| |
 |
| Archives and Online Features
:
Gear Reviews
|
HEARTLAND: Gear Up: Rods, Reels & Line
By Dave Scroppo
2005 Mar (Vol. 7, No. 1) |
| Email this article
Printer friendly page
|
 |
| the-all-arounder |
THE ALL-AROUNDER
Scant weight and serious sensitivity are hallmarks of G.Loomis' slick-tech graphite. And Loomis' versatile IMX MBR782C rod ($230; 800-456-6647; www.gloomis.com) delivers, whether you're bassing with plastic worms or walleye-casting with jigging spoons. And it's even got the brawn for pike. Although the IMX is a step down from Loomis' apex-grade GLX graphite, it's more affordable and far less brittle. Match the rod with Shimano's Curado 200 BSF Super Free reel ($150; 877-577-0600; www.shimano.com), the upper level of the Curado line, which features a floating pinion gear for silky smoothness and a finely tuned centrifugal braking system for minimal backlashes. For hassle-free casting and sufficient impact resistance and fighting strength, load the Curado with 14-pound Stren Magnaflex monofilament ($10, 330 yards; 866-447-8736; www.stren.com).
 |
| muskie |
MUSKIE
When you're hunting muskie and powering out everything from quarter-pound lures to foot-long soft plastics, you're going to be chucking, winding and (best-case scenario) reefing a beast. There's no better stick for this burly work than Shimano's M70H Compre rod ($100; 877-577-0600; www.shimano.com). The 7-footer has the length for distance casting and the range for deeper, wider "figure eights," the up-close maneuver for following fish. Plus, the M70H has the versatility to hurl all manner of hardware. An ideal coupling for the Compre is Shimano's Calcutta 400 TE ($350). With its low 5.0-to-1 gear ratio, the super smooth reel will winch in big baits with ease. Smooth casting and zero stretch are what you get in Teflon-coated, 80-pound-test Spiderwire Stealth ($22, 150 yards; 877-502-7743; www.spiderwire.com).
 |
| salmon, steelhead and carp |
SALMON, STEELHEAD, AND CARP
A nice price and solid performance unite in Redington's Core Performance Series 9-foot 8-weight fly rod ($249; 800-253-2538; www.redington.com). It's got the gumption to deliver nymphs to carp on Great Lakes flats, and to sling streamers to salmon and steelhead on Great Lakes rivers. Pair the rod with an Okuma Integrity 10/11 reel ($80; 800-466-5862; www.okumafishing.com) for its greater line capacity for salmon and steelies, the 8/9 ($80) for carp when you don't need as much line or drag. For salmon, check out Berkley's 20-pound bright-yellow Big Cat ($6, 275 yards; 800-237-5539; www.berkley-fishing.com), a catfish line (yes, you read right). Big Kitty is thick enough to feel like fly line, and it won't cut your hands. Talk to guide Russ Maddin of The Troutsman in Traverse City, Michigan, (800-308-7688; www.troutsman.com) to learn how to rig it up for fly fishing.
 |
| jerkbaiting |
JERKBAITING
Twitch. Pause. Kaboom! We tested dozens of rods, and winnowed the array down to a stick with a flexible tip for twitching and ample heft down low for casting distance and setting hooks: the 7-foot Berkley Lightning Rod Prolite ($60; 800-237-5539; www.berkley-fishing.com). Match it with an Abu Garcia Cardinal 702 ($55; 800-228-4272; www.abu-garcia.com), which features a tapered spool to minimize line flare-ups and a drag with oversized washers to eliminate herky-jerky runs that result in long-distance releases. Fill the Cardinal halfway to two-thirds with monofilament backing, then top with 8-pound Berkley FireLine ($15, 125 yards), which has smooth consistency for long casts and slim, slick makeup for greater diving depth when casting stickbaits.
Last
Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
© Copyright 1999-2006 by Hooked on the Outdoors
|
|
