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Ugly Stik Striper rods
So i need a couple new rods and low and behold they have changed them. They now have a longer handle and a big ole ball of a thing at the base of the handle. Not sure i like this new version. Does anyone know where one could get a could of the old version medium heavy or medium light 7' ugly stik striper rods? Or something that compares to the old version of these rod?
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I also use some of the Okuma Down rigging rods for some of my down rods. They do not have as soft of an action as the rods I actually use for down rigging but they are more sensitive than Ugly Stiks. It can help when the fish gum baits and could possibly feel the rod.
I also use some of the Ugly stik GX2 rods. But they do not have the longer butt on them. They work great for me in a few applications where I don't want a long rod butt sticking out. The tips are a little softer too. They are NOT indestructible like the standard Ugly stik. I found that out the hard way.
Kinda crazy that they would go all in on those tube holder rod ends. It's a great idea for gunnel mount type rod holders but I wouldn't want to use them in my rod holders where the butt comes out the bottom. They should offer both.
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Thanks Duayne for the info. I
have tried a couple of GX2 rods and agree.
Hoping they would come back out with a version
of the old style striper rods but thats not looking
very promising. I have and use the 7' length now,
may end up trying one of the 7' 6" new version and
cutting off some of the handle.
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I tried one of the new handles in my rod holders this weekend. I would love it for my tube holders in my rod towers. Those are closed in the back end and have a bar that would keep the rod\reels from turning. I would hate them in my open ended rod holders. The ball would catch as the rod came through. People have a hard enough time transitioning rods out when fish are on. I don't need to add more to it.
I also heard the suggestion of cutting them off. I'm torn on that one. It would mean the end to the lifetime warranty I would guess. But on the other many of my rods are 25-30 years old and are still going strong. From a fishing standpoint I don't know how the rod would feel to someone who puts the rod in their gut with the end cut off. It can make it easier for ladies to do that and some of the guides have added belts to assist ladies and kids. The ball would work great for a belt.
I am pretty sure Stripernut uses the Okumas quite a bit and I use a few of them. I have no complaints with them.
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I am in the process of phasing out all of my ugly sticks after all these years. the new style butt did help make my decision easier as sooner or later somebody on my boat is going to get excited and pull the whole rod holder off the rail because that stupid butt end got wedged in the holder.
the biggest reason for me to switch though is I just really like the okuma rods (and reels) for a lot of different applications.
to answer your question I dont know where or if you can get the old style butt without buying used. I do know a guide recently spoke with a rep and discussed this very topic. seems the new style will be on shelves for quite some time.
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hey on a side note we have discussed "standing" the ball down to the diameter of the straight butt . this would avoid cutting the ball off, but it would still void any warranty I'm sure
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[QUOTE=stripernut1;571060]hey on a side note we have discussed "standing" the ball down to the diameter of the straight butt . this would avoid cutting the ball off, but it would still void any warranty I'm sure[/QUOTE]
Sanding not standing
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I added four more Okuma MA-20DX reels and two MA-30DX reels this weekend. I only have two more to go until I am all in on them. Until now I have had a hodge podge mixed bag of reels in service. Two were from my first Striper reel purchase 30 or so years ago. The last two are spare rigs anyway. I don't know why I need spares for a 14 rod spread but that's where I am at. LMAO
Okuma makes mostly good stuff at a reasonable price.
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That's alot of rods but can a man ever have enough fishing gear? I'm not sure we will ever know the answer. I have six 20dx / ugly stik rods and just picked up two more 20dx reels. That's what im needing rods for. I think i will research the Okuma rods and see what exists.
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shhhhh!!!! that's NOT VERY MANY RODS is what he meant honey, I told you EVERYBODY has 14 trolling rods with 4 spares at the ready, 6 Dow rods and 12 bottom fishing rods. and that is completely different from the slide diver rods....everybody knows they're not interchangeable, even though they look exactly alike they are very different. honey just be glad I dont downrig any more 😁
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[QUOTE=stripernut1;571067]shhhhh!!!! that's NOT VERY MANY RODS is what he meant honey, I told you EVERYBODY has 14 trolling rods with 4 spares at the ready, 6 Dow rods and 12 bottom fishing rods. and that is completely different from the slide diver rods....everybody knows they're not interchangeable, even though they look exactly alike they are very different. honey just be glad I dont downrig any more [/QUOTE]
But the down rigger and slide diver rods are not interchangeable with the bait rods. Everyone knows that. They go in their own locker away from the other rods.
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[QUOTE=Duayne;571069]But the down rigger and slide diver rods are not interchangeable with the bait rods. Everyone knows that. They go in their own locker away from the other rods.[/QUOTE]
And my wife agrees, you must have a port side and a separate starboard side set because otherwise the boat would pull left or right on the trolling motor. I had to change out rods when she discovered the Ugly sticks weren’t the same color as the planer boards🤔