GT rods

[lonhro]

Hi Guys,
            just wondering if anyone has used the shimano T-curve for popping purposes, and if so what they thought of it. Another thing might be if anyone knows of any good popping rods under $500

Cheers Randy

[Luke Wyrsta]

Hi Guys,
            just wondering if anyone has used the shimano T-curve for popping purposes, and if so what they thought of it. Another thing might be if anyone knows of any good popping rods under $500

Cheers Randy

[lonhro]

what rod do you use to bring your monster fish in and whats  your Fav reel and what mods you done to it in particular the stella
cheers

[Luke Wyrsta]

what rod do you use to bring your monster fish in and whats  your Fav reel and what mods you done to it in particular the stella
cheers

Hi Randy,

At the moment my current favourites are:

• Calstar custom GF700XH - 100-130lb
• Fisherman GT Monster 72 - 80-100lb
• Calstar custom GF800M - anything 80lb belowto 50lb (but more suited to 50lb)
• Shimano Bluewater Spin for light/medium work with 50lb

Favourite reel without a doubt is the Stella 20000 and 10000. No mods required besides from a bit of drag grease and regular cleaning. I love the casting spool of the 10000 and it's high gear ratio but am being increasingly caught out with a 20000 in my hand

Hope that helps answer your questions

[Andrew Woodley-Page]

what rod do you use to bring your monster fish in and whats  your Fav reel and what mods you done to it in particular the stella
cheers

Hi Randy,

At the moment my current favourites are:

• Calstar custom GF700XH - 100-130lb
• Fisherman GT Monster 72 - 80-100lb
• Calstar custom GF800M - anything 80lb belowto 50lb (but more suited to 50lb)
• Shimano Bluewater Spin for light/medium work with 50lb

Favourite reel without a doubt is the Stella 20000 and 10000. No mods required besides from a bit of drag grease and regular cleaning. I love the casting spool of the 10000 and it's high gear ratio but am being increasingly caught out with a 20000 in my hand

Hope that helps answer your questions

Luke,
what extra drag can you apply with the 130 vs 100? or do you step up in poundage simply for extra knot strength/abrasion resistance?

Also, when you say "caught out with the 20000" do you mean you are increasingly preferring the 20000 vs 10000?

Thanks for the help

[Luke Wyrsta]

Luke,
what extra drag can you apply with the 130 vs 100? or do you step up in poundage simply for extra knot strength/abrasion resistance?

Also, when you say "caught out with the 20000" do you mean you are increasingly preferring the 20000 vs 10000?

Thanks for the help

Hi Samboslayer,

Thanks for joining the forum.

That's exactly it mate, extra abrasion and knot strength. I can't put anymore drag pressure on 100lb than i can 130lb. Another thing i find is that 80lb can still easily 'pop'. I haven't experienced this with 100lb+ when putting on the heat.

Yes, i am increasingly preferring the 20000, but i'm not on the verge of fully converting yet. Need to catch some bigger fish with it. I like to have one 10k and 20k each rigged up at the same time.

Hope this helps.

[Andrew Woodley-Page]

Yes.....80 can still pop......... 

[Sachin Chaudhry]

what rod do you use to bring your monster fish in and whats  your Fav reel and what mods you done to it in particular the stella
cheers

Hi Randy,

At the moment my current favourites are:

• Calstar custom GF700XH - 100-130lb
• Fisherman GT Monster 72 - 80-100lb
• Calstar custom GF800M - anything 80lb belowto 50lb (but more suited to 50lb)
• Shimano Bluewater Spin for light/medium work with 50lb

Favourite reel without a doubt is the Stella 20000 and 10000. No mods required besides from a bit of drag grease and regular cleaning. I love the casting spool of the 10000 and it's high gear ratio but am being increasingly caught out with a 20000 in my hand

