Best Fishing Rod for Kokanee Fishing

So, you want to try fishing for kokanee salmon. The first thing you’ll need is the right rod, but not just any rod will do; you’ll need a fishing rod that can handle big kokanee, and also account for how much more delicate a Kokanee’s jaw is, and a host of other features. Lets get into it.

Kokanee specific rods are extremely light action. It should be flexible enough that you can see the tip move when you are getting a bite. There are a variety of sizes for kokanee rods that range from 6′-9′, and every person will tell you there’s one length that you NEED to have. We find that this comes down to preference of the person, not the fish. If you’re within that range, it really doesn’t matter. The important thing is that its a light weight pole.

TLDR- The Best Kokanee Rod Setup

Don’t want to read a whole article on the best rod or reel for kokanee fishing? Well, the short answer is that most people like the Lamiglas Tournament Rod paired with the Lexa 100 reel. This isn’t the end all. There is lots of debate and other competitors, but some people just want to know THE answer, and that’s as close as I can come to giving one to you if you just want the answer in 30 seconds.

As you read on, I’m just warning you, there’s not really a good way to take a product picture of a bare fishing rod. The pics below don’t do them justice. But if you want to see more pics, some of these have reviews with additional pics and other people’s experience with them on Amazon. Their pics are also not perfect at getting an idea of the rod, but their experiences are another good guide for buying.

Lamiglas Tournament Team Kokanee

• The Lamiglas Tournament Team Kokanee is an ultralight rod, rated for line that is 4-10 lb test. It’s a moderate action and is made from trolling and for use with a downrigger.
• The rod is a two piece rod, making it nice for storage and travel.
• The Team Kokanee Rods come with a 1 year warranty.
• While there are other brands, Lamiglas is kind of the first NICE kokanee rod, and their product is still an industry leader today.

Lamiglass Tournament Team Kokanee

Tica’s Kokanee Rods

The Tica kokanee rod is one that does compete with the Lamiglas, and they cost less than the Lamiglass as well. Tika’s are built well, and work really nicely. They’re usually in most serious kokanee fishermen’s top 3.

• Tica Kokanee Rods are made from fiberglass
• They are sensitive without sacrificing durability
• Titanium oxide rings for strength, durability, and avoiding corrosion.
• Cork handle built for comfort and durability, with that classic fishing pole look.

Tica Kokanee Rod

Montana Tackle Light Action Kokanee Salmon Downrigger Rod: “PRO KOKANEE” (7’ 6”)

These guys claim to have also made the Lamiglas rod and that this is the new and improved version. It’s not the same company, and the closest thing I’ve found to confirming this is that they are made at the same factory. These rods are newer on the market, and they’ve been well received and have had pretty great reviews.

This new rod to the party is probably my dark horse choice for a rod that may be able to dethrone the Lamiglas. This rod is also made from fiberglass, and if it is made by the same factory, they’re on the right track.

Montana Tackle Kokanee Downrigger Fishing Rod

Eagle Claw Kokanee Rods

The eagle claw is cheap but there have been some complaints about the guides. They’re all metal and the one at the tip is bigger than most. You have to put a giant bead on it to keep your slide or bead chain from going inside it, or you could just use a bigger swivel. That said, some people complain that the Lamiglas eyelets are too small. That one feature is really just preference.

This is the go to budget option and it works great in a downrigger. It’s not the best kokanee downrigger rods, but a lot of guys use it, and they do work. Its probably the best value. If you can afford the Tika, I’d go with that one over the Eagle Claw Kokanee Rod, but your budget is your budget. It might not be as nice in your hand, but the fish don’t care as long as you’ve got light weight fishing equipment. If you take care of your gear it’ll still last you.

Eagle Claw Featherlight Kokanee 2 Piece Casting Rod, Freshwater, 9′ Length

Okuma Kokanee Rod

This 8.5 foot kokanee specific rod works great and is one of the favorites of kokanee fishermen. The Okuma is small and light weight and gets the job done. It’s not as nice as some of the other rods, but its reliable, and is more popular and more purchased than some of the other nicer rods on the market.

Okuma Celilo Graphite Lightweight Ultra Light

Best Reel

As I mentioned earlier in the article, we think the best reel on the market is the Lexa 100. It’s a fantastic line counter reel that is built solid and is extremely smooth. When people talk about the top reels for kokanee on the market the Lexa 100 is always number one or number two on people’s list, and then there are a handful of others that are close behind. We actually did a similar look at the best kokanee line counter reels on the market at various price points as well, similar to this analysis on rods, or you can check out the Lexa 100.

LEXA-LC100H Lexa 100 Linecounter Baitcasting Reel, Daiwa Reels Line Counter

Taking Care of Your Kokanee Rods

Because the poles are such light action, the tips are extra bendy, thin, and flexible. The flex means that you can see a half pound fish nibble at the bait, and that they can handle up to a 10-15 lb fish if you fight it carefully, but it also means that if you drop the pole, or drop anything on the pole, odds are fair that you’ll break that rod.

Now, if you’re buying a $20 rod that you let your boy scout also take to camp, you probably don’t want to spend about $20 again to buy a case. But if you want a nice kokanee specific rod, get a case and keep it nice. Why? It costs $25 to have a new tip put on at most places. Or you can just buy the case up front and not be disappointed when you get to the lake and find you’ve got a broken pole. I’d rather protect my gear and be fishing.

Allen Company Rod Case

The Right Line

We recommend an 8-12lb monofilament. If your pole is just trolling and kokanee specific, some guys like to use a braided line. I personally prefer a monofilament. Some of the lakes we go to are more shallow and we like the abrasion resistance. You can read more about Braided Line for Kokanee if you want. Our go to is a 10lb monofilament line though.

In conclusion, the Kokanee salmon is a sport fish that is fun to catch with the right gear. A good reel and a light rod with a fast action are what you’re looking for. The best rod for kokanee is ultimately the one in your hand when you hook a kokanee. Preparing and making sure you have the right reel, the right line, the right bait, and learn how to use downriggers will just make your experience better and lead to more success. While I can’t speak to the effectiveness of every type of fishing rod, I do know that in order to catch kokanee, you’ll want to invest in a few pieces of equipment.

About Kokanee Salmon

Kokanee salmon are landlocked sockeye salmon, which means they don’t return to the ocean and live their entire lives in lakes or reservoirs before spawning in rivers, streams, or gravel close to lakeshores. These salmon are delicious and are really strong fighters, making them a prime target for anglers, and the popularity of this fish is growing. Kokanee are a schooling fish that feed on zooplankton in the water. They tend to find where these plankton are at and then they congregate and feed all in that one area. These plankton, and the kokanee that feed on them, like to hang in water that is around 50-55 degrees, so these salmon are usually only able to survive in deep alpine lakes and reservoirs, and can be found from depths of 10 feet, all the way down to over 100 feet deep.