this guide.
We’ve done all the hard work so that you don’t have to. We have trolled through all the different rods available in 2022 to put together a shortlist of 6 great ones to choose from. So let’s get started.
OUR TOP PICK
Fiblink 1 Piece/2 Piece Heavy Trolling Rod
[5stars]
Our favorite trolling rod for salmon on the market is the Fiblink 1 Piece/2 Piece Heavy Trolling Rod. This is our top pick because the design and construction of this rod (see our top rod and reel combos for catfish here) are very unique.
It utilizes carbon as its main build material, which makes this rod extremely solid and incredibly sensitive, giving the user an excellent feel of what is going on with the rod, allowing them to control it better. This is something that is incredibly important when you are fishing for salmon.
But, without a doubt, the best thing about this rod is its sensitivity. As well as utilizing carbon, it also has EVA handles which create more sensitivity and allow the user to understand the rod better so that they can catch more salmon. So this is one of the best options available.
Pros
- Unique Construction – solid and sensitive carbon design and construction ensures improved performance and accuracy when fishing for salmon.
- Durable Design – Designed to be built with aluminum alloy wheel steel for insane durability that will ensure this trolling rod lasts for years to come
- Highly Sensitive – designed with EVA handles for greater sensitivity so that you can get a better feel and understanding of this rod.
Cons
No notable drawbacks
EDITORS CHOICE
Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon Rod
[5stars]
Another great option is the Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon Rod. This rod is great because its construction is so good and successful that it is commonly used by professional salmon fishers worldwide to great success.
It is built with high-quality materials which promise durability, including graphite, stainless steel, and aluminum in different parts of the rod. All of these materials will not break under the everyday wear and tear that a fishing rod (see the best fishing rod and reel combo for bass here)experiences.
Finally, this rod is designed to give the user an excellent grip as it has both rear cork grips and quality grade foregrips in its design. This ensures that the user will never lose their grip and increases their chances of catching salmon. With all this in mind, it’s clear that this is one of the best trolling rods available.
Pros
- Durable Build – constructed using graphite, aluminum, and stainless steel in different components so that this trolling rod will not wear and tear or break
- Professional – this specific rod is used by professional salmon fishers worldwide, so this rod can successfully catch fish
- High-Quality – rear cork grips and quality grade fore grips ensure that you will get a good grip on this rod which will aid you when trying to catch salmon.
Cons
- No notable drawbacks
BEST VALUE
Ugly Stik Elite Salmon Spincast Rod
[5stars]
Alternatively, a great choice is the LamiGlas Classic Glass Trolling Rod. As its name suggests, this rod is constructed using glass. Some people think that a glass rod might be prone to breaking, but this is not the case.
Instead, a glass rod is very durable and can provide excellent sensitivity to the user, allowing them to understand what is going on with the rod fully. As well as glass, this rod also utilizes other durable materials such as ceramic and stainless steel to ensure that this rod can withstand the weather conditions that you usually fish in.
With all of this, plus the fact that this rod comes (learn about the best drop shot fishing rods here) with top-notch guides that make fishing for salmon that much easier, it is clear that this is one of the best options available.
Pros
- Versatile Design – constructed so that it can be used to fish for salmon, but also so that it can be used when plug fishing for ultimate durability
- Durable Materials – built using stainless steel, ceramic, and glass to ensure that this rod will withstand wear and tear from weather conditions while you are out fishing
- Top-Notch Guides – the guides which come with this fishing rod are unlike any other, allowing this rod to withstand fishing in the most rigorous and uncertain conditions.
Cons
- Good Value but Not Great – price is equivalent to quality, so you shouldn’t expect wonders from this rod.
RUNNER UP
LamiGlas Classic Glass Trolling Rod
[4stars]
Alternatively, a great choice is the LamiGlas Classic Glass Trolling Rod. As its name suggests, this rod is constructed using glass. Some people think that a glass rod might be prone to breaking, but this is not the case.
Instead, a glass rod is very durable and can provide excellent sensitivity to the user, allowing them to understand what is going on with the rod fully. As well as glass, this rod also utilizes other durable materials such as ceramic and stainless steel to ensure that this rod can withstand the weather conditions that you usually fish in.
With all of this, plus the fact that this rod comes with top-notch guides that make fishing for salmon that much easier, it is clear that this is one of the best options available.
Pros
- Versatile Design – constructed so that it can be used to fish for salmon, but also so that it can be used when plug fishing for ultimate durability
- Durable Materials – built using stainless steel, ceramic, and glass to ensure that this rod will withstand wear and tear from weather conditions while you are out fishing
- Top-Notch Guides – the guides which come with this fishing rod are unlike any other, allowing this rod to withstand fishing in the most rigorous and uncertain conditions.
Cons
- Good Value but Not Great – price is equivalent to quality, so you shouldn’t expect wonders from this rod.
RUNNER UP
Eat My Tackle Saltwater Fishing Rod
[4stars]
We also love the Eat my Tackle Saltwater Fishing Rod. If you want a trolling rod for salmon but don’t want to pay an extremely high price, this might be a perfect choice. It has a low price point but is still extremely valuable due to its high-quality design and durable build.
As well as this, this rod is extremely comfortable to hold, which is very important as fishing for salmon can sometimes be a long and tedious process.
Finally, this rod is corrosion-resistant, ensuring that you will be able to use this rod in all weather conditions without having to worry about rain or dampness damaging your rod’s ability to do its job. So with all of this considered, it is clear that this is one of the best rods for catching salmon on the market.
