Harris currently have a decent deal on the Fox Predator Ultra Light Jig Rod which is suposedly designed to cast 7 - 15g.
My problem is that I've never seen the rod and these sort of guidelines are often wildly inaccurate.
Can anyone confirm that this rod is indeed able to punch out (as opposed to strain and lob) lures upto about 15g and have a reasonable abount of fish playing backbone ?
Failing that, can anyone recomend a reasonably priced light lure rod for chucking spinners and small plug for chub on a reasonably powerful river?
The rod is actually for my father who I kinda hooked on chucking bits of metal and plastic two seasons ago and who is definatly struggling to handle his rather heavy eight foot Shakespeare (that he insisted on buying despite my advice) with arthritic wrists.

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Have never used one but have waggled one appreciably in the tackle shop. Yes, if I wasn't already suitably equipped I could be tempted. I would guess that it will do what you wish of it.

[ 15. May 2005, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

Tell him about the Samurai S spinning rod Peter its my favourite rod, I have the 3-15g 8 footer, i'd love to take it abroad with me next week but it just dont fit in my case.

Here's what one bloke thought of his..
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Daiwa Samurai-s

I use a 2.13 mtr (7') C.W 3-15g model number: SA-S702LS for my Ultralite fishing. I have had Trout to 8lbs and Pike also to 8lbs on it and landed them
I have teamed this up with a Shimano Sedona 500FA, with 12 lb Sabre braid and 7 strand Fox 20 lb traces and snaps & swivels are micro QED ones.
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Most of the Fox offerings are a little coarse for their stated range so I'd expect this one to be happier at 15 grams than 7 grams.

This will do the job nicely and handle the 7gm lure with ease.

You will need to replace the line the reel is pre-spooled with though. I like a 10lb powerpro line with this gear.

Despite the short rod, this is not a joke but is a great rig for fishing light lures and will be easy on his hands/wrists.

Maybe bear in mind when thinking of very short and lightweight lure rods - they may be great from a boat, or from a nice clear and weed-free lake, but they can be a total b*stard when it comes to hauling even a small pike or decent perch or chub through several feet of marginal lillies to your landing-net. In fact it can be damn near impossible and you might be seriously restricted in the swims you can fish with a 5' rod.
Think of the waters you're going to fish and choose appropriately ...

GlennB (anyone) - interesting point about problems with short rods for shore work. Could you explain? Serious question since I really can't figure out how a 5ft rod would be a problem in places where an 8 or 10 or 12 ft rod would work well.

I'm from the land of short rods and am so accustomed to thinking in terms of 6ft being a normal, 'full length' rod that 5ft is only incrementally shorter. I can understand you wouldn't get the casting distance and that you would probably lose some of the shock absorbtion you get with the long slow action rods - hence my suggestion of 10lb powerpro.

Like Casey I'm a big fan of my Daiwa Samurai-S. Here's a good site for tackle reviews etc.

I'm with Glenn here. There are 2 main problems with short rods from the bank. The first is casting distance, which may or may not be a factor depending on the water. It almost certainly will be on anything but small streams or ponds of under a couple of acres or so. The long rod will, all other things being equal, cast further. If you're struggling for distance I find the long rod is actually less tiring to use as you needn't put so much force into the cast.

The second problem is marginal vegetation. It often pays to fish along the margins, and if the vegetation is wide you simply may not be able to do so with a short rod. A longer rod also enables you to stand further back from the bank and so spook less fish.

Whichever side of the Atlantic they are, it's significant that those on the Forum who advocate short rods do all or nearly all of their lure fishing from boats. Many of us who predominantly bank fish prefer longer rods.

In other words it's horses for courses. Short rods do have advantages, but for bank fishing I find they're usually outweighed by their disadvantages.

[ 16. May 2005, 08:57 AM: Message edited by: Steve Burke ]

Boats and banks, this has been discussed before! Big lakes, yes, I concede to Steve's opinion. But what has to be remembered is the windage of a longer rod, the greater momentum required to cast it, and, in this instance, the ability of Ken's father. On a river, where a thirty yard cast is probably long enough, I'd still plump for a 7 to 8 foot rod. Yes, the Samurai is superb. The Drennan Spinflex is also worth looking at.