Rod recommendation

[richard shirazian]

Hi guys fairly new to the GT scene but can firmly say i am addict already..!!
Would like some advise on a rod that is easier to cast 220 grams a long way..read and watched loads of reviews but still cant make my mind up..something that is not too heavy to work a stick bait all day..looking forward to seeing the posts on the trial day..

Take Care

Richard

[Brandon Khoo]

Richard, a rod that is going to cast a 220g lure a long way is unlikely to be a rod that you are going to be comfortable working a whole day. You make no mention of whether you are looking for a stickbait only rod or you want something that is suitable for poppers as well.

I could recommend you a Wild Violence which would cast a 220g lure a long way and also be suitable for poppers up to a decent size  but would be extremely demanding to work a whole day. A Monster Hunter MH80H would cast a weight of that size and could be used for both stickbaits and poppers although I see it as a compromise rather than an ideal stickbait rod.

 I could also suggest a Ripple Ultimo UG82H where a 220g lure would be on its limit but would only be suitable for stickbaits but would be quite manageable for a whole day.

It would be useful to have a bit more information on what you want specifically.

[Sam Loh]

Hi Richard,

A Gamma stickbait 200g on Ultimo 82MH i could only reach 50m and continue the same for 2hrs max. Whereas on same rod I could cast 130g stickbait average to 70m the whole day. A popper 150g like E-Cup on Yamaga ATLAS 76/8, I have to take a 15mins rest for every 30mins of chugging but I could almost work a 100g Cubera whole day. An I-Cup on Smith Tokara, old guy like me could only manage 40m for 15min/day. While a stickbait PE5 rod with Cherry Pai 85g or Maria 75g I happily casting for 3days.

Just a 2cents relativity from a small 65kg built

Regards
Sam

[richard shirazian]

Thanks Brandon & Sam for your thoughts..let me explain a bit further..I am a big guy.. too big and not fit!..but I am hooked on Gt fishing..

I have been out with the Ocean active guys in the Musandam in Norther Oman and had a wail of a time..landing 6 Gt's in 3 days and getting reefed by at least another 6..mostly on the KGS setup..

The tackle I was using was Smith - KGS 70MH & Smith WRC 80P/35 rods with Stella 8K's & 18K's ..

I must admit that it was a sharp learning curve as the last time I really did much casting was from the shore 10 yrs ago..

I was working stickbaits  up too 100 grams on the KGS and 200-220 Grams on the WRC. I was finding it hard to reach the marks with the WRC and getting tiered quite quickly..so I am looking for something perhaps a little more flexible..it could also very well be that i am not loading the rod properly..or I am just unfit..I also find it quite heavy paired with the Stella 18K.

Based on the above what would you say would be an ideal setup in between, I like the look of the Carpenter New Model Long Reef 88   ?

Many thanks

Richard

[Mick Cunningham]

hi richard ,

sound like that 200-220g might be a bit too much for the WRC 80/35 
as this rod handle up to 170g (max) but best suitable up to 150g ..
that might be the trouble that is casuing it .

maybe you should look into smith tokara rod as this is stronger than the WRC . it should handle better .
notice that your a smith fan .

just my thought ...

Mick <"((><

[Brandon Khoo]

Richard, I haven't fished Oman but from what you have written and what I have heard about the location, it appears you're under gunned if half the fish are reefing you.

On your gear, well, first thing to do is toss the KGS 70MH. That is simply not suitable for chasing GTs where you are. It's a PE5 rod and you will struggle to stop a 10kg GT with that. On your 80P/35, I can't believe but I am actually going to agree with Mick on something 

You're asking too much from the rod. Ideally it is a PE6 rod suited to about a maximum casting weight of 150g. With a 220g weight on it, the rod will over-saturate when you're casting hard and the only way to cast a weight of that magnitude is to lob it.

In terms of the ideal rod, it is hard for me to give you a suggestion without having seen you fish. Have you read our guide to GT rods? You can access it on this link and some of the information there might be useful for you.  http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=1374.0

You need to find a compromise between casting distance and the maximum backbone that you can handle on a rod. In locations like Musandam and Shoalwater, there is little subtlety once you hook-up so ideally, you want a rod with the maximum power that you can handle.

I personally would be hesitant to recommend the Long Reef for a location like that. It was made for locations where you want as much distance as you can possibly get but the compromise you pay is that the rod doesn't have the power to slow fish down like a shorter, stronger rod and it is a bit more cumbersome to fight a fish with.

If you like big heavy stickbaits and you want distance as well, I'd suggest that you look for something like a Ripple Fisher Ultimo 82H. It's a heavy PE8/light PE10 rod that is comfortable to fish with, casts really well and has reasonable backbone. Note this rod is not suitable for poppers beyond about 130g. It is a stickbait rod, not a popper rod.

You might also find a Carpenter Monster Hunter MH80H to your liking. This will cast big heavy stick quits easily and also handle decent sized poppers and has a heap pof backbone low down.

If you are struggling for distance at the moment, I'd suggest you avoid the shorter rods like the Tokara.

[richard shirazian]

Thanks for all your input i did read your other post on rod selection late last night, a very comprehensive article, thank you!

A lot to take in and as you say lots of research needed.

Yes the KGS is undermanned & short and I did loose a lot of fish, but good to have on the boat for other species we find while fishing the area..

Thanks for your advice, will have to ask around to see if any body locally has a MH for me to try out next time I go out..

Take care

Richard

[Peter Childs]

Richard,

You might be better off starting with some lighter stickbaits in the 140-180 gram range and a more versatile rod (that will catch you plenty of GT's).  You should be able to cast those for a lot longer on the lighter gear and be far more comfortable - there is no shame in casting lighter lures, no matter what size you are.

The lighter outfit will always have a place in your aresonal down the track, so its worth getting something good - your money will not be wasted here.

I've used the 80P/35 a bit and it will throw a 140 gram stickbait a lot further than a 220.......and it will stay in one piece! I am not suggesting you buy one of these specifically, a more universal PE8 rod might be better suited to your needs.