I need your recommendations on a rod/reel combo that I can use for salmon fishing off the Oregon coast (ocean) and still be a useful setup for my home waters of Baja Sur (yellowtail and inshore Cabrilla primarily)

A friend of mine (experienced) yanked on my CalStar GFGR 700ML and said it was too stiff.

This salmon fishing thing will be a one time deal so I don't want some noodle rod that won't be suitable for Baja Sur game fishing.

Conventional rod and reel is what I am looking for...20lb rated with a "soft" tip, yet not in the noodle zone.
7' or 8' is ok and I am trending to the United Composite lineup for the rod with a small Avet that is ok for 20lb.

I am clueless how salmon "take" a bait or how strong they pull. This will be my first time ocean fishing up north in salmon waters.

Gracias from a long time repeat customer.

I'm not the Charkman, but I do know a bit about salmon, having lived in Alaska for over 20 years and in Washington state before that. A couple things about salmon: Compared to yellowtail and Cabrilla, they have very soft mouths -- hence a soft rod so you won't pull the hook. Most people up here us an 8.5 ft rod and fish mono because of the stretch. Clark used to have some great Seeker salmon rods but whether he does anymore or not only he can say. I fish long range out of San Diego at least once per year and don't take any of my salmon rods, although I will be taking one salmon reel, an Avet MXL to be my 30# reel this September. My point is that you'll need to make a serious compromise to find a rod that's good for both salmon and yellowtail.

AK knows the routine for salmon well. Seeker is no longer in the running, though the old 865 was a favorite for light line trolling for yellowtail and soft enough for salmon. Those are history, as is Seeker essentially in my estimation. On the rod, the UC 700 L might work for you, but I lean towards the 800XF, super light, soft enough tip, enough backbone to effectively fish yellowtail within the rated line class. Super rod, dual helix on the carbon fiber and fiberglass for added lift. Wonderful piece!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chark,

Good advice already from two experienced hands, I'll chime in just a tiny bit.
To put a salmon rod action into SoCal terms, a classic 800XL action would be about the heaviest thing you would ever need.
Luckily that's a pretty useful stick for many live bait applications, and in particular if we go back to anchovies as the dominant live bait.
It is true that for a salmon trolling rig, lever drags are very nice for setting the lines, but for mooching [drifting with rigged dead bait] and of course for finesse live baiting in the south, nothing beats a star drag.
You might surmise correctly that I like the Penn Torque TRQ12 for that work, but of course the Penn Fathom FTH12 is a phenomenal buy at a much lower price.
No doubt Mark has several rod choices at different price points that align nicely with the pretty standardized 800XL.
Beware that anglers from San Francisco north will be pretty unfamiliar with "deckhand-style" rods!

Thanks guys....options is a good thing.