OFF THE SHELF vs CUSTOM

[Enigma]

So it's time for the Europeants to come fish with us on the RSA coastline and this year I have a few more anglers to tend to and needed a few rods.

After long consideration and evaluation I decided on a new rod on the market as I'm to put it simply blown away by the blank and hopefully you're going to read a lot about it in action in the next month.

Simen has been on at me to explain by way of a build and comparisons of what the differences are between a custom and an off the shelf rod.

Well here it goes.

This rod is has a Stunning blank with an oval base and HMG in an extremely thin profile. it is supplied with a 8,9 and 10oz tip. the 8 &9oz tips will stay in the tube as a backup, the 10oz tip casts 8-10oz and is best matched to the rest of the rod.

I took the rod and put it through the worst case scenarios that our RSA anglers subject rods to.

1. I took the rod and stood it up straight and let it drop onto a flat concrete surface and cracked 1 and popped 1 super hard braid proof SIC ring

 

[Enigma]

I know we are not all that rough on tackle but guiding 3 groups over almost 1 month of solid fishing this rod must be bullet proofed. (as is they guides are great but not Bullet Ptoof)

 

[Enigma]

The next is the grab and twist where the guide is used as lever to get purchase on the rod to twist the sections loose, unfortunately these flip down guides feet are of nylon and not ABS and one broke and one pulled out.

Will do the job if you don't use it as a grip or your line/windon doesn't wrap it in a cast

 

[Enigma]

Compared to the ABS foot guide (be warned you'll also break this is you force it in taking sections apart)

 

[Enigma]

On a custom the guides are either Fuji or Pac Bay and are corrosion resistant. The SIC / Alconite rings are pressed in and won't be popping out

If you look at the custom on the right you'll see the blank is sealed off at the foot and there is no room for salt water to get in and deposit salt to corrode the foot of the guide

 

[Enigma]

Here you can see as this is a shark rod an the tip guide is a #16 on the custom and although the off the shelf has #16 guides it has a #12 tip.

 

[Enigma]

The off the shelf has the first ABS and not nylon #24 reel seat I have come across and I think the threat of the reel seat tearing under huge pressure has been eliminated.

I have small hands and will be using this with a Tn 30 and 50 so preferred the Fuji 22 trigger seat so rebuilt the whole butt assembly to my standard build

 

[Enigma]

I prefer a thin grip and a bit longer shrink for wide casting grip for big baits and added protection when resting a rod on the rocks

 

[Enigma]

My completed rod

 

[Enigma]

Although I have kept this rod plain it can be spruced up with a variety of flashes and rod Skinz, inlays, marbling metal winding checks and an assortment of binding colours

 

[Enigma]

Please Note

I am not dissing the off the shelf version. It is functional and greatly affordable and will land a lot of fish.

It's been tweaked and pimped and in so doing upgraded for very specific applications and usage.

It's like a Torium, there's nothing wrong with it off the shelf but it can be tweaked.

 

[Carll]

Thanks Enigma, for sharing very interesting information on custom fishing rods and why do they feel different holding or casting with it and preforms like a F1 Car.Think that most of us dont know why certain fishing rods have a size 22mm reel seat and other rods have a size 24mm reel seat. Be honest I didnt know...lol

 

[Koper]

You just can't compare the two, the most important is the little stuff as he mentioned, build the way you like your rod to be.

 

[adam5016]

What rod is that?

Is it the sensation rugged you were talking about?

 

[Abaddon]

Superb report Craig !!

Now the questions -

1. Cost of unit as is, "off the shelf"
2. Cost of unit once your basic improvements have been made

A tour group is certainly a stern test for any rod, its gunna have to live up to its name..

 

[DL]

Awesome report! Quite keen to see the sensation rugged rods!

 

[200ts]

Very nice Enigma. Just out of curiosity seeing that this rod has an oval base, how does to compare to the classic blade hmg? in terms of casting and pulling etc. and what would a custom rod like the one in this pic cost more or less?

thanks
Amith

 

[kopstamp]

Very nice touches done to the rod craig!

Cant wait to cast them rods when you here!! Gonna be fun!

How does that oval base fit in the hand?

 

[Simen]

Thanks Craig

This is a long awaited post.

I am sure this will clear up a lot of misunderstandings and also provide info for new custom made rod buyers.

 

 

[Enigma]

Well I didn't actually want to name the rod but just show an example.

The rod casts on a shot for shot with my Blade HMG just a hell of a lot thinner.

Pulling a static object is not the same as pulling a fish so I hope to putt it through the ringer and test it against some beasties soon in the EC and SC

I like a slimline rod and this one the way I built it is 15% thicker than the Silver Fox I sent you.

I haven't had a client pic the rod up with a 10oz tied to the tip and immediately want to give it a good whack, the look on their faces and comments about the weight are generally of utter astonishment.

they're only leaving out to the shops this week but would probably be available at around R2400 in tube and with 3 tips.

Sealine's influence is big. got a call from the product manager today. He wants this one and asked a few questions about getting it right next round and eventually offered a compromise of a replacement with a 14' 7-9oz thrown in as well..........