Will fishing rod setup for Pike, good enough for Salmon fishing ?

  • Odessit86
    Posts: 7
    May 27, 2022 at 4:29 am #2126950

    Hi there !
    I just wonder..if Pike fishing setup will fit the Salmon fishing…so I don’t have to buy ..

    Medium/Heavy 7″, and 20 lb line, Abu Garcia Ambassador 5500!

    supercat
    Eau Claire, WI
    Posts: 1342
    May 27, 2022 at 8:35 am #2126969

    What type of salmon fishing are you planning trolling or casting. Also what type of salmon king, coho, etc. 20lb is heavy enough for any great lakes salmon. Can you go lighter or heavier yes but it will work.

    mwal
    Rosemount,MN
    Posts: 1050
    May 27, 2022 at 5:09 pm #2127070

    The rod and a quality 20 lb line will work the issue is are you fishing
    Lake Superior or Lake Michigan? Superior Salmon will be perhaps 12 to 15 lbs and your rig will work. If in Lake Michigan Kings can run 30 Lbs and you are fishing much deeper so your issue is the line capacity of the reel. A nice fish will spool you and break the line. The 5500 is a casting reel for bass and light pike work. Look for a used Penn 209 or any of the trolling reels that have 300 yard plus capacity. If down rigging or using planer boards you may have 200 plus feet out before a fish takes a run. Unless you have braid for line even then a 5500 does not have enough capacity.

    Mwal

    James Almquist
    Posts: 376
    May 27, 2022 at 5:19 pm #2127072

    Will it work..Yes

    Would I want to use it..No

    If you find something that is working you want to duplicate it with other rods. In your case you will have to count how many passes on your reel to get the same depth. Salmon may be shallow now but as the water warms you are going to have to go deeper. If you get a nice salmon on and you are down 65′ you will have close to 200′ of line out using a dipsy diver. A nice king could spool a 5500 size reel. You may want to check on Flea Bay and see if you can find some Diawa Great Lakes 47 line counters. Pretty tough older reel but will get the job done. Cheap 8’6″ Okuma is good enough for a rod. Do you have small boards and is your boat equipped to fish the great lakes. Check the rules to see if you have everything because you will at some point get checked by the Coast Guard.

    Odessit86
    Posts: 7
    May 27, 2022 at 10:25 pm #2127128

    I am living in Upper NY.. Southern tier..
    I will be fishing in Finger lakes…
    Amd for Salmon in a Silver river only..
    I won’t go to Great lakes…
    Thank guys so much ..
    But Abu Garcia 5500 will do fine in river? And Fingers lakes ?

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