Newbie question about rods for salmon fishing off kayak

 Back in the "old" days when I was still young, we used to use what we called "boat or tuna" rods off boats. Watching videos of folks catching salmon off kayaks in the "C" or in the ocean off Oregon's coast most folks seem to be using rods in what appears to be 8-9 foot range. I haven't seen any videos of folks using the short stiffer so called boat rods. What do you folks recommend for someone just starting out kayak fishing and who hasn't fished for 20 + years. My plan is to start out learning on the Multinomah channel, or right around the head or tail of it. Any thoughts for this old man?

Thanks
John

They both work but have different advantages and disadvantages.  I use braid 100% for trolling now.  My main salmon trolling rod is a 8ft seeker inshore.  It's frankly  little on the soft side.  Extra length allows for easy maneuvering around the kayak.  Slow action keeps the fish on the hook better.  Long slow rod makes it much more difficult to control the fish at net and for me, I don't think it produces as good of a hook set.

I would say that the rod that has caught the most salmon for me over the past 4 years has been my 5'6" Shimano Trevala heavy.  It started out as my lightweight jigging rod for halibut but as I started using it for trolling, it has accounted for the most fish so far.  Better hook sets because the braid tightens up a lot faster.  Much easier to control the fish at the side of the kayak.  A good reel ( I use avet sx and release sg) plus the give of the kayak has been enough for me to keep the fish on the line.

So really its a matter of personal preference  You will want something long enough to get around the bow of the kayak.

I think I am sort of the outlier on this subject though.  Others will have opinions and perhaps better advice as they have fished that exact area and that often makes a difference due to the gear used. 

I'm not a rod expert, but I'm partial to my relatively inexpensive ($50 or slightly under) Okuma Celilo CE-C-762Ha. It's not the fanciest, but it's a very versatile rod - has caught salmon in the Columbia, rockfish/ling/sturgeon, tarpon, snook, jacks, redfish and 'cudas, among others and handles dropper weights and planing devices just fine. It's also a workhorse that I treat like garbage and it's held just fine up for years.

Which means I just jinxed myself and i'll break it the next time i touch it.

+ 1 on the okuma celilo.no sure the model that I have without looking at it but its 3/4-4 oz 9ft long.I am by no means a salmon expert but did catch my share this past fall and have had several years behind this rod.I have used this rod a lot for sturgeon with 5-6oz of lead plus bait and no problem.for salmon a 6 ball,flasher ,and bait and it handles like a dream and won't break the bank.

Assuming you're going to be spending most of your time targeting salmon with techniques such as trolling herring or spinners, the standard rod characteristics you will want to look for are a rod length of about 9 feet, a line rating range similar to 20 - 50 pound test, a power rating of medium heavy to heavy, and a medium fast to fast action.

CDAT - have you hit Swan Island yet?

DWB - not yet, plan to next week. Really appreciate all of you taking the time to answer questions, really helps folks like me. Really great group of folks on here.
Thanks
John

I suggest that you try out rods of different lengths, and see which you prefer.  I do a lot of lake trout fishing, and routinely catch lake trout in the 30-36 inch range.  I like six and a half foot long medium weight rods, because I find that it's easier to maneuver fish into my net with a shorter rod, because I find that it's easier to deal with tangles at the tip of the rod with a shorter rod, and because I find that a shorter rod works better with my downrigger setup.  And a six and a half foot long rod is long enough so I can maneuver my line around the bow or stern of my 13' Revolution when playing a fish.

It's a personal preference issue. Jigging, trolling? For trolling I use anything I have that will work and typically that is a medium to medium heavy rod that is 7'6" long. For jigging 1/4-3/4 oz lures I use a 7'6" Medium Light St Croix Premier or 7'6" Medium Ugly Stik Elite.

Assuming you're going to be spending most of your time targeting salmon with techniques such as trolling herring or spinners, the standard rod characteristics you will want to look for are a rod length of about 9 feet, a line rating range similar to 20 - 50 pound test, a power rating of medium heavy to heavy, and a medium fast to fast action.

Agree. Longer rod with backbone, yet enough give to help in hanging on with barbless hooks. Also, for trolling herring, the flasher/leader setup can get quite long (6' +).....helps to get the fish closer to the net.
I have no complaint about my cheaper Lamiglas X-11s other than finding out after getting them home that they were made in China... ($69)

Honestly, it's debatable if a longer leader is even worthwhile to begin with. This is one of those questions of "it depends on how you are fishing" and what matters most to you. I can't remember ever trolling with 6'+ leader setups.

It all about personal preference.  For trilling, my go to rods are  8.5 to 9 ft long medium heavy with medium to fast action.  With barbless hooks and braided line I lost a lot less fish using a softer rod.

I prefer a slightly shorter rod also when fishing from the kayak. I use a 7'6" Okuma Celilo. If you do go with a shorter rod, I would stay away from the Heavy "broomstick" rods and get something with a slower action.   

I really like the Berkley IM8, 8'6", rated for 15-50 x-heavy 3/4 to 3oz.  If I'm fishing primarily for coho I tie on a 30 ft top shot of 20lb ultra green mono.  Well made rods at a good price.

Honestly, it's debatable if a longer leader is even worthwhile to begin with. This is one of those questions of "it depends on how you are fishing" and what matters most to you. I can't remember ever trolling with 6'+ leader setups.

Yes, it is debatable
My typical salmon trolling setup for the Willy or CR starts at the first bead chain where a cannonball (or diver is placed). Then a foot of leader (debatable) to a flasher or dodger , then 3 -4 ft leader to herring or spinner. Add length of flasher and it's getting close to 6 ft .This is what works for me in this situation, and was manageable on my 7.5 ft rod also .But a softer rod definitely helped retain fish with barbless hooks.