Awesome rod builder

Matt1121 · #1 01-29-2003, 10:44 PM

Hey guys-

If anyone in the Boston area is looking for a good rod builder, I would highly recommend this older gentleman named "Yoshi". He is a wholesale tackle dealer who deals with several tackle shops in the area. I had him build me a 9wt. St. Croix rod that I bought as a kit from a tackle shop in Seattle that was going out of business. Anyway, the rod came out so well, I bought two more kits from the same shop and had YOSHI build matching rods for my Dad and brother for Christmas.

I dont know Yoshi's last name but if you call Rocco's Tackle in Rowley, Mass....Tom or Dick can put you in touch with Yoshi.

John R · #2 01-29-2003, 10:58 PM

Never heard of him. 'Course I build my own rods now [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] - Steve makes a sweet rod too...

Rowley - where the hell is that? Just kidding but 100 miles from my house [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] You one of those Joppa Flats guys?

[ January 29, 2003, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: John R ]

Matt1121 · #3 01-29-2003, 11:10 PM

Joppa Flats is nice. I also head down to Halibut Point off Rockport pretty frequently. The 17 mile stretch between Rockport and the Merrimack River (IPSWICH BAY) is where all those schoolie bluefins were hanging out this past summer. I WILL catch one of those next summer! Need to get a heavy spinning rod setup, so I can cast a Hopkins into the mess, hook up and hold on for dear life and then chase her down with the boat before you get spooled!

capesams · #4 01-29-2003, 11:35 PM

I don't make rods, I build works of art [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Matt1121 · #5 01-30-2003, 11:03 AM

Steve, your funny.

I thought about building my rod but knew I would screw it up, so I took it to my new friend YOSHI.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a good off-the-shelf but not super expensive trolling wire line rod? I picked up a Penn Master Mariner trolling reel for $15 at a garage sale and I want to spool it with wire, so I can drag shad rigs and tubes deep in the Merrimack.

Eventually, I'll get a downrigger but for now I need a wire line trolling setup.

deepsushi · #6 01-30-2003, 11:48 AM

Matt,

IMHO, theres nothing better than the feeling of striper hits while jigging with wireline and parachutes (the reeling in of 300 ft of wire is a whole different story [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] ).

I think you need to consider how much wire line fishing you will be doing and base your decision on this. If you are only going to fish wire occassionaly, you could get away with one of the inexpensive ($35-45) Penn longbeach boat rods with the chrome plated guides. However, the wire will eventually destroy the guides and you will have to replace the guides altogether or just throw the rod out period.

The tried and true for wire line fishing is a rod built with carboloy guides. If your going to fish wire frequently, then this is the type of rod you should purchase. I have seen some "plane jane" wire line rods at some of the tackle shops for around $100 and wire line rods built by Penn(Sabre)and Daiwa for around $150.

Personally, I have built all of my own wire line rods because I can build them better, cheaper, prettier, and more durable than any of the commercialy available wire line rods.

edit: this place has the best prices on fishing tackle on the web that I can find: www.srmo.com. They have the Penn sabre wire line rods for 118.99 ... a real good price. However, while I think these are the nicest non custom commercial wire rods on the market, IMO I think they are too "soft". Pulling rigs puts a heavy strain on rods and these Penns will nearly bend in half...

[ January 30, 2003, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: deepsushi ]