Newer Rod Brands.

[goose]

My beach caster rods history is very limited ie original zziplex 2500m which I never understood the hype and moved on to zf250 which I used for over two decades along with daiwa morphs. Anyway it occurred to me that I have only used UK manufacturers including more recently century T900's so now looking around the popular new sellers appear to be eliminator series, tip tornado,fire blade, M4GT'S and evo's. How do newer brands like zulcron range, akios CBR or gtr compare to these older more established brands.

 

[Trampster]

Never had any of the "older more established brands" like Zziplex, Conoflex, Century or Daiwa - they were always out of my budget and didn't see the need to spend hundreds of pounds on a rod, when one for EG £50 would do a good enough job for me. The fish don't know what rod you are using, and as others have said many times, decent bait, good rigs and sharp hooks are far more important.

Love my Grauvell Vertix Continental rods but no good raving about them - Grauvell went bust a couple of years ago.
Also picked up a nice Heron (I hadn't heard of them before) dual purpose rod for £15 - it can be configured as a 6ft boat rod or 9ft pier rod.
Also love my Abu Garcia lure rod, and the Blackrock light lure rod I acquired last year, though I hadn't had chance to get out with that one yet.

 

[philthefish]

I normally use hi end rods zips or century but have just bought a tronixpro blackout comp must say build quality up there with the above yet to use it just waiting for next month to give it it's maiden outing

 

[Mushty]

I also still have an original zziplex 2500m that was for my 18th birthday! I then bought an original Century Formula Tip Tornado Match which I still use as a surf rod, still going strong 30yrs on!
3 years ago I bought a pair of Akios Air Powers…oh brother…first time out I shattered one, it was replaced and I shattered the other one! I was then given the Air Power Surfs and these I still use on rough weather days where 6oz is required. The bite detection is great and the casting is awesome! But I then bought a pair of T-800’s and since then a pair of Profile GT’s so I guess I still prefer the higher end rods.

 

[Kine262]

I've bought so many different rods over the years that I've lost track. I usually go for mid to high end but I have tried budget rods, usually with bad results, although I must say that the more modern budget brands are far, far better than they used to be. Gone are the days when rings used to pop out of their cradles due to poor welding, top sections flying out on casting due to poor ferrule fit or rods exploding on first cast. (This last one can actually happen with any brand occasionally but it used to be almost every time with cheap rods)
I have been surprised at how the gap between top end and lower end has closed over the last few years. It's still there but not enough to stop me recommending a cheaper rod for someone on a tight budget.

 

[goose]

I've bought so many different rods over the years that I've lost track. I usually go for mid to high end but I have tried budget rods, usually with bad results, although I must say that the more modern budget brands are far, far better than they used to be. Gone are the days when rings used to pop out of their cradles due to poor welding, top sections flying out on casting due to poor ferrule fit or rods exploding on first cast. (This last one can actually happen with any brand occasionally but it used to be almost every time with cheap rods)
I have been surprised at how the gap between top end and lower end has closed over the last few years. It's still there but not enough to stop me recommending a cheaper rod for someone on a tight budget.

I'd noticed how good some of the cheaper course rods were compared to the high end stuff, certainly the actions are as good and often it's just lower end fittings on the cheaper stuff. This is what started me looking at some of the newer beach rod brands on line and reading reviews but I haven't seen the opens that took my interest in stock anywhere I've been but will keep looking whenever I visit shops for bait and end tackle.

 

[Beach]

I started off with an Abu 464 beach caster and caught certainly more fish in those days, also had an Abu Zoom with a speed handle it casts around 2oz and around 9ft long. It was great for mackerel bashing from the shore or up tiding or trolling with a redgill etc. Now use either 3 or 4 section 3 to 5oz either 11or 12ft which suits me ok with a shakey rod rest off the beach. I have a couple of sand spikes which are in the shed somewhere.
I still use Mono line and a multiplier reel, except when spinning, again with mono line and a fs reel. Works for me along the Sussex coast and tidal rivers.

 

[J Richards]

I started with the Leeda icon mk1, what a rod for the money. I have the powers & ultra powers, both amazing.
I now use the Century kompressor ss, you can tell the class difference. I guess you get what you pay for, but there are some gems in the lower class bracket, just need to find them. I wouldnt sell my Leeda’s as they are amazing and very hard to find now, so a good back up rod

 

[goose]

I started with the Leeda icon mk1, what a rod for the money. I have the powers & ultra powers, both amazing.
I now use the Century kompressor ss, you can tell the class difference. I guess you get what you pay for, but there are some gems in the lower class bracket, just need to find them. I wouldnt sell my Leeda’s as they are amazing and very hard to find now, so a good back up rod

Now that's another one that's been around for some time in the century range ,the compressor SS , not a rod I had ever seen down on the south coast but saw one for the first time only last week in a tackle shop in Devon and was surprised at how slim it is and it felt fairly lite. A Google search for reviews only threw up a few conflicting bits of info with some saying it's strictly a very rough ground rod and a beast to cast while others said it's easy to cast and a good all-rounder.

