Roller rods for wire, your choice?

[Mower]

I am a big fan of roller rods when fishing wire. I have had good luck with the diawa heartlands but now I found out okuma is making them. My arsenal consists of okuma convectors or diawa heartlands. Both awesome performing for me. Which roller rod would you choose? And before you say it, you could not pay me cut a rod and fish a twilley tip. Roller rods are so much smoother on the deployment and retrieval.

[spoonfed-1]

I am a big fan of roller rods when fishing wire. I have had good luck with the diawa heartlands but now I found out okuma is making them. My arsenal consists of okuma convectors or diawa heartlands. Both awesome performing for me. Which roller rod would you choose? And before you say it, you could not pay me cut a rod and fish a twilley tip. Roller rods are so much smoother on the deployment and retrieval.

As well as doubling the life of the wire, barring any kinks that is.

I run Okumas and Shimano Tolaras.

The Okumas are OK but the Shimanos are by far the best I've used.

If you allow loose wire on the Okumas, it can get caught between the roller and frame.

Keep tension on the wire at all times, which should be done anyway, and it's not an issue.

Good luck.

Glen

[chowder]

I agree w/ Glen. I much prefer my Talora roller rods over my old Okuma roller rods but on the FLX the Talora rollers are kind of overkill so I run my fast action 7' Talora med rigger rods w/ the twili-tips as my wire diver rigs on the FLX unless I'm running 4 riggers- then I run my 9' Eagle Claw med w/ the twili-tips to get a bit more line separation. The 8' Talora roller rod is an awesome tool for handling tackle busting 30+lb Kings but I think these rods are really a bit stiff for FLX lakers & LLs. -Andy

[rolmops]

I have a few Penn Black Sabre wire rods with carboloid guides and tip. It does a very nice job for me. I don't have to deal with the extra weight and lack of balance that seems to a part of the roller rods. Maybe if Glen lets me touch his Dipsy Diver rods I will change my mind.

[Gill-T]

Ugly stick 10' w/roller tip

[Yankee Troller]

I've been contemplating the Heartlands the last few seasons. We are still Twilli-tipping it. Customers have a hard enough time with fighting fish sometimes I can only imagine what they would do with those roller rods. However, it might be nice come tourney time when we have seasoned anglers on the rods. I have only used the Shimano Talora's on a friends boat, and they were nice.

Does anyone have the Heartlands? And if so, whats their consensus on them?

[TyeeTanic]

I have Rapala RSC's 10 foot dipsy wire rods with beauty rollers!! The big thing with rollers is to get a rod that has tight clearance between the roller and the guide frame, so the wire doesn't get stuck inbetween the two as a fish pulls from left to right and vice versa.

Like I said, I am very happy with my Rapalas. And I agree, hoop + twilly does not compare to a good roller guide rod.

[Skippers Trophy 01]

And before you say it, you could not pay me cut a rod and fish a twilley tip. Roller rods are so much smoother on the deployment and retrieval.

We dont cut ours, we heat up the tip and pull it off. Twilli goes right on.

[Big Dave]

Fish Dr 7' roller rods!!!

[S Mick]

I've been contemplating the Heartlands the last few seasons. We are still Twilli-tipping it. Customers have a hard enough time with fighting fish sometimes I can only imagine what they would do with those roller rods. However, it might be nice come tourney time when we have seasoned anglers on the rods. I have only used the Shimano Talora's on a friends boat, and they were nice.

Does anyone have the Heartlands? And if so, whats their consensus on them?

Rick, I own four of the Diawa rollers and haven't had any issue with them. Initially I was sceptical about the benefits of going to a roller set-up, but after pulling the trigger on these, nothing but good to say. I especially appreciate the action of these rods, and the effort they save when pulling lines/fighting fish. Funny you should mention the twilli's cuz I was considering trying a twilli on two of these rods to eliminate the tendency of the line wrapping around the swivel tip when speed setting my inside line (if any slack is introduced). All in all, they are decent rods with decent componenets at a decent price. I say go for it.

Scott

[capt ace]

For roller rods, It's real hard to beat the Teloras!!!