S U P E r S T i c k S
Rod Reviews by Paul Lebowitz
How does a kayak rod earn its
stripes? It takes more than a shiny
1
label. A kayak-worthy stick stands up
to abuse. Its tip bends deep into a U
for landing fish, far past the typical
2
breaking point. Saltwater models
shrug off corrosion. Most of all, they
fish well sit-down style, with handy
3
shortened butts and the stretch for a
bow reach-around. Let’s see how the
four big-name models stack up. 4
1: American Rodsmiths 2: Lamiglas Kayak Series 3: Okuma Baidarka 4: Quantum Kayak Rods
Kayak Special
$230–240 // www.lamiglas.com
Kayak Rods
$99 // www.quantumfishing.com
$160 // www.americanrodsmiths.com
Legendary Lamiglas performance
$120 // www.okumafishing.com
Going against the grain, Quantum’s
The sticks from Texas-based American and still kayak-fishing tough? Believe Screaming kayak fishing from butt 7’6” kayak rods are built on
rodsmiths have a down-south flavor it. The Tri-Flex construction process, to tip, okuma’s 7’ Baidarka rods are elongated butts, a full 17” long on
that smells like redfish and other a graphite-fiberglass-graphite revolutionary fish sticks. Forget that triggerstick models. They sit higher
Gulf Coast shallow-water delights. composite exclusive to the company, sinking feeling—they float! The and drier in rod holders and cast a
They range from 6.5 to 7’ in length, achieves the nigh-impossible. That’s tradeoff is a ton of foam on the grips. mile, but fishing these stretched-
with shortened butt sections for ease right, a supple and sensitive fast- The kayak connection continues with out sticks is an acquired taste. The
of use in tight spaces and strong, action tip matched with a powerful leash points, stretched-out foregrips components are solid, offering
lightweight high-modulus graphite butt section to tame hard-charging for improved leverage, and just-right tremendous bang for the buck: Fuji
blanks. Cork handles enhance fish. The eight 7’2”and up models butt lengths. overbuilt by non-kayak reel seats and Alconite guides and
sensitivity; blank-thru handle reel (four each casting and spinning) standards, Baidarkas feature durable responsive graphite blanks with
seats come with a nifty hook keeper are high-stick survivors, with lash- graphite composite blanks and flexible tips for the inevitable high-
that doubles as a leash tie-down. Six down tabs, classic cork handles, hardened double-foot Pac Bay guides. sticking. Three each casting and
casting, five spinning models cover swift-swinging butts and actions Five casting, two spinning models spinning models handle everything
light 4 lb string all the way up to 17 lb for practically every fishing niche. span line strengths from 8 to 30 lbs, from 8 lb line to 30.
rope. Precision personified. Premium performance at a like price. kayak fishing’s sweet spot. Float on.
kunZ’s reel gear
kZ’s floaTing gaffs
$35 // www.kzreelrods.com promar Trophy series
when a trophy gamefish is at ‘yak-side, the battle is just
collapsiBle landing neTs
beginning. Give yourself every advantage during the
$25–55 // www.promarnets.com
critical end-game. KZ Gaffs are designed expressly for kayak
Landing nets are mission-critical equipment but often take up
fishing. These beauties boast ergonomic handles, high-
a lot of precious space. Not Promar’s Trophy Series. These cleverly
grade scary-sharp stainless hooks, and durable 27”
designed nets with telescoping handles not only fold in half
e-glass shafts. They float, a huge bonus, ‘cause
T
o
at the yoke, the flexible frames collapse into a tidy stowable package.
they are far too sweet to lose overboard. They E

&

o improved in recent years, the easy-to-deploy nets feature catch-
L L
ooze personality—every one comes with a
k S
and-release-friendly knotless nylon mesh. Sizes range from the
free inscription. —Paul Lebowitz
c
trout-sized 16” x 16” to a halibut-worthy 24” x 24”.—Paul Lebowitz
Pro: Turned-out point really sticks it to fish.
A
Pro: Stows out of the way until needed.
P
h
Con: A Boga is a better release tool. T Con: Larger models require two hands to deploy.
o
T
o:
j
i
m
s
a
m
holdZiT Tool saver
m
o
n
s
$12 // www.holdzit.com
HoldZit Tool Savers can be attached in several
places on your kayak to hold your fishing tools,
Berkley Tec pliers, dykes and file firmly in place so you don’t
pisTol Trigger grip
lose them in a rollover. HoldZits also contain
$50 // www.berkley-fishing.com
oil so that your tools get a fresh coat of oil
Berkley’s TeC series are the only lip grippers on the market that constantly and never rust in the saltwater. i’ve
have single-trigger operation. The 8” pistol grip comes with a belt gone from replacing fishing tools every couple
clip holster and lanyard and is suited to smaller fish, while the 13” of months to having my tools last for a couple
and 28” strait-handled grips handle bigger game. of years.—Jim Sammons
Pro: Solid stainless steel construction. Pocket-sized. Pro: Cleans, lubricates and protects your tools.
Con: Pistol grip is a bit small for big hands and is awkward to lift Con: Attaching to your boat requires some
fish above waist level from a seated position. ingenuity.
3
…
KayaK angler summer/fall 2008
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52