Hope that helps answer your questions

Luke, I read that you have a custom Calstar rod. I have a rod built on the same blank from Wellsys. My question is that on the Charkbait website this blank is rated up to 100lb. Do you feel that it honestly is able to push out that kind of hurt on a fish? I have not put mine through its paces so any help from you will be much appreciated.
I do not mind the shorter (7ft) length all that much as I do a bit of popper fishing for YFT as well and a longer rod on a tuna that is slugging down deep can be a bit of a back breaker at times.
If it is as powerful as they say I would more than likely get another one but would like all sic guides on it (the rod out of Wellsys only has a sic tip on it). Who would you recommend as a rod builder to put this together so I can put a soon to be acquired Dogfight or SW10000 on this stick?
All advice is much appreciated
Thanks

[Greg Burt]

Sachin, I was about to ask the same question about the same rod. I was at Wellsys today and looked at the Wellsy 24-37kg Calstar built by Gary Howard, Paul told me the blank was rated at 100lb and I believe GH does underate his heavier duty rods, the rod seemed to have plenty of mid-low power.The other $900 brand they had seemed a bit heavy and stiff.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Luke, I read that you have a custom Calstar rod. I have a rod built on the same blank from Wellsys. My question is that on the Charkbait website this blank is rated up to 100lb. Do you feel that it honestly is able to push out that kind of hurt on a fish? I have not put mine through its paces so any help from you will be much appreciated.
I do not mind the shorter (7ft) length all that much as I do a bit of popper fishing for YFT as well and a longer rod on a tuna that is slugging down deep can be a bit of a back breaker at times.
If it is as powerful as they say I would more than likely get another one but would like all sic guides on it (the rod out of Wellsys only has a sic tip on it). Who would you recommend as a rod builder to put this together so I can put a soon to be acquired Dogfight or SW10000 on this stick?
All advice is much appreciated
Thanks

Yes Sachin, that is correct. Despite the rod being rated to 100lb it can more than easily handle 130lb - despite the fact that no one i know can use it to it's fullest potential. As Neil mentioned in the Japanese jigging rods post, this also gives a bit of margin for error now that i think about it. This is one of the best blanks i have used - it is bulletproof, can pull a train, not too heavy and has a great action for my popping styles.

Go the ICMNSG guides - you won't regret it!

As for rod builders i would opt for Nick Griffiths out at Bluewater in WA - you can contact Nick/Hal here: [email protected]

[Greg Burt]

 Sachin, is yours the 24-37kg one from Wellseys?, as it was the heaviest rated Calstar in stock this morning. It looks the goods, please let us know how it goes.
  Good luck

[Sachin Chaudhry]

Sachin, is yours the 24-37kg one from Wellseys?, as it was the heaviest rated Calstar in stock this morning. It looks the goods, please let us know how it goes.
  Good luck

Greg, yes it is the 24 - 37kg rod from Wellsys.
I hope to give it a run soon with my Stella 20000 on it so I can see how it works against some decent drag.
I have it coupled to a Spheros 14000 with an upgrade kit from Blue water on it consisting of a Stella handle, arb replacing a main gear bushing and carbontex drag upgrade. Will post my thoughts on the forum after I have given both pieces of kit a bit of a running over.
Luke, thanks for the info, much appreciated.
Thanks
Sachin

[Brandon Khoo]

endorsing what Luke wrote - i wouldn't go for anything other than ICMNSG or MNSG guides on a popping or jigging rod. The difference between the two is more cosmetic than anything else as the ICMNSG have the titanium look.

It's not even so much for the silicon carbide but for the deep pressed frame. There is nothing more depressing than looking at your rod after you've bumped it and seeing that you've knocked out the slilcon carbide ring - end of the rod until you get a new guide. The deep pressed frames on the other hand are very well made and protect the ring well.

If you're going to go to the expense of getting a rod made, go for the best guides.

[Greg Burt]

Is 7' ok for popping or is 7'6" to 8' any better, like Sachin the smaller size suits my local fishing and that Calstar is not to brutish to fish 50lb on.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Is 7' ok for popping or is 7'6" to 8' any better, like Sachin the smaller size suits my local fishing and that Calstar is not to brutish to fish 50lb on.

7' is fine for popping. It is obviously much easier for beginners to cast with a longer rod, however, good casters should be able to do the same if not better with the 7'. The shorter rod allows you to apply much more pressure (easier) than longer rods, however, that won't be an issue if you are running 50lb.