Ocean rock rods

I have a couple of 8' 6" Berkley salmon rods like the guys use trolling from PBs in the Rogue estuary at Gold Beach, rigged with Abu-Garcia reels and 18 pound line. I'm thinking this would work for lings, cabezon, greenling and rockfishing from a kayak. But I see a lot of reference to shorter rods. What rods are you salt guys using, and why?

I 'm by far not the Saltiest of this bunch, and a Ghetto man for sure....but I use ugly sticks most of the time.
 I look for the rod to be long enough for me to work a fish around the end of my P-13. Then the action for the type of fish/conditions I am going after for the day.
 Some folks buy and use very nice spendy rods....but the tiltle of your thread says it all. They may all soon belong to the Ocean Rocks

all ugly sticks... 7 foot med/heavy 8-20 pound line with a conventional reel spooled with 20 pound test.I like the jigging rod to have a little bit stiffer tip so it doesn't have that springy feeling with any jig an ounce or over...

I also have a smaller Ugly Stick with a spinning reel for casting light jigs.

I like to use cheaper stuff on the ocean because it's all gonna corrode sooner or later, so cheaper is better..and i'm just cheap too!!


I use a different pole for Salmon fishing

I use a lot of different combos, it's hard to have something for every thing but try to hit a sweet spot somewhere in the middle.  I think you will see many kudos to the Ugly Stick, they offer variety and can take a beating (you won't break nothin' but records).  I like the shorter rod that provides enough sensitivity to allow me to feel the bait working and hits.  I like the shorter rod because I can stow it easily under the hatch without breaking it down.  I also have a back-up rod and reel combo that is stowed in the hatch, and it's a break down model.  Nothing wrong with using the salmon steelhead rod for the ocean.  Just remember you may need to jig 8oz. of lead in the ocean.  You should try your setup rigged for heavy conditions at a lake, see how it feels.  You may not need to change anything at all.
-Scott

Thanks, guys. Ugly Sticks are affordable, for sure. I will take a look at them tomorrow at work.

your Berkley's are the 15-50's?  they will work fine.  I use one all the time. They jig 3oz perfect.  Try what you got before you spend more dough.

For reels I use abu 6501c or 5501's (left crank)  loaded with 25 or 30 tuff line with a 25lb topshot of high viz big game (good abrasion resistance) for all my bottom fishing. Fish salmon and halibut on different gear