Ripple Fisher GT 78XH advice

[Anthony Dillon]

Dear All,

I am looking for a heavy popping rod and have been suggested the 78XH. Supplier is strongly recommending the  79H. Can anyone give me any advice on these two ?. I am looking for a stiff  rod for heavy chuggers for GT's. appreciate any feedback
Thanks

[Brandon Khoo]

The supplier is strongly recommending the 79H from personal experience!!      I'm in his boat as I fished the prototype of this stick 2.5 years ago and a decent fish broke me in half. 

The 78XH is an absolute beast. if you want to get this rod, make sure you're physically capable of handling it - and that you actually need it. Is this rod intended to be a specialised stick for monster chuggers? If not why do you want this rod? Quite frankly, most people who have bought the 78XH can't handle them.

[Chris Young]

Brandon, I want to see more "L Shaped" pictures  , how is this going to happen if you keep discouraging newbs  .
Anthony, if you get the 78XH you will also need some of my King Kongs 

[Brandon Khoo]

not of me you won't! The person we want to get one of these is Kai.
More seriously, the King Kong is the type of popper this rod was made to work.

[Andy Rowe]

Hi Anthony,

I have cast the 79H not the 78XH, but believe the 79H to be relatively softer in the tip than the XH, perhaps bending a little more as elucidated by Brandon.  Based on a very clear description of what you are after and having had the pleasure of meeting you I would say you may be one of the few that can use this rod effectively, I don't think I could .

I'm sure it will be fun trying

Andy

[Brandon Khoo]

it won't be fun 15 minutes into a fight on 15kg drag!!

[Scott Maybury]

I have owned and fished both rods....I no longer own the 78XH....way too much rod for me and just unnecessary, even with my penchant for heavy-ish lures....I caught a high 30's fish on the 78XH on the first day of a trip to Fiji earlier in the year...glad it was day 1 not day 6 or I may not have landed it! When people said it was an angler friendly heavy popper rod they definately meant comparitavely, ie, it is still a heavy popper rod...it has a very stiff tip, great for working chuggers, brutal to put a comfortable bend in when fighting fish

The 79H casts and works poppers like the King Kong, G-Cup and Craftbait GT3 ultra bigmouth just fine....so I figure why have the extra pain when fighting a fish

That being said, if you have the back and arm muscles for it, do it!

[Chris Young]

Anthony, if you are a strong bloke and want to use BIG chuggers like King Kong , Big 200, I cup GT3 ultra etc I say go for it, 78XH is IMHO the best thing out there for working these things, it simply pops the $hit out of em with ease. 79H will not work them in the same way, the tip will fold a lot more when trying to get that big cup ripping into the water and will be more hard work than 78XH (while working poppers)

Scott, I doubt that 79H would be able to work King Kong, the cup is a fair bit bigger than Big 200 which is incidentally the same size as HHead I cup. As far as I'm aware only Luke and Brandon are game to fish with King Kong, in Brandons case only for short amounts of time as he's a bit of a woos when it comes to big lures 

[Brock Arifovic]

Krusty, I'm pretty sure Gordon would be able to use them as well.

[Chris Young]

Brock, I reckon Lowy could pop a bucket if it had a strong enough handle on it 

[Brandon Khoo]

lol, the truth hurts - but so does the King Kong!!      
I have to leave it to the young bloke Luke to pop those things all day. I use a Fisherman 77 R10 for the King Kong. It handles them well.

Scott, I doubt that 79H would be able to work King Kong, the cup is a fair bit bigger than Big 200 which is incidentally the same size as HHead I cup. As far as I'm aware only Luke and Brandon are game to fish with King Kong, in Brandons case only for short amounts of time as he's a bit of a woos when it comes to big lures 

[Scott Maybury]

Sorry chris you are right I was totally thinking Big Kong...I don't go bigger than g cup on my 79h

[Brandon Khoo]

he'd be able to pop that garua Kong you made me for Elusive!!

Brock, I reckon Lowy could pop a bucket if it had a strong enough handle on it 

[Chris Young]

Ah yes, the Garua Kong, how could I forget that monster, how big was the cup again? I think it weighed about 450-500g too

[Brandon Khoo]

comparison

Garua Kong, King Kong, Kong