Popping / Stickbait rod for big GT's

[CT]

Anyone care to update this thread with gear reccommendations that they've progressed to over the last six years?

I'm particulalry interested in combos for skinny short ass blokes who are too stupid to realise that they should probably stop targeting fish that are bigger than they are!

[NAGG]

Yamaga Blanks Blue Reef 711/8 stickbait - Pe8 ( Maximum wt 160g) Not too big & not too heavy

Match it with a Daiwa Saltiga 5500 Expedition & you'll be sweet for all but the biggest models of GT ( location dependant)

There is lots of good stuff out there ...... it just boils down to how much you want to spend.


Chris

[CT]

Thanks Chris

There is lots of good stuff out there ...... it just boils down to how much you want to spend.

Yep, I've determined I can blow a heap of coin!

Match it with a Daiwa Saltiga 5500 Expedition & you'll be sweet for all but the biggest models of GT ( location dependant)

I'm in CQ. Thinking about a Twinpower 10K. Don't know if I can come at the cost of a Stella or a Saltiga. Haven't looked at anything in the flesh as yet.

[Ducksnutz]

Carpenter Coral Viper 79/40 with a 5500 Saltiga Expedition. Got spoiled from the misses and kids.

[shortthenlong]

Carpenter Coral Viper 79/40 with a 5500 Saltiga Expedition. Got spoiled from the misses and kids.

That's very nice. So I'm in on this as well. (except I don't expect to catch something that weighs more than me like CT) What is something at half that budget? This will be a toe dip in the world of serious offshore spin fishing. If it works and we find things and can get back more than once a year I would possibly upgrade but for a starter combo?

Thanks for the help so far

Cheers Matt

[CT]

So I'm in on this as well.

You and Sammy Gibson have a lot to answer for! Ya pair of pricks will cost me a fortune!!

I think Wahoo and some other non-AF mates up here got into stickbaiting as well. If he doesn't chime in I'll hit him up. He's also short, but has deeper pockets and longer arms than I do so I probably won't be able to afford his recommendations either!

[chris69]

How about some VB cord 200lb leader and rubber ring tie it to a cleat that won't get torn off and hand line your stick baits cheap but effective in the right place.

[CT]

How about some VB cord 200lb leader and rubber ring tie it to a cleat that won't get torn off and hand line your stick baits cheap but effective in the right place.

Old School trolling rig! The rubber ring was a clay sewer pipe o-ring and there was a dirty great mackerel spoon hanging off the end!

As for the right place, last time Matt and I used them I'd upgraded to old speargun rubber as the shock absorber and we were trolling ridiculously large mack spoons from my 10 ft car topper at Cape Melville.

[NAGG]

Carpenter Coral Viper 79/40 with a 5500 Saltiga Expedition. Got spoiled from the misses and kids.

Didn't you what !!!!!

[shortthenlong]

Old School trolling rig! The rubber ring was a clay sewer pipe o-ring and there was a dirty great mackerel spoon hanging off the end!

As for the right place, last time Matt and I used them I'd upgraded to old speargun rubber as the shock absorber and we were trolling ridiculously large mack spoons from my 10 ft car topper at Cape Melville.

If this was the plan I wouldn't be posting here. I have an plenty of this type of gear.

Cheers Matt

[chris69]

Old School trolling rig! The rubber ring was a clay sewer pipe o-ring and there was a dirty great mackerel spoon hanging off the end!

As for the right place, last time Matt and I used them I'd upgraded to old speargun rubber as the shock absorber and we were trolling ridiculously large mack spoons from my 10 ft car topper at Cape Melville.

Yer CT the old sewer pipe ring but the old rig worked back then and still works today got a few 30kg GTs on that rig one cape back at flattery.

It just cost so much to chase those sort of fish on conventional gear its not the rod so much but the reels that can handle it and then your arms and back and once you have done it its do I really want to punish myself again lol.

[Lovey80]

A while back I bought a Shimano T-Curve GT Special. Think I paid about $450 AUD. I paired it with a Stella 18000SW and took it to Fiji with more poppers than my budget should have allowed. The rod feels like a broomstick that wants to be a beach rod. That is until I started throwing big poppers on semi-exposed bommies off Fiji islands.

The rod is useless until you want to throw big poppers or it’s pretty good to troll big lures. I hooked up on several XOS GT and had my arms straightened a few times. Landed a couple of GT’s that were pushing 40kg but got busted multiple times using 2m x 80lb twisted leaders. The rod is tougher than I or the fish were. I haven’t used it since that trip because of the lack of opportunity in SEQ.

[Ducksnutz]

If you’re wanting to throw big poppers and not stick baits, have a look out for the older version Daiwa Saltiga Muramura 7’6”. It’s a broom stick but you can pick them up for $300 second hand match it with a Saragosa 25000 or similar. Set up would be under $700 or so and as Lovey said, you’re only going to use that gear for big GT and maybe troll some big skirts with it.

[CT]

Thanks lads,
Everything I've read said the GT special is a big heavy broomstick but is very capable. I'm only thinking PE5/6, lures to about 120 g so will likely look for something smaller and lighter. The Shimano Grappler Type C seem to get good reviews for a $400 popping rod. Something like the S82MH looks good on paper.

[wahoofishingcrew]

That is an absolute disaster waiting to happen.

Use the time and a fraction of the money you'd spend on that heap of shit to strategically bottom fish. This will be far easier on your skinny ass and you can just drag better tasting fish right in.

Spend the money you saved on beer.

Use the time you saved to drink said beer, looking at the full esky thinking hell I did a really good job.

You and Sammy Gibson have a lot to answer for! Ya pair of pricks will cost me a fortune!!

I think Wahoo and some other non-AF mates up here got into stickbaiting as well. If he doesn't chime in I'll hit him up. He's also short, but has deeper pockets and longer arms than I do so I probably won't be able to afford his recommendations either!

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