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

Advice on land based GT rod

<< < (3/8) > >>

Nathan Tsao:
Howzit Stuart,

For the shoreline GT fishing you intend to do, and with the lure ratings that you are interested in, there are a couple good options. I suppose the best place to start would be to ask how aggressively do you like to fight your fish from the rocks?

If you're the kind of guy who wants to hook up to 20kilo GTs and crank em in with no drag taken out, then i would suggest the PD Rockfist or the United Composites 100XXH. Both of these sticks have an ideal lure range of 150g-180g and an awesome amount of power down low for vertical lift in deep water. The UC has a bit slower tip section, but more power in the tail than the PD Rockfist XTX115. These are more popper rods than stickbait rods. I like them with 180-230g stickbaits like Ulua 200's and Bigfoot 230's. They can do a 150g stickbait, but you gotta go easier on them.   

If you're looking to throw smaller lures, and fish a little less aggressively, then that opens up your options a bit more. The MC Works 106XX is nice with lures 100-140g, the Ripple Fisher Runner Exceed is pretty similar, and the Zenaq 100HHH is nice too. Each of these rods is a little less powerful than i care to fish where i live, but really light and sweet. These are all great for both lighter poppers and medium stickbaits.

I respectfully disagree with Gerhard about the Black Hole 106N Heavy. I built a couple and found them entirely too soft for GT fishing. 60g-90g is nice casting on this rod, but the backbone just isn't there to get dirty with big fish.

As Clem mentioned above; I have worked with CTS to develop a line of Hawaiian Shoreline Specific GT rods, that have been designed for hardcore fishing on nasty lava rock terrain. We have three models available ranging from an "All Around" rod to an "Absolutely Ridiculous" rod. We have had awesome results with them so far.

Hope this helps you out in your pursuit for a good land based rig. My group of fishing buddies over here has just about every shoreline GT rod ever made, and we have put everything to the test side by side. Shoreline GT's are a niche fishery within a niche fishery, so its nice to have some input with the complete range of whats available out there before making a big purchase.

Aloha

Anton Haakman:
@ Craig. What is your target species? What reel will you be fishing, what lure weight and what line class. I have a few land based rods in varying weights so should be able to provide some input. Is casting distance your primary factor? For distance my two best set ups are my Yamaga Blue Sniper 10ftH and a Graphcast 5 built for multiplier fished with magged Trina 16a and 50lbs Jerry Brown with 7m mono leader. Best cast weight for Yamaga 60 - 80g and then 100 - 120 for GC 5. I have not measured accurately but both will exceed 120m. I have played golf off scratch for 23 years so I do not think that I am that far out with my distance estimates.

The minute I go to heavier set ups distance reduces dramatically. I have a 9ft6 Phenix Black Diamond blank that has just been finished but I have yet to collect it. This blank felt as though it would cast very well but I will only know after the weekend.

If ever you make it to Cape Town you are welcome to test a few set ups.

Kind regards
Anton

Craig Maree:
Hi Anton thanks for the post, looking to a land based GT rod for 60lbs to 100lbs JB braid mainly chisel once plugs which assists in distance vs a popper.

A while ago I was testing rods for casting distance on the nearby rugby field trying to find out the difference in casting distance between different rod lengths and setups (spinning vs overhead). For some land based and boat based areas around heavy surf the extra distance means the difference between strikes and no action.

My test showed that

80m casting distance on Temple Reef GT 80-10 (Pathfinder) Stella 10k SW /SOM 16k spool loaded with JBH 100lbs casting 120g chisel nose plug.

85m casting distance on a Shimano 10ft rod with the same reel and lure above.

100m casting distance with a 9ft6 CD Graphcast 5  and a Daiwa overhead reel 40 Saltist Levelwind with 18kg mono and the above lure. I think I would extra distance on a overhead with braid?

95m casting distance on Temple Reef GT 80-10 (Pathfinder) Stella 10k SW spool loaded with JB 60lbs casting 120g chisel nose plug.

So a extra 15m or so on the 60lbs vs the 100lbs braid.

Anton Haakman:
You would definitely add some distance with braid on the multiplier. It is the difference between casting .40mm and casting .70mm. Also great advantages with leaders as knots can be very small - FG or Bob Sands. I use this for tail at St Francis. - not quite 50 -100lbs GTs but it is as close as we come in SA. I fish 80lbs JB hollow stitched into a 10m 200lbs braid leader connected to a heavy mono or 80lbs fireline leader with FG knot. I use either the Trini 16 a or Trini DC 20.

Fitted adjustable magnetic cast control into the A for R300 and it took less than 3 min to do at home with a cordless drill.

Back to the rods. This is a very narrow brief and there are not many that I know of that will handle the upper limits of this. I have 2 rods that will give you a chance in the lower to middle of this range. The MC Works Raging Bull 100 XR2 capable of 13 kg drag and then I have 2 x GC 5's built for spinning reels. I fish Rooikrans a lot and have lifted many 7-8kg ytail 3-5m from the water onto the ledge. I have the older dark blue ones and they are near bullet proof.

The rods that Nathan lists is the other thread look promising. I have an 8ft CTS that I got from New Zealand and use for Ytail off of the boat. They were a pleasure to deal with and it is a fantastic rod. Rated PE 3 but it has taken yfin to 40kg with ease.

In reasonable terrain you should have a chance with most of these rods. That said the rods Nathan is building are 100% purpose built. It seems that CTS will also sell these blanks. Maybe import 1or 2 and get the Alcocks to build them up for you. Could be a bit better than trying to get the rods here from Hawaii?

Good luck
Anton

Craig Maree:
Anton I also have an original old blue GC 5 from Dave Alcock.

I also have the Shimano Exage 11ft and 10ft rods built for Yellowtail (Kingfish).

How do these compare to the Mc Works in casting distance and pull power?

Looking at mainly using chisel nose plugs to increase casting distance.

Picked up my Shimano Tranx today, monster size baitcaster.  It feels very balanced on the GC 5, going to load it with braid and give it a cast.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page