GTPopping.com - Giant Trevally, GTPopping, Topwater & GT Fly-Fishing Resource
Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: Jay Burgess on January 16, 2008, 12:32:41 AM
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Well I've just sold my GT86 due to the fact that I found it a bit long and impractical for use primarily out of a boat. I am now in the search for a replacement PE8 popping rod a bit shorter in length. At the moment I'm looking at getting a Zenaq Fokeeto 76-7 Trevally which fits into my budget of around $650... but before I make the commitment I wouldn't mind hearing any other suggestions of similarly lengthed popping rods rated to PE8 and within my budget.
Jay
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So you're after something closer to 7ft then.....
Shimano Caranx Kaitbutsu Deep Monster
Smith Kerama 73
Smith Tokara 60
Smith Keylohu
Hots Gipang 75XXH or 79XH
Havent seen or used the Zenaq rods bar the jig stick which I got but if its anything to go by it'll be a bloody light (weight) rod.
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Carpenter SP78H SHP , SP78EX-H n SP78UHL n WV80XH , they are all shorter than that Saltiga rod .
Jon .
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I think for a beginner (pardon me, I'm a beginner too, so here's my view) and unless you've found a spot with some serious 40-50kg GTs up where you are Jay...
Those carpenters might be making a tough job even tougher for you (the casting). The Wild Violence and those SPs are not easy to load.
I put my WV down pretty quick when fish were scarce. Anything under 25kg was a quick 1way ticket to the back of the boat anyway, mostly.
Hots gipang I think is within you budget and easy to load
the tokara is quite delicious :) but may also be overkill
lighter model carpenters would be fantastic too, but in terms of model and price, I will leave it to those who know the range better and have more experience to say :)
good luck
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thanks guys forgot to mention it must be available to buy in Australia, the cost of getting a rod sent from overseas is riduculous.
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that may be the case, Jay but the price here is often at the point where you can factor the freight in and it is still cheaper!
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All of what I mentioned (bar the Shimano) are/will be available here.
Otherwise there's only one rod to get, for PE8...Carpenter SP78H SHP. Ive only ever seen it and played with it once. Man the SP range of Carpenter rods are the best in the world imo. One day when I have the patience and time to pop more often I would get one....or two. ;D
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where is the Hots available from Honsu?
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ATM no where but by Feb should be available in Perth. Im hoping to get hold of them for the shop.
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keep me posted Honsu.
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in the meantime, this is their range...
http://hots.co.jp/
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Hi Jay. I used a GT 86 for a couple of years and while it does deliver good casting distance I found the length a bit impractical. Working bigger poppers was also a bit of a problem as the rod is not powerful enough and the angler has to do a bit more work than desirable. I use a Caranx Kaibutsu Deep Monster right now (8ft) and find it much better as far as length and grunt is concerned. Will be interesting to see how it compares with my Wild Violence which I should receive any day now. While on this topic what is the most powerful popper fishing rod made by Fisherman and for those that have used it how does it stack up next to a WV or SP rod from Carpentar or the WRC 60 and Komodo Dragon from Smith?
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Sachin, the most powerful GT rods made by Fisherman are their legendary GT Monster series. These are true broomsticks. They also have another model called Jack which is awesomely strong. That said, the Fisherman rods are a little more progessive in their actions than the Carpenter SP rods like the 78UHL and 78EXH.
For big chuggers, if there is a better rod made than a 78UHL, I haven't seen it. It rips big chuggers through the water better than any other GT rod I've used. That said, I don't recommend that you use stickbaits on it
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Hi Jay. I used a GT 86 for a couple of years and while it does deliver good casting distance I found the length a bit impractical. Working bigger poppers was also a bit of a problem as the rod is not powerful enough and the angler has to do a bit more work than desirable. I use a Caranx Kaibutsu Deep Monster right now (8ft) and find it much better as far as length and grunt is concerned. Will be interesting to see how it compares with my Wild Violence which I should receive any day now. While on this topic what is the most powerful popper fishing rod made by Fisherman and for those that have used it how does it stack up next to a WV or SP rod from Carpentar or the WRC 60 and Komodo Dragon from Smith?
