MajorCraft Crostage Hard Rock Game

MajorCraft Crostage Hard Rock Game
CRS-792MH/B 7'9" Line: 10-20lb. PE1.0-2.0 Lure: 10-42gm.

I bought the rod and mothballed it for some time. I just wasn't in the mood yet to be busting my shoulder with a heavier casting rod. I had gotten the rod on gut feel, one look at the build with the nice fuji reelseat and double-footed K guides, EVA split foam grips of adequate length plus it had the kind of action I like, fast but not too fast.

 i figured the rod would load perfect with a 25gram jig or topwater. I already had a reel waiting for it, a Shimano Speedmaster with 7.1:1 gearing.

 So home it went with me. 7'9' is a bit longer than I like for working walk the dog lures but this opinion was forged over decades of using Composite and IM6 modulus rods whose weight limited comfortable length to 6'6"-7 feet. It was time for an eye opener.

    A trip to Puerto Azul with it's nice pier was just what the combo was waiting for and so a few days back, the pair got its time in the sun.

    I first tied on my favorite topwater the Pop Tiger II. After a few cautious casts to warm up the centrifugal weights I let fly. I expected to feel the weight of the rod pull my wrist lower on the back swing but there was none of that, only the pull of the lure as it loaded the rod. As I accelerated forward I could feel the smooth transition of the lure from its rearward vector to front (with an overly stiff and fast rod you'd have to either increase the casting force/velocity or projectile weight /mass to load the rod properly)
. Upon release, the lure went on a flat altitude gaining trajectory to its zenith before losing momentum and falling...way farther than I expected with the force I applied on the cast. I started to work the lure back walk the dog fashion. Surprisingly, there was no top heavy feel and the tip, although built with a little flex for casting, had the exact stiffness to give the right action. Too much play at the tip will kill the walk, too little and the lure becomes jumpy.  A couple more casts with that topwater and I knew the rod like my right hand (good rods are like that). Now I switched to a heavier pencil plug at about 35-40grams. expecting to feel a bit of overloading but still the rod performed flawlessly with little effort, obviously this rod had a pretty wide sweet spot range when it comes to lure weight.

    I shifted to my 22 gram casting jigs and this was where the rod really turned on. It threw the jig way over to the opposite side of the estuary...the splash of the jig was barely noticeable in the distance. This was with mild casting effort on my part. I could use this rig all day and then some. Now came the real test, I set the drag heavy and after less than an hour, landed four good sized fish that gave the rod a workout. The rod responded fast on the hookset without the hesitation some poorly tapered rods have and absorbed the shock from runs and jumps without any torquing felt.

   Overall, the rod rates a 9/10 with me. I haven't found anything yet to complain about.

Notes:
    I like the reelseat with the locking hood not integrated with the foregrip. I hate the newfangled locking foregrips that come on many rods.
    The K guides perform flawlessly and as advertised. I'd love them on every rod I use.
    The rod's design favors low profile reels. If using a round reel, make sure it's one that sits low on the rod.
     Price is very fair for the quality, components and action of the rod.
    The Spigot ferrule is well made. It locks solid with slight pressure with absolutely no play.

I've yet to test the rod with some real bruisers but as with all reviews I'm making, there will be constant updates for the life of the tackle.

You just flick the rod and your lure goes ballistic.

Sandugo Watershoes

Trekking to remote haruan spots, doing a balancing act on rough ripraps, seawalls and wading through mud,sand and coral requires a special kind of footwear. It used to be all Teva, Columbia, Merrel etc. for me- a costly but essential expense for my pursuits. Years ago the local company Sandugo came out with their own line of watershoes and I was one of the first to grab a pair...it's been five or six pairs since and I've never had the urge to purchase anything else. The shoes give me the protection,traction and water drainage I require and expect from technical shoes yet cost only a third of what you'd pay for other brands. Durability is also 9/10 in comparison. The adhesives premium brands use still have an edge over the Sandugos but a tube of superglue helps keep pace.

    I have three pairs now, two for everyday concrete pounding while the third gets to do all the fun stuff. When it expires, one of the two takes its place and I get a new pair.  These shoes have passed my tests with flying colors. I wade mud, sand and salt. cross reefs, hike trails and do mountain goat acts on ripraps. I'm still around so I guess these shoes do a good job.

