Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

Southern Kingfish Popping Stick?

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Peter Childs:
Hi folks,

I wonder if anyone can help me with a rod recommendation for a southern kingfish popping and stickbait rod (as well as a backup GT rod)  I am chasing kings in the 10 - 15kg range from around rocky headlands and bommies.  I would like to be able to accurately cast a long distance 100 - 125g poppers (such as haymakers and cuberas) as well as 80 - 125 gm stickbaits.  Looking to fish PE 6-8 to extract the fish before they return to the rocks - fishing from a boat.

I currently own a Carpenter SP78 EXH, lovely rod for the poppers, not so great on the stickbaits and complete overkill for the kingies - I do tend to get a lot of small by catch as well (salmon, tailor etc).

I also own a Saltiga 80TN which is great on the smaller stick baits, but really maxs out on casting at around 90g and is too soft to work the blooping poppers effectively.

I am hoping the same rod may also double as a lighter stickbait and popper rod for GT's to accompany the Carpenter on trips to the reef.

I am considering the Carpenter SP80M for this purpose or one of the new Coral Vipers (either 35 or 40), having not even picked up either rod, does anyone have any recommendations?  I looked briefly at the new Shimano GT rod, but it is rather heavy in the hands - lets face it, it's a long way between drinks when poppering for kingies down my way, I'd be happier with a lighter rod.

Any other rods come to mind?  I don't mind spending a little more for the right rod, particularly if it can be used for GTs as well.

Jon Li:
Peter ,

Try LR88 from Carpenter , a good all purpose rod that can be used for GT , YFT and possibly big YTK .

Jon . 

Peter Childs:
Thanks Jon, I did look briefly at the LR series, a couple of questions though;

1) I fish from quite a small boat (close to the waterline - as opposed to the deck of a larger vessel) and have strugled in the past with the use of longer rods, is there a significant difference in retrieve technique.  I tend to keep the rod tip very low, fishing it the southern states of AUS we tend to to need to combat a large swell and choppy conditions on a regular basis.

2) I note the rod weight is considerably heavy than the others mentioned (it's a foot longer of course), is this an issue during a long popping sessions, my wrists and arms aren't as strong as they used to be?

3) When I mentioned long casting, I was thinking like 100m - I know the LR are really long in the right hands - I may not posses the right hands!

Jon Li:
Hi Peter ,

For long distance casting , nothing beat the longer rod using reasonably light lures , I use my LR using 80 gr. pencil popper for YFT and 100 gr. chugger for GT and 125 gr. stickbait for everything .

Weight of the rod is immaterial when compared with the reel , an additional 50 gr. over the SP78EX-H is nothing compared when one use a smaller reel such as STL8000FA/Z4500 instead of STL10000FA/Z6000GT which I presume you are using with the SP78EX-H .

Regarding your wrist and arm aren't as strong as it used to be , it's the same with me and I am not that young anymore and if you can handle SP78EX-H , you should be able to handle LR at ease . With a good body coordination , one can cast the right weighted lure a long way with LR .

I have yet to use my CV79/40RF SHP but swinging the rod , I still don't think it will cast as long a distance as the LR and for the record , my LR86 is the first Carpenter rod I bought way back in 2003 so I know the rod characteristic well .

Jon .

Peter Childs:
Thanks Jon, I hear what you are saying - you are right I am looking to use a Z4500 instead of the 6000GT (which I use of the 78 EXH) particularly for stick baits where I can get away with the slightly slower retrieve. 

I notice looking around the LR88 is a little hard to come by.  The LR 89-LC pops up here and there - would this be essentially the same rod?

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