 

[J Richards]

Now that's another one that's been around for some time in the century range ,the compressor SS , not a rod I had ever seen down on the south coast but saw one for the first time only last week in a tackle shop in Devon and was surprised at how slim it is and it felt fairly lite. A Google search for reviews only threw up a few conflicting bits of info with some saying it's strictly a very rough ground rod and a beast to cast while others said it's easy to cast and a good all-rounder.

Its not what i would call an all-rounder. Its fairly heavy compared to alot of rods. Its a beast, proper rough grounder, but i use it for all my fishing, i don’t target smaller fish usually. I go for rays & eels, the bite indication is sum what difficult as its such a beast. But i love it and wouldn’t change.
If you are targetting flatties and smaller stuff it wouldn’t be the rod i pick for sure.

 

[Topwater]

There have been quite a few incarnations of the Kompressors from the out and out poker WR designed for tournament casting with input from Big Danny Moescops down to the Super Sport, Sport, Match, Light and the one Ive kept, the Special Edition Light blanks made for Tackle and Bait in Blackpool, built up in the shop by Chris Webb, designed for the clean beach fishing of the Fylde coast.

 

[J Richards]

There have been quite a few incarnations of the Kompressors from the out and out poker WR designed for tournament casting with input from Big Danny Moescops down to the Super Sport, Sport, Match, Light and the one Ive kept, the Special Edition Light blanks made for Tackle and Bait in Blackpool, built up in the shop by Chris Webb, designed for the clean beach fishing of the Fylde coast.

Sounds like an interesting rod mate. I’ve tried a few different Century rods but did’nt like casting actions of them in casting. The SS suits my casting style (i’m no big caster) for some reason, but when my timing/footing is wrong i know about big time. Its very unforgiving.

 

[Topwater]

Horses for courses JRichards The SS was a stiffer fishing rod than I needed as I rarely fish heavy ground. It did me well on the field but didn't suit me quite as well as my field Zzippies. The SE Light is an entirely different tool, much more forgiving, designed for 5 / 6oz leads with a moderated or 'fishing' pendulum cast. One thing about all Kompressors is they have carbon tips with the lighter Match, Light and SE Light having lower modulus (more flexible) carbon composites that are blended in.

These days almost everyone seems to be using braid and FS reels?

 

[goose]

Interesting stuff re kompressors , I'll never go fixed spool and braid for beach casting although I do use it salt water lure fishing but still switch back to mono in fresh water. Located a shop that has a few zulcrons in stock but a three and a half hour drive away , may go and have a look this week purely out of interest as I've heard lots as bout the brand but not seen any.

 

[Topwater]

I've also heard great things about Zulcron (formerly Rhino rods). Jay Lee is an excellent caster and I'm sure he's done his very best on getting the blanks right.

 

[Cwab]

My beach caster rods history is very limited ie original zziplex 2500m which I never understood the hype and moved on to zf250 which I used for over two decades along with daiwa morphs. Anyway it occurred to me that I have only used UK manufacturers including more recently century T900's so now looking around the popular new sellers appear to be eliminator series, tip tornado,fire blade, M4GT'S and evo's. How do newer brands like zulcron range, akios CBR or gtr compare to these older more established brands.

Folks speak highly of the zulcron range for fishing on north east coast and affordable rods which do the job, which was always the aim and guess been the buzz brand for a while. Would think it all depends on uses and personal tastes of the individual paired with what you’re used to and expectations of a rod coupled with price, pays money takes pick.
Could buy a zulcron blank and still spend £££ on a high end build or just buy blank and tape rings on with shrink tube if going to bash and crash on rock edges, and not have the guilt.

 

[J Richards]

A mate of mine uses the Zulcrons, he did 306 yards on a field with one so absolute beasts. The tip is lovely for the beach as well

 

[Angrybear]

I've got 3 Kompressors all date 2002-2005, 1 sport & 2 lite (although 1 of the lite tips looks as thick as the sport ?) a mate in the RAF had a Supersport but I just couldn't control the cast with it, too stiff.
Also still use a couple of Daiwa Moonrakers from 98/99 (X & Z) which were high end at the time & still chuck a long line, but they're "tippy" compared to the Kompressors.

No idea on any of the 'modern' brands, I've looked at a few in shops, but they look completely wrong to me.

 

[goose]

Another one that's been in the century range for some time that I've never seen or known anyone with them is the C curve, anyone had a play with these ?

 

[groundswell]

A mate of mine uses the Zulcrons, he did 306 yards on a field with one so absolute beasts. The tip is lovely for the beach as well

which one has the "tip is lovely for the beach", because my two are so far removed from the beach and they are not even the strongest ones
are you talking about different rods here