Caring for watershoes: Whatever brand or model regardless of whatever biocide the manufacturer claims their shoes carry, you have to wash them after a dunking especially in salt. Mild soap and a scrubbing will  clean them out. Then most importantly, dry them immediately not in direct sun but in the shade and if your wife permits, the back of the ref is one of the best places.  

Drifter

The Drifter SR1838-604H

Open Length:1.80 meters. Closed: .50 meters

 Line: 8-16lbs. Lure Weight: 8-20grams

    Finally a pack rod is available for all those who need a compact set that can travel in their carry on luggage, car trunk or motorcycle backpack. Telescopic rods have always been available but their weight, durability and action have always left a lot to be desired.

    The Drifter is built well. The handles are foam with aluminum trim on each end giving it a classy look. The reel seat is a screw down type, not one of the cheap and undesirable locking foregrips. Guides are silver Aluminum Oxide with single foot frames in 5+1 configuration.
   As with any multipiece rod, the crucial component is always the ferrule joint. The design of this component dictates the action, durability and weight of the rod. This rod used spigot ferrules which are the best for any joint. This type of joint is generally found in more expensive rods as their construction is time consuming requiring more fitting and wraps. The end result though is a light dependable rod with seamless action. The Drifter once set up looks, feels and casts like a one piece rod. You're liable to forget that it's a multipiece.
      As with any pack rod, care must be taken when setting up. The way I join the sections is I connect the first two upper pieces first and then the two lower pieces ending up with 2 sections which I join together. Always rub candle wax on the ferrules to provide lubrication and a firm fit. When fitting together spigot ferrules, the ends of the blank pieces do not meet, some of the male ferrule will be exposed. This is integral to the design do not sand the ferrule. At least 2 inches of male ferrule should enter the female portion and fit should be a gradual tightening not a sudden fit remember friction is the retaining factor of the attachment so a proper taper is necessary.

    Using this type of rod requires care. Although the rod feels strong it's not designed to tow big haruan out of the weeds or lift platter sized tilapia out of the water. take advantage of the rod's accurate casting and fast action hookset but baby it during the fight.

   The quality and uniqueness of the rod qualified it for a little playtime. I matched it to a Shakespeare Deciever 10 bearing reel loaded with 10lb. braid.
    The little combo's a match made in heaven. Pack rods tend to be top heavy but this one balanced out, this means accurate casts and all day comfort.

The Ugly Stick Tiger Lite Jigging Rod (Spin)

BWSJL 220066 6'6" Braided Line:50-100lb. Lure Wt. 4-7oz. (112-200g)
     This rod comes with a name and a heritage it has to live up to. The rod comes with the right stuff for the job. Double wrapped Fuji guides and reelseat, shaped EVA grips and an Aluminum gimbal butt all built on the powerful UglyStick blank.

      Esthetically this rod is pleasing. The grip's proportioning is still in the standard boat rod's 37cm. rear, 20cm. front-comfortable proportions for multipurpose use. The gimbal is covered with a foam cap which although doesn't last the life of the rod, is great protection when pumping without a fighting belt.
     The honey colored blank with red/black/gold trim is the Levi's jeans of the angling world...Never Goes Out Of Style.  6'6" is a sweet length. It allows you to go toe to toe with big fish pumping them up from the depths with short strokes yet has the length needed to clear the banka's keel when a fish decides to go six across. The length and flexible tip also protects the line from shock against fish that love doing aerobatics. The rod coat is a litttle bumpy though but  this is insignificant to us who wish to do nothing but fish.
    Guides are Fuji, which says a lot as to the quality and dedication of the builders. The stripper guide is the right size for a 4000-8000 size reel. Proper spacings for the blank's action end up with a 7+1 configuration. the big tip allows wind on mono leaders to pass freely.

    For the test, I've matched the rod to an upgraded Team Daiwa Advantage 4000 spinning reel loaded with PE4 Varivas braid.

The combo will go through some popper and jig casting, trolling with plugs and some botttomfishing/jigging.