Okuma Celilo Graphite Lightweight Ultra Light Trout Rods

I just got this rod in the mail 8 hours ago and fished with it for 3 1/2 hours and had a blast. My other ultralight rod was a 5' one part of an 18$ combo from Walmart and it felt like it too. I'd try to toss a worm on a size 8 hook with 4lb test to let it slowly sink down in front of a dam and I'd have to REALLY work at tossing it out like 8 feet. This rod, being 1 1/2 feet longer, on the other hand I was able to throw out the same worm + hook + line like 20+ feet and I'm pretty sure once I get better at loading up the rod I can get it out there even further.After catching a few panfish like that I put on the smallest splitshot I had, which was like a quarter of the size of my pinky fingernail, and let the worm sink to the bottom and hopped it around. Now on my other rod I could mostly tell when something was 'pecking' at whatever was on my line and when something 'bit' it because the 'pecking' was a very very slight jiggle and the bite was a jiggle that had a little umph to it. But with this rod even when they're just 'pecking' at it it taps the rod twice as hard than the 'bite' on my other rod. So I missed quite a few fish due to the rod being too sensitive if that's a thing. It's just something I have to get used to but once I do it should be super nice.Lastly I used an atomic tube 1/32 oz with a trout magnet EZ-float or whatever they're called and was able to launch that a country mile. I was tossing it down from the top of a 2-3 story tall dam down to the bottom and was able to keep the line out of the rapids due to the increased rod length. I was also able to set the hook quite well considering I had a ton of line out.Will update review if something changes the next few times I go out fishing and catch some trout or bass.In summary:Super sensitive (might take some getting used to)6'6 length seems really good for casting distance (with 1000 reel anyway) also has 7 guidesHook holder seems good (it's like a staple)Seemed to have decent backbone for being so sensitive (caught a monster pumpkinseed and the rod didn't double over like an ugly stick and was able to set the hook quite easily even with lots of line out)2 pieces held tight together (didn't come apart)Cork handle feels pretty smooth and comfy straight out of the box (I had two pieces of plastic covering both pieces of cork)Color of the rod was a nice burgundy color with striation rings around it once you shine light on it (kind of like cats eye or something?)Others said to order the rod by itself because amazon will just shove it into a box with other stuff so that's what I did and my box came in perfect condition with rod unharmed so I'd recommend doing the same.UPDATE: I caught a bass close to 2 pounds and it took me like 2-3 minutes to get it up to the shoreline. He bent the rod a ton a handful of times and I was forced to lift it out of the water onto land by the rod and the rod is fine. I don't know what all the reviewers are doing to break the rod in half or break the tip off. I know 2 pounds isn't a lot of weight but for the 2 seconds I had the fish out of the water by the rod it never felt like it was going to snap.

I've previously had a couple of these rods - but dropped the kayak on one recently and it snapped. I loved this rod so much I just ordered two more - and they arrived unbroken which is a fantastic improvement over past rod orders from Amazon. These rods are light and thin and coupled with a small reel and light line make fishing fun. You can feel every bite! I think these rods are better than some much more expensive rods - and at around $20 each, you can use them in most situations and not worry about wrecking them. Saying that, I have one Celilo rod that has been going strong for about a year now and in still in great condition after a few catches that have really tested the strength of the rod. Can't go wrong buying one of these rods for the price!!!

I have never owned an ultralight rod before, let alone tried one. This has been one of the best fishing poles I have ever purchased. It works great with 4 and 6lb test and throws lures so well. It is incredibly sensitive yet still has plenty of backbone to handle bass or catfish of decent size. I ordered two of these, both of which were damaged, one from the manufacturer, the other due to Amazon's poor packaging of fishing poles. Once returned the new set had no signs of issues and have since been used extensively for lakes, ponds and smaller streams. I would definitely recommend this series of Okuma rods or any other Okuma product as I have been using their products for a few years now with no issues ever.

Ordered 2 of these, 8'6" UL, for trout and panfish, one for me and 1 for my lady. They were shipped in separate boxes with not much packing material. One was perfectly ok. The other, the bag inside the shipping box was torn open, and the tip of the rod was both broken and missing. Leads me to believe I was sent a defective package, since the broken piece(s) weren't in the box.As far as the good one.. Have fished with it once and was happy with the performance. 4 lb test with light lures cast extremely well. Sturdy and comfortable to use. Plenty of flex, without feeling "whippy." A great rod so far. Long ultralight rods are hard to find in local sporting goods stores, so I'm waiting for a replacement to take my girl out and watch her fight the good fight!Okuma makes good stuff, at a decent price point, and usually meets or exceeds expectations.

Excellent trout rod. I ordered the 6'6" model. Perfect for river fishing. I mostly drift fish with this and it casts very well. Nice light action. I haven't caught any real large trout, but browns and rainbows up to 14" so far. Very nice looking rod as well. Very good sensitivity, but if you want a rod with ultimate sensitivity, you have to get a 1 piece rod. I also have another brand 5' one piece and that is more sensitive, but I like the 6'6" length better. Wanted a 2 piece to make it easier to carry in my car trunk. I don't know of a better rod at this price point. Love it. The cork handle feels great and is an excellent feature at this price.

First the Bad - This rod was shipped loose/unwrapped in a box that was barely long enough for the rod and about 3"x10" in cross section, allowing the rod to bang around in transit. Both ends of the unwrapped/unprotected rod were in contact with the ends of the box when I removed it. Despite this, a close examination of the full length of both sections showed no visible damage.Now the Good - I bought the 6'6" UL model & paired it with a Pflueger President 20 reel and 4 lb monofilament. I've fished it 6 or 8 times and it has performed very well with mid size crappie and a 2.75lb channel catfish. The details of construction (how epoxy is applied to guide wraps, etc) is in keeping with the price, but I haven't found any flaws in its function. I imagine there are more sensitive ultralight rods available, but for the price (~$29, April 2021) it is a great rod and a blast to cast & fish.