Need to change rods, reels due to painful fingers & thumbs. Love casting from the boat but age is bad.

[cyclops2]

I am trolling a lot. Next spring might be my last spin casting. Unless I can put together a large lightweight spin reel and a rod that helps a person doing about 3/ 4 of the power I had with 4 to 10 pound test braids.

I have  a huge fresh water  / small  salt water  Penn spin reel.  With a high ratio and 10 # braid.  Very easy on the fingers. I use about  2" to 6" Rapala & Rebel Float & divers with split shot to go deep.  All my rods are 5 to 7 footers for light lines. 

 

What length & action & lure weight rods  should I be looking at / for ?  medium price range.  Some definite Make & models would be fantastic.

I am 83 and going down the slope fast.   ?

Thank you for any rods that would help.  I like to fish almost every good enough day.

 

 

 

[cyclops2]

Can I use ? Are there long butts for 2 hand casting ?

[sideways2]

What do you consider as large?? How much line are you using\wanting??

[Captain Phil]

I'll be 74 in a couple of months myself.  Years of casting has taken a toll on my hands and arms as well.  I traded in my go fast boats for a pontoon and am enjoying a different kind of fishing.  I find myself using a spinning rod more often than not.  I search the rod racks and find the lightest 6 1/2 foot rod I can find that still has some backbone.  I use Daiwa BG 13 reels and 8 pound mono. My casting reels are Shimano Chronarch Bantam 100s.  I buy them used on EBay.  They are the lightest smoothest reels you can buy for the money.  

 

Fishing with light tackle does not mean you have to settle for small fish.  A 6-7 pound bass on a light spinning outfit will give you all the thrill you can handle.  Getting old is a challenge.  It's not for wimps.  The advantage is you can fish when others can't.  God willing, I will be fishing when I'm 94.  

[roadwarrior]

Growing Old Isn't for Sissies

Ain't that the truth!

 

[cyclops2]

Well I have spent several hours going to different sites & reading up on the fast & extra fast 7' 6" and 8' rods with 24" cork butts.  Now that I realize the rod SHOULD be available.  Which is really a good spinning rod ?  I would be just guessing.  

20 years ago I converted a 9' fast action fly rod to spinning with all new guides. It was a easy to cast those 1.5" floating Rapalas & Rebels in wind. I broke it 2 X. Did without it.

 

I still have a couple of stiff fly rods. I REALLY do not want to convert a rod now.

 

Thank you.

 

[cyclops2]

I finally took a chance at Dick's .  Bought the highly rated Daiwa 9' FT spinning rod . If I get a good one ?  It should be fine for light & heavy lures in the wind.  Arrives Wednesday.  Will post back with a review of it .   

 

   

[WRB]

23 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

I finally took a chance at Dick's .  Bought the highly rated Daiwa 9' FT spinning rod . If I get a good one ?  It should be fine for light & heavy lures in the wind.  Arrives Wednesday.  Will post back with a review of it .   

 

   

Looks like you solved your rod ? Was going to suggest Lamiglas LX-90 MS 9’ spinning rod.

Tom

PS, Papa & Barkley 1:3 relief balm works my old hands.

[cyclops2]

I have found out on my own trouble shooting.  What is causing so many stabbing pains in bone joints, flesh , muscles, tendons . tooth nerves. It is all caused by the sudden DROP of  air pressure in coming WEATHER FRONTS.  The faster they are traveling. The more INTENSE my pains are. 

 

After the front ARRIVES ?  My pain level drops RAPIDLY !!!!!!!!  It remains  at ZERO until the next fast moving weather front approaches. It has taken me about a year to figure this out.  The ACTUAL ....PSI ...changes are NOT important.  The FAST drop in pressure causes various nerves to  be squeezed hard enough to cause me to YELP OUT in pain.

I became suspicious of my Rheumatism & Arthritis  coming & going with the weather fronts.

[Captain Phil]

Tylenol Arthritis

 

 

[cyclops2]

The rod is STIFF /  FAST action. Like it a lot.

 

Caution !!!!!!!!!b  Tip slide in top section has a ODD rubber RING  MOLDED around the end of the rubber tube.  That is first inserted in  to the hole. I read where some people had a problem getting it pushed into the hole.  And a problem removing it from the hole.  The rubber end ring IS  IS  way to tight.

 

So I sanded the rubber ring down to be a little bigger the rest of the black rubber tubing.  It is a perfect friction fit now.  The holding reel seat ring is outstanding.  Takes a medium or very large spinning reel seat solidly.  

[cyclops2]

Well I just tested it against a NORMAL  7' medium rod.  HA  HA  HA

 It is a SALT WATER surf caster. NO flex at all casting 1 1/2" Rebel floater........ Joins my other trolling rod with 60 # braided line.  Buy another rod holder for the small boat.?

 

Go buy my N Y non resident license. 

[bulldog1935]

On 12/13/2020 at 3:19 PM, cyclops2 said:

I finally took a chance at Dick's .  Bought the highly rated Daiwa 9' FT spinning rod . If I get a good one ?  It should be fine for light & heavy lures in the wind.  Arrives Wednesday.  Will post back with a review of it .   

 

   

I'm very fond of ML steelhead rods for ease of casting distance.  

This is a Lami MTC, and another friend, same rod is his go-to for lures in the surf.  

[CrankFate]

My grandmother (RIP) basically crippled herself by deforming her feet because she refused to wear flat shoes and only wore high heels until she could barely walk in sneakers. Most guys aren’t going to do that, but a lot of guys will fish overly heavy gear forever. And it’ll cause the same types of problems. I switched all my gear over some 25-30 years ago, so I didn’t do the same to myself. Especially because I had a fishing related wrist injury dating back to when I was about 3 years old. I spent the years between 2 years old and about 15 years old fishing gear that was way too heavy. Over the years, especially the last 10-15, the lighter gear and BC only fishing has really made a huge difference. At 45, my right hand and wrist is better than it was at 25 or 35. It’s not worth it to stick to heavy old gear, when there is so much lighter, better gear out there at all price points.

[cyclops2]

At 83 I notice pains from weather changes and cranking Ultra Light tackle fast enough to get lures up to speed.  I still use 2 Mitchel 400 reels on 7' whippy tips. The reels have long handles that reduce rapid turning rates. I was cleaning the rod piles & found 2 more soft tipped 7 ' rods.

13 rods  is enough when only casting with the wind at my back.