Rods for saltiga 6500 expedition

[jay currie]

Hi all im very new to this jigging and poppering world especialy for os fish. I have just bought a saltiga 6500 exp and have spooled it with 80lb braid i would like to know the best rods for this reel one for jigging and one for poppering i plan on using it mostly for catching os tuna and gt's and some black bass, i am also hopefully going on a nomad trip in 2010 to jewel reef and plan on getting a spare spool with 120lb braid any advice would be good for im out of my comfort zone and have know idea i usely catch longtail to 20kg on 3500 certate. Thanks

[Brandon Khoo]

Jay, there is no "best rod" per se. It really comes down to what you like and more importantly, what you can actually handle. The Expedition is't designed for popping, it is a jigging reel but it is useable (although a bit tiring) for popping. Rather than go through the whole gamut of rods that are available, perhaps the best thing you could do is do some reading of threads that are already on this forum. You'll find plenty of information on this site. Perhaps the best advice I can give you is to do your research and find a rod that suits you, not someone who weighs 120kgs and bench presses what Arnold Schwarzenegger  does.

Btw, I really don't think a 6500EXP is the reel for black bass. It might have some trouble casting 30g minnows.

[jay currie]

Thanks brandon i was not really planning on targeting black bass with the 6500 just one of the types of fishing i wish to do. i have a daiwa black sheep for the black bass and am planning on getting a saltiga 4000 to put on my daiwa monster mesh. I really like the monster mesh but they only make them to pe3-6 (the one i have). Do you know of any good tackle stores around Brisbane that specialize in jigging and popper outfits? Is Mo's tackle in Coffs Harbour a good place to go, for we travel down that way a bit.

[Santosh Shanmuga]

For popping, the Calstar 700XH or a Shimano TCurve

[Sachin Chaudhry]

Hi Jay. The 6500 has a slower retrieve than the Dogfight or 6000GT but that does not mean you cannot pop with it. I used a 20000 Stella for quite a while for popping and while it was a little slow it was by no means unbearable. I think the slower ratio also gives you a bit more torque to work oversized cup faced lures so try for a rod that is rated to PE10 or more max. Love my Wild Violence and the Hots Tide Lez GT77XXXH and my Kaibutsu DM as well so you really are spoiled for choice. Others have their favourites such as the Super Popping and Fisherman GT Monster series. My only advice would be work out what you will use the reel for most of the time and get a rod to suit that purpose. Top shelf reel dude, get a top shelf rod to match.

[jay currie]

Thanks all for your replies i am planning on getting two rods one for jigging one for poppering. My local tackle store stock the saltiga rods, i already have a saltiga dorado wich i run a certate 3500hd on, with 20lb braid this is a very nice combo. They had a 7.7" saltiga rod there i think it was a Muramura i just wasn't overly impressed with the rod, not sure if it because i don't know what im looking at but i much perfered the action of my monster mesh (i know the smaller rod will have a very different action but the 7.7" just seamed to be very basic)

Are these saltiga's a good place to start or should i keep looking?

I dont mind the look of the ripple fisher rods just have know were to go and hang of one. I was thinking of a Pe6-8 rod to start of with.

Thanks again for all your info

[Jay Burgess]

Do you know of any good tackle stores around Brisbane that specialize in jigging and popper outfits?

Jones Tackle
http://www.jonestackle.com.au/