Roller Rod vs Twill tip

[pdsalmon]

I have never used a rod with rollers for wire diver's but am considering purchasing some

Okuma Roller rods. Have been using the twill tips. Wondering is anyone has experience

with roller rods with wire. Any problems with wire hanging up on rollers?

thanks,

Appreciate any input.

[Gator]

Better a Twili than cheap rollers. We have used them for fifteen years and never seen scoring on the guides or had an issue. I don't know the Okuma rods specifically, but I know rollers, and IMHO - why? I expect to see them on high-end saltwater rods intended for big fish. And those rollers cost upwards of $150 for the guides alone. They are worth it. But a factory rod that costs less than a good set of rollers makes me go, "Hmmm..."

 

It is Ford vs. Chevy, though, and you'll get other opinions I'm sure.

[Sk8man]

I've used rollers for forty some years and Keith is exactly right. The good roller guides and tips are expensive and it seems to be a good example of "you get what you pay for" Many of the cheaper versions have side plates that aren't hardened or are made of soft material (eg. aluminum). Often when trolling rods will shift to the side a bit and the wwire can come off the hardened roller material and nest on the side plate and the wire works back and forth like a saw cutting through the soft material. Good quality roller tips are made of hardened material (e.g. stainless, titanium etc.) which stand up to wear from wire.

Twilli's are very inexpensive and made from hardened spring steel which is harder than the wire products so it stands up much better over time.

I use both twilli's and hardened rollers on my rods and prefer the feel of the rollers when the wire is being reeled in  because it seems to have less friction but I guess you have to determine whether it is really worth it to you  Some of the older roller rods used to use hardened roller tips (e.g. Allen brand) and they tend to  do a good job with one caveat - the 30 lb wire sometimes slips between the roller and the side plate and wedges there. This is not a problem with heavier gauge wire though as it can't fit in the crevice. Although there is a little nut at the side plate it can't be tightened enough to eliminate the crevice. The pic below is an example of the cuts on cheap roller tips

Edited September 7, 2020 by Sk8man

[Lewis863]

Having now experienced what wire can do to eyelets not just the end one... all of them in the bend of the rod...I went with all Okuma White Diamond Stainless with roller tips... been using them now for multiple weeks on the charter boat... no issues... smooth chew through fleas would not go back to any other rod...twili tips are great used them for years doesnt fix what happens to lower eyelets though...


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[Legacy]

9 hours ago, pdsalmon said:

I have never used a rod with rollers for wire diver's but am considering purchasing some

Okuma Roller rods. Have been using the twill tips. Wondering is anyone has experience

with roller rods with wire. Any problems with wire hanging up on rollers?

thanks,

Appreciate any input.

 

Which model Okuma rod are you looking at? Im assuming the Okuma rods you are looking at only have a roller tip and they are not a true "roller rod". Im a big Okuma fan and personally I prefer installing the twilli tip vs a roller tip.

[Lewis863]

White Diamond


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[Lewis863]

The roller tips swivel multiple ways you do need to pay attention not to wrap the wire when you first put dipsy over but other than that ... flawless in my opinion and I am using hell out of them ...


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[mr 580]

I have been using “swivel tip roller guides” which are from torpedo and other manufacturers on a couple wire rods.The swivel feature is important and haven’t seen much wear. I also have a couple full roller rods with aftco guides- they have held up well over the years but do show wear from wire at tip.  If I was buying now I’d look at the swivel tip roller guide over the twili.  I do agree with others that a twili is better than cheap roller tip.

[pdsalmon]

BLT-WR-1002MH Okuma is what I was looking at.

[Lewis863]

No ...see attached

 

 

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Come in 8 and 10 feet

[Lewis863]

That one has stainless eyelets and white strike zone tip coloring what I am using/ recommend


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[Sk8man]

Another thing worth mentioning here and that is that the term "expensive" is a very relative term  The equipment used oin the salt water environment can cost many times what we are used to. I have seen roller tips priced at over $200  and roller rods at $800-1200 on Cape Cod

Edited September 7, 2020 by Sk8man

[pdsalmon]

17 minutes ago, Lewis863 said:

That one has stainless eyelets and white strike zone tip coloring what I am using/ recommend


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Got it, thanks for all the input.

[GAMBLER]

I use roller rods because there is no drag on the guides..    The roller wear guys are showing you is from the rods being in the improper position in the rod holder.  If you use roller rods, the reel must face (the top) front on the boat so the line is sitting in the roller not on the roller frame.  

[Sk8man]

7 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

I use roller rods because there is no drag on the guides..    The roller wear guys are showing you is from the rods being in the improper position in the rod holder.  If you use roller rods, the reel must face (the top) front on the boat so the line is sitting in the roller not on the roller frame.  

This is exactly the issue and some of it may relate to your particular rod holders too in that the rod may be slipping in the holder (another reason for getting good rod holders) and need to be repositioned and if you either don't detect it or maybe just say screw the repositioning it can do the damage over time. Regardless of the  quality of material the roller is made from or the cost of it etcthe wire needs to stay positioned on the roller wheel itself not the side plates. When this is done the friction when reeling in is much less than on a twilli.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Sk8man

[ifishy]

use 19 strand wire.

 

you can get away with a regular tip.  

 

i personally prefer the twilli.  there are no exceptions or caviets or speical instructions needed.  no worry about brand or special quality, no rod positioning issues no places to catch or get jammed.  

with all the different things to worry about why add more, user friendliness is a very underratted characteristic

[Mike M]

Been running 9 ft talora roller dipsey rods for about 10 years now. Can't remember the model #. Use 30 lb 7 strand mason wire.Reels are Tekota 600 lc. Love this combo. Caught a ton of fish on these rods.

[Mike M]

I was advised years ago if you want to go roller rod for wire divers don't go cheap. My Talora diver rods are the most expensive rods on my boat. No regrets.

[TyeeTanic]

I've had both. 

 

Twillie tip is REALLY easy to use, and I think better than the roller tip ... less chances of pigtails and kinks, plus storage is a lot easier on the line.