Better than the average travel rod?

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Hogsticker2
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Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:35 pm

I've owned 2 piece rods from Major Craft, Abu, Olympic, Jackson, and Tailwalk. All around the same price, all blanks pretty similar - nothing to get too excited about. Recently sold my 2 piece Poison Adrena. Best travel rod I've owned by a good margin, but the full monocoque handle needed to be more tactile imo.
I'm currently looking at Bone Voyage, as I've read they fish like a one piece. Just discovered Jabbers, but it seems similar to something from Major Craft? Does anyone own the Urban Beat model?
So in a nutshell, I'm asking what travel rods people have found to be better than the typical JDM stuff. I'm after a really good blank. It can be a 2 or 4 piece, and I don't want to spend a fortune (No World Shaula). Preferably somewhat easy to source. I'm also eyeballing the 2 piece stuff from the new Daiwa Black Label line. I know some of you guys have found some cool stuff, so lay it on me 😎.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Cal » Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:47 pm

Check out these guys from our ICAST coverage:

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Or... as I keep trying to tell people, a high end, domestic travel rod:

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Cal, Managing Editor
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:20 pm

That Legit 6'8 medium - medium fast is definitely something I'll look into. St Croix is more than I want to spend, plus I've always felt that their blanks performance doesn't equate to the asking price. Thanks Cal

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by vishus » Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:32 pm

How about a TRIZA?

easy to source from the HOOKUP TACKLE

https://www.thehookuptackle.com/fishing ... sting+Rods

I have the Sparna and the Stympalides and both fish like one piece rods.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:30 pm

vishus wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:32 pm
How about a TRIZA?

easy to source from the HOOKUP TACKLE

https://www.thehookuptackle.com/fishing ... sting+Rods

I have the Sparna and the Stympalides and both fish like one piece rods.
Forgot about those. Beautiful sticks. That F3 is right up my alley 👌

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:36 pm

vishus wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:32 pm
How about a TRIZA?

easy to source from the HOOKUP TACKLE

https://www.thehookuptackle.com/fishing ... sting+Rods

I have the Sparna and the Stympalides and both fish like one piece rods.
Seriously have to buy the travel bag separately for another 80 bucks!? That's a freaking joke 😕

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Bass Junkie » Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:50 pm

I grabbed a Megabass Levante F5-611LV travel rod from that auction site after a positive review from a member on here and really enjoy it, although it may not be anything any more special than the other rods you’ve already had experience with. My only other experience with multi piece travel rods is a Daiwa Ardito 7’ MH casting rod, and the Megabass does a much better job than that rod ever did.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 11:17 pm

Bass Junkie wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:50 pm
I grabbed a Megabass Levante F5-611LV travel rod from that auction site after a positive review from a member on here and really enjoy it, although it may not be anything any more special than the other rods you’ve already had experience with. My only other experience with multi piece travel rods is a Daiwa Ardito 7’ MH casting rod, and the Megabass does a much better job than that rod ever did.
Better in terms of versatility and taper? Noticeably more sensitive?

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Bass Junkie » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:24 am

Both. The Levante is definitely built as a fast/extra fast action, but it still loads throughout the blank and in a pinch I’ve thrown a Pop-X on it and gotten decent distance. By comparison the Ardito was an absolute tree trunk, despite having the same basic specs.

The Levante has handled a very wide range of stuff, from smaller swim jigs to the full sized Buzzket and 6” Magdraft, and got it all done effectively, whereas the Ardito struggled to throw anything under ~7/16 consistently, and going much lower lost a lot of accuracy.

I also felt like I was guessing a lot with the Ardito as far as what was going on with my lure, and I saw an increase in the amount of bites I noticed due to my line moving side to side when fishing bottom contact. I wrote this off to the shortcomings of a mid tier at best travel rod, but the Megabass has been much better in this capacity. It’s not as sensitive as my Orochi Tour Versatile, but leaves you with no doubt as to what you’re dragging a jig over, or whether that tick was a limb or a bite.

I’d say the only advantage the Ardito presented was the travel tube it came in, and the slightly lower cost of acquisition. I’ve been using a cut off piece of PVC pipe mad slightly longer than the sections of the rod to hold the sleeve the Megabass comes rolled up in, and it’s survived a flight and trunk duty for the last six months.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by vishus » Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:58 am

Hogsticker2 wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:36 pm
Seriously have to buy the travel bag separately for another 80 bucks!? That's a freaking joke 😕
the rods themselves come in a nice soft "plaid" bag. the travel bag is pricey, though you can stick a couple rods and reels and a small tackle box in there. I often bring one reel, with two spools, a BFS spool for the F2 and a standard spool for the F5. The Stympalides is great for a travel jig rod. Light and Sensitive, almost as nice as the Daemos, not quite a FMJ.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by mthao105 » Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:29 am

+1 on the Levante. Awesome travel rod for the money. Another plus for me is that it's 4 pieces instead of the usual 2-3 piece. A lot easier for me to stash in confined spaces.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by Hogsticker2 » Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:30 pm

vishus wrote:
Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:58 am
Hogsticker2 wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:36 pm
Seriously have to buy the travel bag separately for another 80 bucks!? That's a freaking joke 😕
the rods themselves come in a nice soft "plaid" bag. the travel bag is pricey, though you can stick a couple rods and reels and a small tackle box in there. I often bring one reel, with two spools, a BFS spool for the F2 and a standard spool for the F5. The Stympalides is great for a travel jig rod. Light and Sensitive, almost as nice as the Daemos, not quite a FMJ.
I didn't realize that the rod already came with a bag.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by freelancer27 » Wed Jul 22, 2020 12:41 pm

I have two of the Daiwa BBB. One casting one spinning, that are always with me in the car. The fact that you can fully collapse them, make them SO much more practical in my opinion. You can put them in the luggage with the reel attached, add them on the side of your hiking backpack and just store them in general very easily.

They are beautifully made, balance well and look pretty good. Also the performance is nice. The sensitivity is pretty good and competes with something like a Dobyns Sierra.

The power of the Daiwa B.B.B Baitcasting 666TMLRB (casting version) is a medium light and it is fine for any kind of small tackle tasks (on up to 15 pound test), but I would not throw a frog on it or do any kind of heavy application technique.

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by vishus » Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:52 am

Hogsticker2 wrote:
Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:30 pm
vishus wrote:
Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:58 am
Hogsticker2 wrote:
Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:36 pm
Seriously have to buy the travel bag separately for another 80 bucks!? That's a freaking joke 😕
the rods themselves come in a nice soft "plaid" bag. the travel bag is pricey, though you can stick a couple rods and reels and a small tackle box in there. I often bring one reel, with two spools, a BFS spool for the F2 and a standard spool for the F5. The Stympalides is great for a travel jig rod. Light and Sensitive, almost as nice as the Daemos, not quite a FMJ.
I didn't realize that the rod already came with a bag.

the hard bag is nice for actual "travel". the plaid rod sock is perfect for under the rear seat in the truck and to put in a backpack.
travel bag.jpg
travel bag.jpg (55.22 KiB) Viewed 8925 times
triza_rod_d01-3.jpg
triza_rod_d01-3.jpg (24.45 KiB) Viewed 8925 times

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Re: Better than the average travel rod?

Post by evilcatfish » Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:07 am

Glad this came up, as I've been telling myself I could use a travel rod for non-fishing trips. Both the Triza Thunderbird and the Legit Design rods have my attention....

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