Pros
- Excellent Value – for the price you pay, this fishing rod (fishing rod weight rating explained) is great value with a high-quality design that promises durability.
- Extremely Comfortable – very comfortable to hold while you are fishing which is an absolute must when fishing for salmon as it can be a long process
- Corrosion-Resistant – despite continual exposure to water during the fishing process, this rod does not corrode or wear with the weather conditions and dampness.
Cons
- Occasional Design Flaw – some people have reported that the reel seat and guides don’t match up, but the company quickly corrected this.
RUNNER UP
X-11 Cork Salmon Fishing Rod
[4stars]
Finally, we can’t forget the X-11 Cork Salmon Fishing Rod. This trolling rod is a great choice as it is multi-purpose, which allows you to use it for salmon fishing and catching steelhead.
This gives you more versatility from this rod and allows you to use it in more situations than a rod solely designed for catching salmon. As well as this, it is constructed with top-quality materials, including the guides, which are only constructed using stainless steel and chrome, which makes them suitable for use in all weather conditions.
But the greatest thing about this rod is that it is very sensitive, allowing the user to get a good feel and a better chance of catching salmon. So with all this in mind, this fishing rod is one of the best options available.
Pros
- Multi-Purpose – designed to be used to catch salmon, but it can also be used to catch steelhead, giving you more options for when you want to go fishing
- Premium Quality – guides are constructed with stainless steel and chrome, which allows them to stand up against the most extreme weather conditions without damage.
- Very Sensitive – includes carbon graphite in its design to make the rod more sensitive and give the user a better feel and more control over the device.
Cons
- Requires Force – setting up this rod can be tedious and requires some force to click the components into place.
Best Trolling Rods for Salmon Buying Guide
Now that we’ve looked at the best trolling rods for salmon let’s take a look at some of the key features which dictate what makes a trolling rod the best.
To help you out, we’ve put together this quick buyer’s guide, which is full of all the information you need to know about trolling rods.
Rod Material
The first thing that you need to consider is the material that the rod is constructed of. This is incredibly important as the fishing rod is under great strain, so the material it is constructed of must be durable and withstand wear and tear every time it is used.
There are two main types of materials which rods are constructed of, and these are either graphite or fiberglass or sometimes a combination of both. These materials are great as they are not too heavy, but they are still very durable, allowing you to use your rod for years without damage.
Rod Power
Another thing that you need to consider is the power of the rod. Salmon are heavy fish, so the rod has to be toward the heavy end of the scale to take the weight of the fish. While rods are durable, they are generally lightweight, and so a rod that is not very powerful will easily break if you try to do it when fishing for salmon.
When considering rod power, it is also important that you remember that the rod will have to withstand the dead weight of the salmon and the force of the salmon pulling on the line. So rod power is incredibly important when buying a trolling rod for salmon.
Length
This is another greatly important thing if you are considering buying a trolling rod to fish for salmon. Generally, the trolling rod you use for salmon fishing has to be at least 8 feet long. But this is just a base measurement, and generally, as long a rod as possible is good for catching salmon.
Some of the best trolling rods for fishing salmon measure up to 12 feet in length just to give a general picture of what you should look for in a trolling rod. This is even more important if you are a downrigger, as it will create more slack in the line and make it easier to catch your salmon. So you have to consider length when buying a trolling rod.
Flexible Action
Another very important thing to consider when buying a trolling rod is how flexible it is. This is especially important if you are using a downrigger, as we mentioned in the last section. When fishing for salmon, you should look for a rod that has moderate, flexible action.
Fast action rods are great for fishing other types of fish, but not for salmon due to their weight and how they fight against the line. So for the best chance of catching any fish, you should choose a rod that is moderately flexible if you want to be able to catch salmon.
Line Guides
Before you buy a trolling rod, you also need to consider the line guides which come with it. We mentioned line guides earlier, and these things can make a huge difference in your rod’s ability to catch salmon, but what exactly are they?
Line guides attach to the rod to help you balance and distribute the weight of the pole backbone more evenly across the entire rod. When weight is distributed, it will put less strain on your rod than it would if it were all in one place.
As well as putting less strain on your rod, using line guides will also allow for a smoother bend when working with a downrigger. As we stated earlier, fishing with a downrigger is very common when you are trying to catch salmon, so this is why you must consider the line guides that come with your trolling rod before you buy it.
Spinning vs. Casting
One of the most common fishing rods and reels (see our in-depth review of the Abu Garcia Veritas casting rod and reel combos here) used to catch fish is a spinning rod and reel combination. So, you are probably wondering whether or not a spinning reel (see the best ultralight spinning reels here) and rod can be used to catch salmon.
The answer is no, well, at least it is not recommended. Salmon fishing requires you to go deep into the water, in bodies of water up to 200ft deep, and simply put, the spinning rod and reel (see our review of the Abu Garcia Black Max rod and reel combo here) cannot handle this pressure. Not only can they not handle the pressure, but spinning reels will also be unable to hold enough line (learn how to fill a spinning reel here) to go down this distance.
This is why, when you are fishing for salmon, the best combination of tools is a trolling rod with either a line counter reel or a round spool conventional reel, as they both can hold more line and handle more weight. So even though the spinning rod/reel is one of the most talked-about fishing tools, you shouldn’t assume that it is good to use for all types of fishing you may complete.
Picking the Best Trolling Rods for Salmon Summary
In short, in this guide, we’ve looked at some of the best trolling rods available for fishing salmon and given you lots of information to ensure buying your next fishing rod is a breeze.
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