Okuma SST

[Tyler_C]

How are these rods quality wise?  I'm in need of a new salmon rod and have heard that these are quite good rods.

Just needed some opinions

Thanks.

[t6]

We have one on our boat, its a light rod for steel head but works great for silvers as well.  Its a little light for Chinook so we have to baby it a little. 

For steel head, it seems to have great action. 

For power, brute force, and very low cost...I have a few Diawa Westerns.  When I thought it should have snapped in half, it took all the abuse I could dish out.  We fought an oversized sturgeon for over two hours.  Although I never got to see the fish, it wasn't the fault of the rod.  Bob's Sporting Goods parking lot sale around $15,

[TONTO]

 I like them myself, I use an SST sidedrift as my go to bobber & jig rod. I also have the 7' 2-6# ,caught some nice trout on it, no complaints, and the salmon spin 15-30, it makes a pretty good plunking rod pulled double duty with it and caught some surf perch, no complaints. I did break a sidedrift once but not the rods fault I snagged my jig on a branch above my head when I tugged down trying to free it half the deadfall tree came down on my head and busted the lower section. I found a great deal on an SST Kokane rod at a garage sale couple months ago they had it bundled with zip ties. When I cut them off a few weeks back and went to put a reel on it I noticed it was crushed where one of the ties were at the base of the tip. So now I have a custom SST kokane rod with a sidedrifter tip should actualy make a realy great Koke rod . Don't have any SST baitcasters ,but wouldn't mind a 15-50 herring rod.

[PolarBear]

I really like my SST drift/float rod for steelhead.  It also did  great job on coho in the Sound last fall on up to 14 pounds.  I plan on buying another one.  Bob's in Lonview has them on sale for a damn good deal right now.

[Smossy]

I also have the SST drift/float, rated at 8-17lbs. Had no problem landing 25lb kings on it in the rivers. It was a great rod up until I broke the top 6 inches off in the bushes trying to hike through some heavy brush. Its fixed with a new tip, just 6 inches shorter, now 10 foot instead of 10'6.
Its a great rod IMO. For the price its really great, I upgraded to a lamiglass but I use the SST as my secondary now. Really cant go wrong, It landed me lots of good fish.

[sumbeech66]

I have enjoyed mine. 10'6"  and a 9'6"  float drifting rods. Good for steelhead! not sure about salmon. I assume they make a more heavy duty setup.

Recomend- Yes

[Smossy]

SST-C-1002M   10' 0"   8~17 lbs   3/8~3/4   2-pc     Float Drifting   12 + Tip $89.99
This is the model I had, but you can find it for $69.99 Somewhere besides the website.

[Wa hunter]

Side drifter and Steelhead spin rod.  Great rods for the money.

[Rainstorm Hunter]

I have handled them before and they seem like nice rods. However, I recommended them to some friends last year and within 6 months one of them had a guide fall off half way down the rod, and the other friend had the tip bust off. My brother has one of the kokanee version and the tip just busted off of it this spring. I'm sure they are nice rods but if you get one I would recommend babying it. On the other hand, I have a Berkeley IM8 spinning rod I have been using for coho and steelhead the last couple years and it has held up great! besides letting a couple of novices borrow the rod and beat on it and it's still rockin and rollin!

[D-Rock425]

I've had the 10'6 spinning rod for about 4 years now with 0 complaints.

[bankwalker]

They are really nice rods for the money of you are on a budget. They are built with quality, light weight graphite, decent guides. If I was to be picky I would complain about the reel seats and guides...but cost is cut on components with the rod line, not the blank quality.

I've had a few of them with no complaints. I put the 10'6 10-20 casting rod through a rough season on the skokomish float fishing for Kings in the log jams. Purposely trying to break it and it never skipped a beat.  I would recommend them to anyone who wants a cheap rod with great actions that fish as their actions describe.

[Tyler_C]

is this considered a cheap rod?  or a well respected rod?

[Smossy]

is this considered a cheap rod?  or a well respected rod?

Id say fairly well respected, Its great for the price.

[Crunchy]

is this considered a cheap rod?  or a well respected rod?

Its a middle of the road rod.  Nothing special does the trick when you need it to.  I am not brand specific  on my rods.  I carry a Lami, two Loomis, and a St. Croix in my inventory.  You didnt mention your method of fishing which has a lot to do with what kind of rod I would recommend.

[Tyler_C]

spinning rod, mostly spoons and spinners

[plunker01]

I have a couple of theses rods but my favorite is my 9'3 salmon rod its got lots of back bone and all around good rod whether im in a boat or plunking from the bank. It a vety good reasonably priced rod. Bobs in longview warranties them right at the store. My daughter accidwntly broke the tip off my spinning rod and when I took it in to bobs they exchanged it for another on right on the spot with no hassle or having to mail it off.

[backyard bucks]

I do like the rods but I have had a couple now snap on me.. I had the 9-6 casting steelhead rod and I was over working them with the salmon on the upper Columbia, for steelhead it was great and while I had each for only one year before each snapped I loved the fight and action of them but on the riggers I think was too much to ask. our buddy who guides up there used mine once and bought a some for his clients. he has now come to switch them out since they were snapping on him as well. with that said if used for what they are for they are a great rod for the money. 

[Tyler_C]

it will be used for pinks, silvers, and dollies