Sachin,
The most powerful would be a Monster CC 72 R10 or GT Monster 77 R10 - these in my opinion are the cream of the crop when it comes to GT rods. I would describe them as being comparable to a WV. The 78UHL is an excellent rod that I like because of it's fast action. I have some different views on rods to others but when you speak regarding both these brands the only thing it really comes down to is personal preference - pretty even playing field.
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Thanks for the recommendation Sachin, and I agree with you about the length of the GT86 being impractical. I think the Deep Monster would be ideal but the only Kaibutsu's I can find available in OZ is a Surface Monster (PE8-12) and a Long Cast (PE6-8) advertised privately. I think the long cast might be a too long and the Surface Monster (the length I'm after) might be a bit too stiff being a pe8-12 rod...
could anyone comment on the surface monster? Is it pretty stiff or would it suit pe8 line nicely?
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Thanks Brandon and Luke.
I was asking about the Fisherman rods for a friend of mine who is very heavily built (like 118kg at 5 ft 11) through some serious gym time. He feels that the GT86 and his Muramura are too soft. I will give him a run or two on my WV but he is of the opinion that we should look at different brands to get an idea of what the pros and cons of each may be. He fortunately has the bucks to shell out for the Fisherman so I will take your recommendations to him and post a report our experiences a couple of months down the line.
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For a bloke who is built like that Sachin, I think all the rods mentioned would be suitable. You could throw some of the really heavy offerings from Smith like the Komodo Dragon or Tokara and Seven Seas like the Armourclad into the equation too or if you like, the new Gt rod from Shimano is a real beast as well. It really comes down to what kind of rod he is looking for. If he is looking for more of an all-purpose popping rod, the WV is pretty damn good. He may not think the WV is as strong as it actually is as its more progressive action tends to hide its backbone which is awesome. I have limited experience on Fisherman but their quality is unquestionable. The only way you will probably get to test a Fisherman though is to buy one.
If he is, however, looking for a pure popping rod for big chuggers, them IMHO, the Carpenter SP78UHL is the king. I have not seen another rod on the market that can get 200g poppers through the water like this rod. The compromise is that in the hands of most people, it will not cast as far as a WV.
As Luke wrote, it really is a matter of personal preference. The Fisherman and Seven Seas rods tend to be heavier than the Carpenters and Smiths. I know some people make a bit of an issue of why worry about 100g when your reel weighs 800- 900g but the difference is weight is often noticeable in the balance of the rod and that means something over a day or say six days!
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Ok guys a bit more info on what location and GT's I will be using the rod for. I will be fishing primarily Exmouth/Muiron Islands, Rosily Quay and the Monte Bello's. GT's to 35kg are common and have been landed but the true potential of the area is relatively untapped.
I was wondering if a Carpenter SP78H SHP would be suitable??
Where is it available?
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Carpenter SP78H SHP ... would suit any big g,s ::)
i not know much about carpenter but i like smith ;D ;D kind of hooked to them ;)
nomad sportfishing do sell carpenter rod i guess they are the only one that sell carpenter rod in aust ... give them a call to find out what is in stock . or hit this for your info .
www.nomadsportfishing.com.au/nsa_tackle_store/nsa_tackle_shop_rods.htm
not forget you go to be fast cos the next order will be about 6 month away ... it is based in brisbane ...
hope this help,s
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Thanks Guys.
He seems to have his mind set on a Fisherman BG Jack so it's off to Plat or Anglers Pro Shop next.
Appreciate all the advice.
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a Jack will be an order - wait six months!
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Managed to get a Monster 75 R10 off Anglers Pro Shop. They had got in one of in a selction of Fisherman so I guess my mate got lucky. Be interesting to see it with a decent fish on the other end. I will try and source a Carpenter SP 78 UHL for myself (still waiting for my Wild Violence to get to me).
What is the take out on the Zenaq rods from those of you that have them?