kamikaze fly gear

[BREAMBOSS01]

gday fellas i am looking at getting into fly fishing and have to get some gear, i saw a kamikaze set on ebay and started at $1.00 and sold for $50.00 it has size 7/0 rod size 7/0 reel wit two extra aluminium spools and a carry bag. i was wondering how good kamikaze geer is and if $50.00 is good value.8-)

[2manylures]

Don't waste your money. Kamakaze is cheap junk made in china with basically no QC. Read the blokes feedback especially the negs which should give you an idea regarding this sub standard rubbish.

[CCFISHER]

Breamboss01
Don't waste your money!
1. Buy good quality line depending on what your fishing for!
2. Buy the correct weight of rod depending on what you are going to fish for.
3. The reel is not that important it just holds line, your not fighting with it!
Cheers
CCFISHER

[Viny]

rubbish gear the rod would probably be glass and an uter pig to cast

[tunaticer]

It's got that name for a reason.

Jack.

[flyfisho]

rubbish gear the rod would probably be glass and an uter pig to cast
I would have to disagree , I was given a #9 from Kamikaze to try out and although the reel seat and guides were not much chop the action on the rod was very easy to cast, I fished a #9 bonefish intermediate over a #9 rod and could easily punch out 100 feet. I must admit it was a surprise to me but in comparison to other lower end rods the kamikaze was one of the best that I have been given .
I just took a TFO Axiom to Christmas Island as a back up rod and I would have to say I would have rathered the kamikaze if it wasn't a two piece , a much nicer rod.

[reidy]

Good day,
As Don Gilmore (gun Tassie fly fisho/author. dec.) once told me as a young bloke quote. When it comes down to fly rods buy the best you can afford.Stay clear of cheaper rods as they will not have the power to punch into a strong headwind with any accuracy. Important consideration here in Tassies highlands.
Cheers
Reidy

[flyfisho]

Thats fair enough Reidy and I agree to an extent. I own a split from #4 through to # 15 weight rods all GLX Loomis except the 15 , however the cheap gear mustn't be discounted as all crap .I have cast expensive rods (plus $1000) that don't suit my casting and I have cast some cheap rods that are the same . Being one of only a handful internationally recognised casting instructors (like Peter Hayes , Peter Morse, Nial Logan, Gavin Platz) I believe that a lot of cheap rods can and will do the trick for people starting out . 99% of students I see blame their casting on cheap rods and bad gear , when in fact its tuition from bad teachers and self taught heros that is a lot of the problem . Lefty Kreh can nearly cast a whole fly line with the first half of a fly rod , and in doing so proving that technique will always be more beneficial to a beginner than spending every thing you have on your first rod only to be disappointed and frustrated and eventually blaming your Rod.
One of my students (Basskid a forum member) can easily punch out 80- 90 feet in a fishing situation with a cheap rod, but again distance isn't everything although it is an excellent way of working on correct timing and hauling. Most fishing situations call for correct placement, finesse and the ability to cast in all situations and environments.
Get the cheap rod you can always progress from there , you may not even like it.

[2manylures]

Fly rods like any other are also used for landing fish, not just casting.

Have you caught fish on this junk yet?

[flyfisho]

No I haven't and your probably right , chances are that it will probably blow up on anything decent. Fish fighting is defiantly something to consider , I have taken it out on the boat but I would only ever cast it as a backup . Still not to say a beginner couldn't go pin a flathead on it , for a $50 combo you could use it once and give it away if fly fishing is not for you. My point is when learning you don't need to fork out hundreds . If you were really concerned I wouldn't buy of the net I would go into a REPUTABLE shop that specialises in Fly gear not just a shop that stocks it in the back corner with staff that have had one or two casts in their life. Good shops will usually have a qualified casting instructor on staff like Fishhead and Tie N Fly that will let you cast a rod before you buy it, probably the better option.

[2manylures]

No I haven't and your probably right , chances are that it will probably blow up on anything decent. Fish fighting is defiantly something to consider , I have taken it out on the boat but I would only ever cast it as a backup . Still not to say a beginner couldn't go pin a flathead on it , for a $50 combo you could use it once and give it away if fly fishing is not for you. My point is when learning you don't need to fork out hundreds . If you were really concerned I wouldn't buy of the net I would go into a REPUTABLE shop that specialises in Fly gear not just a shop that stocks it in the back corner with staff that have had one or two casts in their life. Good shops will usually have a qualified casting instructor on staff like Fishhead and Tie N Fly that will let you cast a rod before you buy it, probably the better option.

YES, YES & YES! Good point & I really cannot understand WHY anyone buys any fishing gear without trying it 1st.

eg: why would you buy any reel for a rod already purchased {no matter whether fly BC or TL} without matching it to a rod or vice-versa? It's beyond me.

So many today buy on looks. It was/still is, bad enough when anglers purchase lures etc on looks but RODS & REELS are a different ball game.

I'm not a fly angler so to speak but have learned much from Lefty & a few others.

Fishing whichever mode/style you choose is after all still "fishing"

[reidy]

YES, YES & YES! Good point & I really cannot understand WHY anyone buys any fishing gear without trying it 1st.

eg: why would you buy any reel for a rod already purchased {no matter whether fly BC or TL} without matching it to a rod or vice-versa? It's beyond me.

So many today buy on looks. It was/still is, bad enough when anglers purchase lures etc on looks but RODS & REELS are a different ball game.

I'm not a fly angler so to speak but have learned much from Lefty & a few others.

