smith 77HIIB Rocket

[sam williams]

hi there just wondering if many people have used this rod before and any feedback would be great. im going to be fishing pe8 on a catalina 6500H 150-200lb leaders and i generally use patriot mastered bomb big cup 135. it is a toss up between this or a cape cod 80G. i know its abit of a jump in price but i played with a komodo this morning and it felt sweet with my reel as far as balance goes.

[Sami Ghandour]

Hi Sam,
You better of with a Tokara 60.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Had a couple of casts with this on various trips.

I've heard nothing but negative reports, including numerous breakages.

[Mark Harris]

Personally, I find it quite sad that Smith seems to have declined so far as a maker of heavy rods.

The KD was an absolute legend of its time and one of the best popping rods you could buy in that era in my view.  Since then other makers have moved on in leaps and bounds while Smith has seemingly gone backwards.

Breakages have also become a real issue with their jigging rods.

[Ian Cook]

That's not good news at all as I was thinking about this rod myself one day, if and when I wanted a heavier popper stick.

I already have the Smith GTK 77BG that I purchased earlier this year and it feels very good.

Cheers,

Ian

[Luke Ryan]

I have seen this model break before, along with a handful of other smith rods.

Maybe look at different options?

[Andy Rowe]

Any particular reason you are limiting yourself to these options? So many quality products out there.

[Lars Nielsen]

I know a guy affiliated with Smith, and Smith says the Rocket is built very specifically to the fighting style that Kozo Okobu is famous for: Keeping the rod extremely low at all times with the rod out of the belt unless the fish is far from the boat. So this rod is allergic to high sticking. They have actually redrawn it from the European market as they do not think the anglers around here have the skills to use it.

[Brandon Khoo]

I actually wasn't going to post on this thread as I tend to be quite cautious about commenting about possible manufacturing faults but I can't help but respond to what Lars got told because that is up there with the biggest load of hogwash I have ever heard. Every GT rod on the market is allergic to high sticking - that is stating the obvious. To suggest that the rod that the rod was withdrawn because anglers don't have the skill to use it is rather patronising. if it true, it reflects a rather insensible approach to rod building and testing.

I expect the guy who said that is also going to say that the Fremantle was withdrawn for the same reason? What is his rationale for the number of AMJs that seem to blow up inexplicably?

[Ian Cook]

I actually wasn't going to post on this thread as I tend to be quite cautious about commenting about possible manufacturing faults but I can't help but respond to what Lars got told because that is up there with the biggest load of hogwash I have ever heard. Every GT rod on the market is allergic to high sticking - that is stating the obvious. To suggest that the rod that the rod was withdrawn because anglers don't have the skill to use it is rather patronising. if it true, it reflects a rather insensible approach to rod building and testing.

I expect the guy who said that is also going to say that the Fremantle was withdrawn for the same reason? What is his rationale for the number of AMJs that seem to blow up inexplicably?

Spot on Brandon, how can a manufacturer come up with crap like that, I better go to the Kozo Okubo fish fighting school, so I can learn how to use my rod. 

Cheers,

Ian

[Mark Harris]

hi there just wondering if many people have used this rod before and any feedback would be great. im going to be fishing pe8 on a catalina 6500H 150-200lb leaders and i generally use patriot mastered bomb big cup 135. it is a toss up between this or a cape cod 80G. i know its abit of a jump in price but i played with a komodo this morning and it felt sweet with my reel as far as balance goes.

Sam if you do go for the 80G, then it will be a good match with the popper size you mention.

[Lars Nielsen]

I actually wasn't going to post on this thread as I tend to be quite cautious about commenting about possible manufacturing faults but I can't help but respond to what Lars got told because that is up there with the biggest load of hogwash I have ever heard. Every GT rod on the market is allergic to high sticking - that is stating the obvious. To suggest that the rod that the rod was withdrawn because anglers don't have the skill to use it is rather patronising. if it true, it reflects a rather insensible approach to rod building and testing.

I expect the guy who said that is also going to say that the Fremantle was withdrawn for the same reason? What is his rationale for the number of AMJs that seem to blow up inexplicably?

For the sake of argument, what we are talking about is the fighting style you see late in this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ablpcVp9kA Note how Kozo keeps the reel in the belt - not the rod! We all take the rod out of the belt when the fish is close to the boat, but this guy fights always exclusively this way, apparently.

Anyway I can't disagree with what Brandon says. I was just uncritically referring what I was told. If in fact there is anything truly special about this rod, please just tell us how it is intended to be used, and we will all be better off - even us mere Europeans. xD

[Nick Bowles]

Seen to many Komodo Dragons and Rockets blow up. But Tokara 60 is still one of the best and oldest popping rods around if you are looking specifically for a Smith Popping rod.

Cheers,
Nick

[sam williams]

hey guys thanks for the replys! ok i may lean towards the cape cod now. can anyone else suggest some rods worth looking at in the $600-$900AUD price range?

[Nick Bowles]

Hi Sam, There are a lot of rods available in that range. I would suggest rods in this range that I now best such as Race Point 200, Hots 79XH, Hots 77XH, XXH, XXXH, FCL UCB81.

Hope this helps.