Advice Wanted On Long Rod For Clean-ish Ground

[Kieran Hanrahan]

Hi

 

Looking at a new rod for clean-ish ground, using 12 lb braid to really get out there or save the back. Seen reviews for the K2 LDC (massively longer than what I am used to) and the Greys Triplex 16 footer, but wondering what other otpions are out there in the 14 foot + class and what people think. My problem is that a long cast can find just about anything from a wee gurnard to a large thornback!

 

Thanks

[rockerchris]

My dads got the triplex seems likes a really nice rod fantastic bit detection, its managed a double of dogs before so im guessing it could move a thornie. Ive heard mixed reports about the k2's some love em others hate them im guessing its all about personal preference. The triplex isnt tippy like the k2s more like a 13ft rod just longer if that helps!!

[Ken Davison South Wales]

The triplex isnt tippy like the k2s

 

My K2 blue metal extreme is far from tippy it has a good through action and cast a 6oz lead like a toy.

 

Long rods take a bit of getting used to and I have yet to catch a decent fish on mine but I am confident it will handle a good fish.

[Norm B]

Hi

 

Looking at a new rod for clean-ish ground, using 12 lb braid to really get out there or save the back. Seen reviews for the K2 LDC (massively longer than what I am used to) and the Greys Triplex 16 footer, but wondering what other otpions are out there in the 14 foot + class and what people think. My problem is that a long cast can find just about anything from a wee gurnard to a large thornback!

 

Thanks

The K2 comes in different lengths, from about 13ft to 16.5 ft, I like mine, easy to cast OTG or OHT.

[nemofish2000]

A friend of mine recently brought round a greys platinum 14' for me to have a look at. The tip section is the lightest i think i have ever felt and when put together it feels very nice and well balanced, all i'm waiting for now is to have a couple of cast with it and if it come's up to scratch i am going to plead with the better half and hopefully get one in the new year.

[spanner]

I've a similar query for anybody who has experience with any of these long rods.....

 

I'm looking to get a beefier long rod rather than the usual light line euro style. I do plan to use it on fairly clean beaches where I need to fish at distance and for this I prefer to use braid for its bite detection. I am not much of a power caster, more of an aerialised ground cast or overhead thump. Most of the marks I'll fish only need 5oz as a max so most of these rods will do that perfectly.

 

I also fish rougher beaches in winter, where distance is not so important as the ability to hold the bottom with a big surf running, sometimes a strong lateral tide run, and quite often a fair bit of weed. 6oz grips are std and I often go to 7oz or 8oz. Currently I use a 14ft Greys Apollo which really only has 1 problem and that is the length.... make that 2 problems length and weight! I often end up with the grip lead getting tripped because of the surf break pulling on debris that is caught on the line, rather than not enough lead. The key is to hold the rod high and keep the line up above the surf, and sometimes 14ft is not enough, and its heavy holding it.....

 

I'm hoping that the extra length of 16ft plus rod will mean I can get away with no more than 6oz of lead .... and a cod bait ...... and of course I might need 7oz.....and although I do not plan on dragging cod through kelp with it, hopefully I will be dragging BIG cod though a heavy surf

 

Am I asking too much of such a rod? Do the K2's have enough beef for this? Or the Century CM SRE? Or the new Zippy?

 

Alternatively I could just take a step ladder to the beach

Edited December 23, 2005 by spanner

[Spur-Hound]

Im going to give abit of a report on how i see it. Ive been using a K2, 15 foot for the last 5 months or so, many thanks to Sea Angling News fish of the month and Shakespear for starters!

 

Like alot of people before bying, or even trying on of these new continental 'wobble sticks' as i thaught of them, i was extremely sceptical. There was no need to get used to it though, loved it from the first cast! I started with 15lb line and it flew. I did feel that 6oz was perhaps slightly heavy, but 4/5 oz was a breeze, and infact an absolute pleasure to fish with. Despite the thaughts about legnth before usng one, its really not a hinderance, and is infact more of a plus.

 

Hardly need to try, just overhead thump and away it goes. Technuiqe goes out the window, as its simply not reqired. Only one thing you need to be on-top of is knowing the perfect time to release the line.

 

As i say, i was impressed! I decided to go totally contenental, and see just how much i could push the issue and get away with it in our waters. On clean ground, i now use 8lb mainline with my K2, and yo ucan imagine how much that flies!!! I use two rod legnths of 15lb line, then onto a normal legnth of 40lb line as a rubbing leader.

 

There is no way to describe it! Ive not yet caught anything big, but the shock absorbtion in the rod means that the light line simple wont break when bringing in a fish. To test the theory i went macky bashing in summer. Had several strings of 5 mackeral, and a few good ones thrown in and thus far no snap offs. This has got to be the ultimate for match angling at exteme range over clean ground for lots of fish. Bite detection etc.

 

The one thing about the K2, it will not handle rough ground, and will fold over (and cause extreme pain!!!) when snagged up.

 

Highly recommended, but like anything its horses for courses

[Norm B]

I've a similar query for anybody who has experience with any of these long rods.....

