saltiga GT86 v Daiwa monster mesh 8'3''

[Sam Beeby]

Pretty close to deciding on  a heavier popper rod (I have an Saltiga 80TN at the moment). I've narrowed it down to the GT86 or the monster mesh 8'3'' with the Shimano GT special sounding  too brutal for what I need     ie the best sydney kings rarely top 20kg. 
   They just (spec wise) seem very similar. eg both ideal for 10kg'ish drags, both ideal for lures up to 180g'ish, both up to PE8 rods.
Just want to know from anyone who uses them, if in their opinion very much seperates these rods and therefore if the dollar difference between them is justified.   I don't know the weight of the monster mesh - maybe the difference will be there, or in the action.
 Thanks for any help

[Andrew Poulos]

Sam,

Sounds like you have the same thoughts as me chasing kings around here. I bought the monster mesh (MM). Both cast similar weights, though the MM is meant to handle an extra 20 grams  . The MM rates in at about 11kg of drag, cant remember the GT86. The reason I went the MM is that it cost half the saltiga rod and given the rocks arent always kind to gear, thought it might be more cost efficient given the similar performance. Havent loaded mine up to a decent fish yet (salmon dont count), but goes well with the dog fight.

But also check out the for sale as there is/was a GT86 going for the same price as the MM....

[Sam Beeby]

andrew, if you line up the reel seats of the 80TN and the Monster mesh, is the MM any longer at the tip or is the extra length just in the handle? Does it balance up well with the Dog fight?

[Andrew Poulos]

Sam, the extra length is in the rod butts, with it being below the reel seat for the MM. Butt weight is ~ 218g for the 80TN and ~280g for the MM. Tip weight is ~150g for the 80TN , and ~ 185g for the MM (These are approx weights on the digital scale give or take my hands wobbling ).

For me, the 80TN works better with the catalina 4500 sized reels .The extra weight of the MM seems to help the balance out better when the dogfight is put on it . Haven't given the MM as big a workout this summer as planned with the crap timing of weather on weekends but the few times its been out its been good. Came down to cost for me as the specs are close to the GT86 . With either rod I doubt you would be disappointed for what we use them for.

cheers

[Gavin Ng]

sorry to dig this post out but i have a gt86 and I am from sydney as well and wish to use it for some big kings off the stones, are you guys using lures or live baits? if so how heavy are the lures, metals, poppers you're throwing at them? are you getting any decent casting distance? mind sharing line and leader sizes as well?

cheers

[Andrew Poulos]

My heavy rig-
80lb braid
100lb leader with PR knot to braid or
60-80lb twisted leader and cats paw connection

I spin gars so the weight obviously depending on the size of the gar. But lure wise , 85grams and up to 160grams or so is what I use,either metals,poppers or soft plastics.

Distance...really depends on where you fish. Some places you only need to cast 20 metres (if that) before you hook up (and lose the fish and lure  ) other places you need to be able to put out a good cast to clear the reef edge.

[Sam Beeby]

I'm using 50-60lb braid. At the moment I use an 80TN and a Blast. Even if I go up to my Expedition and a GT86(in the near future i hope) I think I would still stick to PE6 just for the casting benefits.I really notice that I can cast the sometimes lighter weights alot further compared to PE8 - especially if its into the wind.  If the braid goes across the rocks PE6 will sheer just as quickly as PE8. And lets be honest - your on a low rock ledge with waves and spray all around you and a longish rod - I doubt your going to fish the PE8 anywhere near its limit anyway, since sydney kings rarely top 15kg anyway.

I use a PR knot onto 80LB pink ande leader that is long enough to have the PR just forward of my finger when casting. Again I use the lighter 80lb over 100lb because alot of the slow speed luring is done high in the water column so I reckon its less visible. I'll only loop a twisted onto a bimini after i've busted off the PR - and even then it'll be light (twisted 50lb) and i'll still run single strand 80lb outside the tip.

I tie the leader onto a swivel and connect/change to lures via owner splits that live on all my lures. I use 85g raiders, 9' sluggoes (with and without weight depending on the wind and depth I want to fish), shimano ocea and saltiga dorado sinking stickbaits (85g i think) and halco rooster poppers. I'm starting to use gars more now but have caught more on raiders than anything else believe it or not. Usually I fish higher in the water column the darker it is. As the sun rises I fish deeper and deeper. If I get a hook up on a certain method then I'll persist with that.

Its a good idea to carry a torpedo float and a few live bait hooks. Its amazing how many times you'll pic up a big slimey, pike or small salmon on the drop. Then its just a matter of cutting off your swivel sticking a float on above your Live bait hook and the PR knot will act as your stopper for an instant live bait rig - still the best way to snare a decent king over luring any day and worth the rest sometimes too!

[Andrew Poulos]

I agree Sam, live baits work best. At the local spot getting them is near impossible. The only live bait you could get are bonnies or salmon, maybe frigates if you are lucky, but keeping them alive in a rock pool is impossible with their hyperactive tails.

The rods (not including my overhead spin gear)I use are between 7'4(precision) and 8'4 (monster mesh and dorado) and help with leverage, but again there is no way I will fish the reel to the max with 80lb. I went with it for hopefully more abrasion resistance. Ive yet to be popped off on the braid -always on the leader side so have upped it to 100lb. But I tie off a swivel when they are shy and then drop the trace to 80lb fluro or something like that when needed. I went the single as I believe when sinking gars there are times that twisted leaders are more visible in calmer conditions so am trying a single leader. I did have 50lb on it , and there is definitely a difference in the distance between the two breaking strains, but I can live with it for where I fish. The spot I have started fishing a lot more doesnt need a big cast at all. The downside is that hookups are within the first 10m which puts them very close to the ledge and you have to put pressure on immediately to pull their head up and stop them going down into the undercut. Doesnt work always though.

The dorado outfit I run with the catalina runs 50lb braid and casts pretty far and is used for the lighter weighted lures.I used a lighter twisted leader with this off 50-60lb depending on the thickness of the mono.This is a sweet rig and casts minnows and the lighter stuff beautifully. The doggie is used for heavier lures and gars. I dont gar spin on the dorado now after being smoked a few times on it cause of not being able to stop them so gars only go on the beefier rig.

I still havent caught a king on the hard body stickbaits  .

Sam - have you seen the new 12 inch sluggos. I might try some of them this summer.

[Sam Beeby]

yeah I agree on the stickbaits. I flogged the water just about every 2nd day in summer with them and only managed a few rats. I think they are just too slow and unconvincing for the bigger smarter kings - I didn't really even get hits, just bumps and boils. Think i'll stick to surface stickbaits worked a little quicker this coming season.  12' sluggoes sound the goods for sure - never used them though. They ARE one lure you can fish slow and static that will pin bigger kings. Those shimano garfish imitation plastics and those long mini eel type ones would work well too I reckon.