I have to agree that I prefer fighting fish on the HSR1021C and I spend most of my plug time using it. Awesome rod. BUT... when things are tough sometimes I'll break out the old Fenwick FS83 and the Lami Classic Glass. Also, don't laugh... until it finally broke on a 40 lb king a few years ago, "Lucky Pierre" was an old yeller Eagle Claw that I rebuilt into a trolling rod and it was the best plug rod ever, floppiness and all.

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I also use the 981's for big spinner rods too. So there a great all around rod. Hence the GL3 graphite. Even though its not really needed for spinner fishing as the bites are usaully very evident. Except them slack line silver bites.

Thanks for asking.

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That makes sense. I agree with most of your post except the part about not needing a sensitive rod for spinner fishing. If you believe that and fish spinners much at all you should consider how much more effective you'd be fishing them if you could FEEL every revolution of the blade. You should even be able to FEEL the difference in current speed (translated through the blade, line and rod tip) as the spinner "slips" next to or around structure.
You're right in that you don't have to have a sensitive rod to feel the bites. The fact is though, the more you FEEL, the more effective you'll be fishing and you WILL get more bites. Really, this idea applies to ANY technique. Of the 5 senses you have two on your side while fishing- sight and feel, and you should be doing everything you can to maximize both. (oh yeah, don't forget intuition which we also refer to as confidence)

Sorry for gettin deep....

I also use the 981's for big spinner rods too. So there a great all around rod. Hence the GL3 graphite. Even though its not really needed for spinner fishing as the bites are usaully very evident. Except them slack line silver bites.

Thanks for asking.

[/quote]

That makes sense. I agree with most of your post except the part about not needing a sensitive rod for spinner fishing. If you believe that and fish spinners much at all you should consider how much more effective you'd be fishing them if you could FEEL every revolution of the blade. You should even be able to FEEL the difference in current speed (translated through the blade, line and rod tip) as the spinner "slips" next to or around structure.
You're right in that you don't have to have a sensitive rod to feel the bites. The fact is though, the more you FEEL, the more effective you'll be fishing and you WILL get more bites. Really, this idea applies to ANY technique. Of the 5 senses you have two on your side while fishing- sight and feel, and you should be doing everything you can to maximize both. (oh yeah, don't forget intuition which we also refer to as confidence)

Sorry for gettin deep.... [/quote]

Thats ok, its all great info. Also, I forgot to mention, I run fusion line on all drift, float and spinner situations. believe me, I can feel every thump of the blade and every brush with a leaf. Most of the time when spinner fishing the rod is near straight and pointed tword the water. I lift as I hit and let the spinner work as slow and as near the bottom as it will. If I dont have to reel, I dont. And sometimes drop the ro to get down again. We used to do allot of spinner fishing on the Duc for Steelies in March and April above the hatchery. Those BIG spring steelies can really go after a slow spinning spinner.

I'm better prepared than I thought. I already have two ancient yellow Eagle Claw rods, one's kind of a drift fishing rod, and the other's definitely a salmon trolling rod - the kind that originally came with a wood handle. If I anchor fish, I'll be sure to hang the kwikfish off one of those rods, and save myself the embarrassment, not to mention the wasted time, of switching terminal gear from my herring trolling rod. Whew, and to think for a minute there, I was at risk of not being a cool salmon fisherman.