 

I'm looking to get a beefier long rod rather than the usual light line euro style. I do plan to use it on fairly clean beaches where I need to fish at distance and for this I prefer to use braid for its bite detection. I am not much of a power caster, more of an aerialised ground cast or overhead thump. Most of the marks I'll fish only need 5oz as a max so most of these rods will do that perfectly.

 

I also fish rougher beaches in winter, where distance is not so important as the ability to hold the bottom with a big surf running, sometimes a strong lateral tide run, and quite often a fair bit of weed. 6oz grips are std and I often go to 7oz or 8oz. Currently I use a 14ft Greys Apollo which really only has 1 problem and that is the length.... make that 2 problems length and weight! I often end up with the grip lead getting tripped because of the surf break pulling on debris that is caught on the line, rather than not enough lead. The key is to hold the rod high and keep the line up above the surf, and sometimes 14ft is not enough, and its heavy holding it.....

 

I'm hoping that the extra length of 16ft plus rod will mean I can get away with no more than 6oz of lead .... and a cod bait ...... and of course I might need 7oz.....and although I do not plan on dragging cod through kelp with it, hopefully I will be dragging BIG cod though a heavy surf

Am I asking too much of such a rod? Do the K2's have enough beef for this? Or the Century CM SRE? Or the new Zippy?

 

Alternatively I could just take a step ladder to the beach

The K2 will certainly do all that and more, plus they do a F/S and Multi version, up to 5 mtrs, 16.5 ft, the new Extreme Elite is only available in F/S at the moment.

 

Im going to give abit of a report on how i see it. Ive been using a K2, 15 foot for the last 5 months or so, many thanks to Sea Angling News fish of the month and Shakespear for starters!

 

Like alot of people before bying, or even trying on of these new continental 'wobble sticks' as i thaught of them, i was extremely sceptical. There was no need to get used to it though, loved it from the first cast! I started with 15lb line and it flew. I did feel that 6oz was perhaps slightly heavy, but 4/5 oz was a breeze, and infact an absolute pleasure to fish with. Despite the thaughts about legnth before usng one, its really not a hinderance, and is infact more of a plus.

 

Hardly need to try, just overhead thump and away it goes. Technuiqe goes out the window, as its simply not reqired. Only one thing you need to be on-top of is knowing the perfect time to release the line.

 

As i say, i was impressed! I decided to go totally contenental, and see just how much i could push the issue and get away with it in our waters. On clean ground, i now use 8lb mainline with my K2, and yo ucan imagine how much that flies!!! I use two rod legnths of 15lb line, then onto a normal legnth of 40lb line as a rubbing leader.

 

There is no way to describe it! Ive not yet caught anything big, but the shock absorbtion in the rod means that the light line simple wont break when bringing in a fish. To test the theory i went macky bashing in summer. Had several strings of 5 mackeral, and a few good ones thrown in and thus far no snap offs. This has got to be the ultimate for match angling at exteme range over clean ground for lots of fish. Bite detection etc.

 

The one thing about the K2, it will not handle rough ground, and will fold over (and cause extreme pain!!!) when snagged up.

 

Highly recommended, but like anything its horses for courses

Glad you like it Shaun, I like mine.

[spanner]

Does anybody know which is the beefiest of the K2's 'cos there is quite a bit of difference beyween them isn't there?

 

I think its Blue Metal at the soft end but what about the stiff end (ooh er....) I guess Elite Xtreme as its the most expensive , but its rated 6oz where the Extreme Titanium is rated 4-8oz, and then there is the Extreme LDC?

 

Has anybody tried the 18ft versions? Are they just as stong as the 16ft or a bit more bendy? How heavy are they compared to a 14ft GreysApollo?

 

 

 

Hmmm....... just thought about it a bit more..... clean ground I want to use fixed spool with braid...but in the big surf I'll probably end up using heavy mono on a mutiplier..... and the K2's are one or the other so that kind of rules them out unless I stick with the fixed spool in a big sea and I'm not keen on that.

 

The Century CM SRE on the other hand is rung for use by either..... so that might be the one if its beefy enough.....guess I need to phone Mr.Chilcott and see what he says............

Edited December 24, 2005 by spanner

[Norm B]

Does anybody know which is the beefiest of the K2's 'cos there is quite a bit of difference beyween them isn't there?

 

I think its Blue Metal at the soft end but what about the stiff end (ooh er....) I guess Elite Xtreme as its the most expensive , but its rated 6oz where the Extreme Titanium is rated 4-8oz, and then there is the Extreme LDC?

 

Has anybody tried the 18ft versions? Are they just as stong as the 16ft or a bit more bendy? How heavy are they compared to a 14ft GreysApollo?

Hmmm....... just thought about it a bit more..... clean ground I want to use fixed spool with braid...but in the big surf I'll probably end up using heavy mono on a mutiplier..... and the K2's are one or the other so that kind of rules them out unless I stick with the fixed spool in a big sea and I'm not keen on that.

 

The Century CM SRE on the other hand is rung for use by either..... so that might be the one if its beefy enough.....guess I need to phone Mr.Chilcott and see what he says............

Please give Simon my regards.