Yeah, the Berkley Trout Dough Series Spinning Rod. Trout Dough rod? Let's examine...
Now I'm not in the market for a new spinning rod (I still happen to have a very sweet spot for my BPS Micro-Lite), but this really piqued my interest...one, because I haven't fished with trout dough (aka PowerBait) for probably 5 or 6 years, and two, because I wonder if having "TROUT DOUGH" slapped on your rod in big gold-trimmed letters really makes it more appealing?
Now I'm not in the market for a new spinning rod (I still happen to have a very sweet spot for my BPS Micro-Lite), but this really piqued my interest...one, because I haven't fished with trout dough (aka PowerBait) for probably 5 or 6 years, and two, because I wonder if having "TROUT DOUGH" slapped on your rod in big gold-trimmed letters really makes it more appealing?
Here's the skinny on the rod, happily lifted from the Berkley website.
Actions engineered specifically to cast dough further and with more accuracy without losing your bait. Each rod is designed to provide you with enough light-line, head turning power to help you catch more fish. Cork Split grip handle construction helps to reduce overall weight. Uni-directional fiberglass technology delivers the strength required to fish for trout without compromising the diameter or weight of the rod. Creates a stronger, more sensitive glass fishing rod.
So I'm asking you all, especially those of you that regularly lump a gob of PowerBait on a hook (...paging Shoreman...), does this specialty rod interest you in the slightest? Does what that description says make any sense at all as a real benefit to this type of fishing?
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I know fly fishermen are stupid crazy, needing all sorts of rods we can't really justify owning (yes, tenkara rods included), but if this thing is a success, can a "Corn Niblet Edition" rod be far behind? In a sick way, I'd really like to see it. I guess the good thing is unlike many fly rods, Cabela's sells this thing for $39.99, so it's at least affordable (& fiberglass, for all you glass geeks) if nothing else.
I'm saving my money for a chicken liver casting rod with pistol grip.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving how the time difference means I can read your fresh post after work and be the first to comment.
That seems pretty dumb. If someone is that into trout fishing that they need to buy a special powerbait dough rod, they should just learn to use spinners. I was actually going to make a chicken liver rod joke but Clif beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a re-do of teh Ugly Stik.
ReplyDeleteI have an old glass Fenwick - the first rod I ever bought - and have been looking on eBay to get another one or two. People have been paying WAY too much for these recently, imho. I don't want them that badly!
I may just buy it for the color...lol
ReplyDelete"head turning power to catch more fish." Uuuugh. If that's the best marketing slogan Berkley can come up with.......I dunno.....just uggh.
ReplyDeleteI would think that, for lobbing small carolina rigged power bait a country mile using the recommended 1/8 oz sinker... you're better off with a fast action light or ultra light rod that will handle your 6lb main line. Anything heavier and you're going to limit yourself.
ReplyDeleteReason I know this - I use my ultra light rod to chuck carolina rigged finesse size soft plastics for bass - typically using nothing heavier than 1/8 oz.
Then again, when I do see the bait chuckers and their plethora of brightly colored dough baits - they typically have at *least* and ounce of weight on, with 15lb main line, and 8lb leaders (tied to anything from a size 18 to size 4 treble hooks) - when fishing for 8-10 inch stocker fish. God help any trout dumb enough to eat the gob of brightly colored goo - cuz that's a dead fish, released or not. I haven't purposely fished with that type of bait setup for trout since I was a teenager. When I bait fish for trout, I tend to opt for tipping a jig with a single egg, a small chunklet of worm, or a berkley crappie nibble (which should be renamed FishCrack, cuz that's what it is)
OK Mike, here I am. Sorry I was lobbing Power Bait into Lake Pardee this morning. First thing, if you use a small treble hook (size 18) you won't need to worry about your Trout Dough coming off the hook. Second, why spend 40 bucks for another rod when the four I have work just fine. Trust me, I can toss a slip sinker rig with power bait a good 150 feet out into the lake without the Power Bait coming off. Nope, no interest here.
ReplyDeleteMark
Yep, they have a lot of rods like that out there, a company makes a bait/lure then makes a rod to fish specifically with it. Not always a bust...I bought the Trout Magnet 6'6" UL Rod, a great stream Trout rod...fishes Trout Magnet good too.
ReplyDeleteI think what they meant is Trout $$Dough$$ Rod. I hate to say it, but there isn't much glitz in the land of powerbait chucking. (that's from experience not fly fisherman snobbery) (:
ReplyDeleteIf it isn't a MH ugly stik from Walmart with 10lb bulk line on it and a 0/1 hook with half a jar of PB on it you'll never catch a stocked trout anyway...
Michael
ReplyDeleteCall me picky, but I just couldn't fish with a pea green rod, or the so called Carrot Stick. Thanks for sharing
Yeah, this is ridiculous. Aside from the humor of people catching trout with catfish bait (laughing at both those anglers, and the uppity trout anglers who openly despise them), if this rod actually made a difference the way it claims to, it would cost far more than $40.
ReplyDeleteIn 30 years of fishing all over North and South America and the Carribean, I've only had two rods EVER break while actually fishing. One was a Berkley Amp UL, and the other was a Berkley Cherrywood L.
My spinning rods are all BPS (Micro-Lite, Tourney Special, and Crappie Maxx) and I do keep a St. Croix on hand for the rare trout spot I don't have to hike into. Not interested in going back to Berkley for another rod. Ever.
