Hallaniyat Islands Oman - Carpenter Rod Field testing

[Mark Harris]

Excellent read Nick - really enjoyed it. Deliberately waited to post until you had finished to get the full picture.

At least one of those rods must be very stiff-tipped if you were using an I-Cup!

Nice perspectives on fishing some of the crazy shallow water around the islands.

I reckon this pic shows a rod at its limit - well done both to you and the rod.



What comes through most is how much rod technology has changed.  I was thinking a lot about this just the other day when fishing GT3 190 and SS Big Kathibe 180 grams with MH79XH. In the old days those lures would have required an absolutely brutal broomstick of a rod that required maximum casting effort to get even reasonable distance, and torture on the body once a fish hooked up.   These days we are so lucky and rod makers like Carpenter and Ripple Fisher have completely changed the nature of GT fishing.  My increasingly creaky old body is so thankful for that!

Thanks again for sharing this update.

[Nick Bowles]

Hi Mark, Many thanks for the reply! Was an awesome trip with the rods and I must say I was very impressed with the rods and what they can do. The technology as you say has come a long way in a very quick time. With these rods it was possible to fish a big popper to a smallish 120gr stick bait and still be able to fish them almost 100%. So gone are the days of having one rod for popping, one rod for stick baits etc. It is nice to have both so you can choose what you want to fish but now possible to do everything with one rod!

I was speaking to Jon Li on the exact same subject last week and although I still love my Wild Violence and I will keep it forever but as I get older that rod seriously kicks my ass! The new rods are awesome and as we get older will allow us to fish longer and still hopefully land some big fish!

On this trip I tried my hardest to put the rods through as much punishment as possible with locked drag holding the spool to shallow water to allowing the fish to go under the boat and almost high sticking the rod, but it handled everything. Hopefully we will be able to fish for many more years to come with these type rods!!

Cheer,
Nick

[Jon Li]

Hi Nick ,

Endless Passion rods have kept me in the game with the younger peers in GT popping , bless Kenji Konishi for that .

Jon .

[Mark Harris]

Hi Nick ,

Endless Passion rods have kept me in the game with the younger peers in GT popping , bless Kenji Jonishi for that .

Jon .

Indeed Jon.  Not for nothing do I now I have 3 different Endless Passions!

[Jon Li]

Hi Mark ,

I am keeping my EP85/36 but already sold my EP82/38 and waiting for EP82/38-3pc rod to complement my BLC83/35R P-Max Super Cobra 3pc rod .

Jon .

[Trevor Skinner]

I've just ordered a BLC 83/35 3 piece but didn't know about the EP82/38 3 piece, very interesting.

I've also got an EP85/36 that I'll use this weekend for the first time together with my MH 80H that is my 'go to' GT rod.

The EP82/38 and the BLC 83/35 would cover a lot of bases when travelling.

Something for us older poppers with disposable income and aching bones to contemplate.

Regards,


Trevor 

[Jon Li]

Hi Trevor ,

EP82/38-3pc will only be available during the later part of 2013 but I am requesting allocation from Carpenter already .

I will be using my new BLC83/35R-3pc next week , my EP85/36 will be the spare outfit this time around .

Jon .

[Christoffer Hansen]

C'mon seriously! A rod that works big poppers effectively being 100% for small stickbaits! Unless carpenter have got magic in their technology I highly doubt it. Judging by the parabolic bend in those pics it's another soft noodle offering. Bring back the uhl!

[Nick Bowles]

Hi Mark and Jon, agree the EP range is a great range and easy on the body and still can put enough pressure to land good fish. I love my EP85/36 and goes everywhere with me. Going to try the EP86/40 end of the season when they arrive, this is one of Ajiti-sans favorite rods and always been impressed with the rod, although longer that I would normally use. In November in very shallow water in Oman Ajiti-san hooked a decent fish but had the drag locked and measured with a scale at 22kgs of drag and he held the fish until the line popped! long rod but has good power! Very interested to see how the 3 piece rods work as this can change the whole idea of how we travel and fish!! Nervous I have to start getting more rods!!

Hi Trev, You catching up at a rapid rate with a great arsenal of rods!! Look forward to your feedback on the 3 piece!

Hi Christoffer, The rod is not meant to cast 100gr sticks but if you need to use it and fishing for tuna or the likes you are not going to have a problem like trying to cast it on the WV80XH or UHL. I used 120gr bluefish all the way up to 250 Gammas and the rods handled them all well and I could fish them and get enough action to get strikes. There will always be a place for the brooms but they are very hard to handle at least for me. I will always hold onto my trusting WV80XH and pull it out of the cupboard when I feel like getting the deep burn but with the technology and rods coming out at present these rods are almost obsolete and the newer rods can do the same job both casting and fighting with a lot less hassle. But as said there will always be a place for the big sticks. The 2 rods I have been testing are by no means noodles and not in the same type of range as the Endless Passions and they cast 220r poppers and can hold fish in 1-2ms of water with the spool held solid, so will be an exciting rod if produced for someone wanting power and a bit of finesse.

Cheers,
Nick

[Jon Li]

Hi Nick ,

Our EP86/40 is definitely on my list to try , I find my old body can't handle " 40 lbs " rated rod effectively , hence already sold my CV79/40 but TBL80/40 is nice too , had very few came in but sold them within a couple of days to those who preorder the rods . Nowaday I use stickbait most of the time and let the younger fishing buddies raise the fish using the chuggers , I just cast the stickbait in the mids of chuggers , the tactic works most of the time .

Jon .
 

[Nick Bowles]

Hi Jon, I don't think it is old age I think it is just more experience.......... I really find it hard to part with my old rods after the trips we have shared so tend to end up with way to many rods, but one day will have a bit of a sale. We have the TBL80/40 and EP86/40 coming in this next week so very excited to give them a test and into the shop. Like Christmas for us!!

Cheers,
Nick

[Jon Li]

Hi Nick ,

I still have my first Carpenter rod , it's a custom made LR86 with cork grips on the handle n will not sell it but I have sold a few Carpenter rods which I find myself can't utilise them optimumly , among others are WV80XH , SP710H-SHP , CV79/40 , just can't handle 12+ kg initial drag for all day / long a fight , more comfortable with 10 kg initial drag nowaday .

Beside the LR86 , I still have 8 other Carpenter rods for tuna fishing , inshore / estuary fishing n river fishing so I think for the time I have left in the game , that's enough .

I am looking forward to try KLL75/45 next week , not sure I can handle it optimumly but may be for a short period I am still OK .

Jon .

[Russell Domingo]

hi Nick. great report. did i read correctly? the carpenter rods coming in this week? yes please...

[Nick Bowles]

Hi Jon, Sounds like you still have a great arsenal! Good luck with the KLL very interested to see your feedback! Think this will be a good rod for both big tuna and GT!

Hi Russell, The rods are ready to ship and will be here before your trip so all good!

Cheers,
Nick

[Russell Domingo]

Shot nick. Travel safely tomorrow. Look forward to the next report. See you soon.