Fishing whichever mode/style you choose is after all still "fishing"
arrr the old lure designed to catch fishermen and not fish syndrome rears its head again.;)
Cheers
Reidy

[nuggstar]

iv got a kami in the 8/10 wt and i love it, iv had it now for 6 months and its still catching me fish. the guides and real seat are not that flash as flyfisho said but it dose the job for me and i only paid $15 for it. i use it to catch small trevs and queenfish and bream on mine. id just get one dude as it will get ya out of trubble till ya can get a good rod. just stay away from the blue water one's and the saratoga ones, they are just nasty. but the kami will do as a cheap basher.
tight lines guys

[nuggstar]

o yer with the power of the rod, its got plenty for genral estuary work. iv landed some stonker bull rays on mine, so you will be fine for bream, flattys and trevs up to about 3kg, but the rays were heaps bigger than that.

[Colo77]

Nuggsta, the Saratoga rods are totally crap eh. :-/ I'm just a novice & a very part time fly fisho that needs alot of refinement of technique. :P

I bought an 8/9 wt saratoga rod on line & I am struggling with it. But probably is mostly technique?? Helps if you use it more than once every 6-9 months.

Anyone else got an opinion on these rods. my reel is loaded with WFF8 blue water line. Does this mean double trouble.

I did a shared 1 day course in CQ with Nial Logan from in2fly about 4-5 years back so I don't think my technique is totally crap. Maybe I have taught myself some bad habits since?? Nah, I don't think I'm that bad. I used a quality setup at the course of Nials & it was a dream to use.

I have never owned a decent setup, a 6wt shakespeare outfit & the current 1 mentioned above.

Thoughts??

Colo

[nuggstar]

thats the line im useing to, it dose the job, and im not to scard to cast it on grass or over oysters and stuff because it cost me bugger all. good to start out with. if ya do lash out, iv hurd from a few guys that the new s,a shark skin fly line is the ducks guts. o yer again stay away from the blue water fly reals, mine busted after 3 small sized barra

[Colo77]

thats the line im useing to, it dose the job, and im not to scard to cast it on grass or over oysters and stuff because it cost me bugger all. good to start out with. if ya do lash out, iv hurd from a few guys that the new s,a shark skin fly line is the ducks guts. o yer again stay away from the blue water fly reals, mine busted after 3 small sized barra

What about the saratoga rods, am I better off using a broomstick:). I liked the name most, togas are my favourite fish

[jim_bream]

As an aside,
I own two Saratoga eggbeaters, best reels I've had.
One for breaming, the other's handled snapper & sharks (easily). About $90 for the both of them from an online auction site. Have n't used their rods but..
Having flyfished in Zimbabwe, South Africa, UK and Canada and experienced a wide variety of combinations of tackle it is my opinion that sometimes a combo just 'works'. One of the best fly combos I've used, I found out was a Canadian Tyre (like Supa Cheap Auto but with fishing & hunting gear) home brand rod and cheap Daiwa reel. The rod was cheap as: bent wire guides... plastic reel seat... but the action was amazing!!
I've not used another #10 rod like that since.
Just goes to show, the matching components are what make the combo, and quality is sometimes available from lower-end-of-the-market brands.
Just my opinion ;-)

[nuggstar]

One of my students (Basskid a forum member) can easily punch out 80- 90 feet in a fishing situation with a cheap rod, . can will realy cast that far criss, i did not belive him when he told me he's getting 80 feet. :P ;D


What about the saratoga rods, am I better off using a broomstick:). I liked the name most, togas are my favourite fish ig never get a saratoga rog again but will gladly get a nother kami. i got my first saratoga rod and the blank was not even strait, i sent it back and got a nother one, and it snaped wile i was trying to cast it. it snaped 2 feet from the tip and it was not dew to me being stupid with it. go the kamikaze

[RawDog]

the reel can be cheap as buy any real you wont its only realy for storage but do buy a good rod and line will make the world of difference

[Flyfanatic]

Ok here's my 2 bobs worth! I've been fly fishing for some 30yrs and have cast everything from El Cheapos to Sage, Loomis, TFO aah the list goes on. But wait I still own a couple of really cheap rods which I let my kids useand keep for visitors who I teach, no problems. Those Kamakazi's are not great, but a whole lot better than some others out there. If you can afford to - go better, if not just get it but put a decent line on it. It is surprising how this will make a world of difference to and average rod;) .

Most of all DON'T WAIT, Buy a Rod (Any Rod) Reel and some decent line and get out Fly Fishing. You'll LOVE IT and you next post will be about tying Flies. Now there's a can of worms to look forward to.

Dave

[reidy]

As an aside,
I own two Saratoga eggbeaters, best reels I've had.
One for breaming, the other's handled snapper & sharks (easily). About $90 for the both of them from an online auction site. Have n't used their rods but..
Having flyfished in Zimbabwe, South Africa, UK and Canada and experienced a wide variety of combinations of tackle it is my opinion that sometimes a combo just 'works'. One of the best fly combos I've used, I found out was a Canadian Tyre (like Supa Cheap Auto but with fishing & hunting gear) home brand rod and cheap Daiwa reel. The rod was cheap as: bent wire guides... plastic reel seat... but the action was amazing!!
I've not used another #10 rod like that since.
Just goes to show, the matching components are what make the combo, and quality is sometimes available from lower-end-of-the-market brands.
Just my opinion ;-)
saratoga hay ive returned 3 odd rods and 4 reels.bent rod blanks,machine marks and swaff left on aluminium components (reels) had a rotor fall off txn reel (eggy)
2 snapped 12lb spinning rods etc
good luck with the gear.dont push it real hard
Cheers
Reidy

[paul cooper]

i bought a set up off ebay all seperate paid 1.50 for the fly reel 20.00 for the rod and 7.00 for the flyline cheap rig but works well rod is a graphite job and finished off well will try it out when season starts and ill let you know how it goes coop