Been using a Berkley Dough Bait rod for the last ten years. I love it so much I bought 2. I'm not a bait fisherman. I like the mini-jig best for rivers and streams. Spinners and spoons next. This rod has increased my percentage of fish caught with the jig by over 50%. You own some great rods but they are all the wrong choice if you want an all glass rod to fish the jig in a way that makes trout go crazy for it. I can still fish the spinners and spoons as good as any other rod I own so no need to carry them. The BEST part about this rod is that it only costs $40. If you fish the jig for trout and don't want to spend 2x that on an all glass rod this is a perfect option. I like my older rust colored models but I'll be getting a green 7 footer to add to my collection. I'll out fish Bill Trussell with a green, orange or pink rod all day long ;)
DeleteI like the color. I'd totally fish with it. But I throw my trout bait on a 1/2 ounce Carolina Rig on a 7-2 MH/F baitcaster with 20# braid. I outcast everyone on the dam and get them all to the bank.
ReplyDeleteJody - only half an ounce? You must be fishing a pond ;)
ReplyDeleteI've watched the powerbait crew at my main fishin' lake for years - aside from using fast action bass rods (or their crappy $12 Wal Mart equivalents) as a minimum (some folks use salmon gear) - the thing I've noticed is the true "experts" are chunking at least an ounce of lead - sometimes 2 or 3 (they'll stack 1 oz egg sliders on their line) - because I guess if you're not fishing 1/4 mile away, you're not doin' it right?
The surf casting sized spinning reel loaded with 15lb test helps too, I guess. It's hard to imagine a trout being leader shy after watching one of these guys land them on neon green and orange playdoh and a 12lb test leader.
I just don't see how some of those guys find any fun in the sport - reeling in a 10-12 inch fish on average, with gear more suitable for fish in the 10-40 lb range.
I bought one not because I use trout dough, but because it is a good pole for casting light weight bait and spinners as far and accurate as possible. I believe it works pretty damn well for $40. I already caught five trout on opening day and I know I will be catching more. My only complaint is that the cork cracked on the top of the twisting lock, luckily I bought a $4 replacement plan if it causes issues. And if you bought the pole just to use it for power bait you are a dumbass because power bait sucks.
ReplyDeleteused one for months and i love it (8ft) use it to fish salman eggs to lures, 10deg. weather rod got a little stiff but still was very happy with it. buy one!!
ReplyDeleteall i can say is if you want to really fish for hard to catch trout, you need to come to the white river in norther arkansas... i have grown up on it. with all the pressure on the river & the super clear water they are super finicky! pb dough is a pain in the river, lake fishing is a totally different animal.
ReplyDeletewe use the magnum eggs dough just is just washed off in the currents.. how ever is you haven't picked on up, you may be shocked. rods use stored energy to cast, her you'll never catch anything on 6# line... my boys poles strung with 4# & mine is 2# , all low vis green.. anything heavier & forget it, not only can they see it, but the feel it..
i can't speak fro other places but here this rod does well due to wide river conditions.. we fish any were from 4" or water & use low draft (2") river boats like topwater & supreme. T o a full 8 generator flow 80,000 cf ps flow...
I bought one of the very first Berkley Power Bait rods almost 10 years ago. I used to think bait fishing was lame. The thing is when I picked up the rod and felt how whippy it was I thought, no way this thing can be fiberglass! It was, and it said Power Bait right on it. A good many of the best trout fisherman I know only use glass rods by Fenwick etc and they cost a fortune. They also don't use dough bait. My thought was I was getting an all glass rod (impossible to find in stores at the time for under $100) for $30 that I could fish the mini-jig the way I wanted to. Off I went to Bishop with my new stick. Since I had a 2 rod stamp and was working a spinner I decided to bait the "dough rod". About 20 minutes later I looked over and it was BENDO! I grabbed it and reeled in a huge 6lb Alpers. The rod was impressive and had plenty of backbone. I started to fish the mini-jig with it and caught fish in places I never had before. I liked it so much I bought the 6'6" model to go with the 6'. I recently stepped on the tip of the shorter rod and haven't found a decent tip/guide to repair it so I been looking to replace it. I was in Big 5 yesterday and saw this new version. Not a fan of the green but damn if it doesn't feel even better in the hand than the original. I will be getting the 7' model this afternoon. I will jig fish with it 90% of the time just like the other two. When I shore fish a lake I setup a bait rig to increase my chances of getting to fight a nice trout. If you like to fish the mini-jig and haven't used a "soft" rod like this you have to try it.
ReplyDeleteJust because the rod says PowerBait on it, that doesn't mean it's the ONLY way you can use the rod. I bought it because I like fishing ultralight and this rod is SENSITIVE. I couldn't believe how it transmitted the lightest tap to the handle. And the color? I bet it gets stepped on a lot lest than a dark colored rod.
ReplyDeleteMan you guys are funny. I would fish with you anytime anywhere. i know nothing about spin fishing or bait fishing. my pop was to busy working. but i did pick up an old eagle claw and taught myself how to fish with nymphs, I don't use dry-flies to often except bug hoppers and beetles. Just recently i bought my first spin rod.. Cabelas whuppin stick, and its awsome. my friends give me crap about the spin rod. Today i bout a 8' trout dough and couldnt figure what kind of lure to put on it. A nice heavy spoon worked well. I cought an 18" rainbow right away. I like soft rods. Half of my 15 flyrods are glass, because glass is the bomb. I also have every one of Daniels TUSA rods. I bought the ayuII before they cancelled that model. spinfishing makes me smile like a butchers dog. however, i shall never touch bait.
ReplyDelete