Best Deep Sea Fishing Caribbean (2023 Updated)

Daiwa BG reels are easily the best bang for the buck! This “combo” does not include the small washers to adjust spooling the line, or printed instructions with the reel, but that’s no problem really.

The rod action feels good, but the handle and reel seat are just O. K. All things considered, this may best the best value in a spinning combo available. 👍.

Leaving less than 5 stars for a Daiwa BG is just a crime committed by those who don’t understands what makes a great reel. You’re “reviewing” the item you purchased not the advertisements accuracy. I currently own over 30 rods/reels and this package is simply fantastic.

I encourage those thinking about buying this to research which rod/reel you’re buying and the specs. Of the reel. Daiwa offers combos in several sizes. Do that, and you’ll have a rod/reel that’ll last a lifetime if taken care of.

I just recently purchased this Diawa BG 4000 rod & reel combo from West Marine a week ago. This was my first time shopping at the store and I didn’t realize the vast amount of selection they had in their fishing section! Just for the Diawa BG’s, they had an entire aisle with most every size Diawa makes for this particular model.

I happened to find one of the only two that came with a bonus spool of 50lb Diawa J-Braid. While the 50lb line was a bit much (IMO) for my 4000 series reel, it was still a very nice addition for the same price as the other BG combos.

I was able to get out and fish for about 10 hours to break my new reel in over this past weekend. and let me tell you, this is by far the smoothest reel I’ve ever used (I just upgraded from the Quantum Boca 50).

I was so impressed, that I’m seriously considering switching out all of my other reels for Diawa BG reels. Even my fishing buddy was a bit jealous, as he said he was listening to me cast all night and barely even heard my Power Pro Super Slick 8 braid flying through the guides, much less any noise at all from my reel.

I’m pretty sure he might start switching out his Penn’s pretty soon.

I previously posted a bad review. a tatsu rep. reach out to me about my line application. embarrassing for me to admit my error. tie my line to fence post attached to swivel let out almost all line. now my line has been outstanding standing.

no rat ness. Very strong straightened out hooks on snags. (like any line a swivel once in a while is needed) fishermen for 60yrs. best 6lb fishing line. Since i earlier posted above i have caught many 20″walley most of all 28″-8lb walleye on 6lb fluorocarbon (vanford 2500hg reel.

st croix 6″6 rod )Walleye came up for a look than the fight was on. drag singing!!. most of all the expert netting from my brother. it was fken awesome.

You really have to take line reviews with a grain of salt. There’s just too many factors that are involved with how well a line will perform in any given situation, even temperature plays a part in the performance of fluorocarbon.

That being said, this is the best “main line” fluoro that I’ve ever used. It has all the qualities we expect from a top notch fluoro but the line handles like mono. It’s very smooth casting, excellent knot strength and does so on both spinning and casting set-ups.

If you just need a leader line, there are much more affordable options that will serve your purposes, but if you like to spool the entire reel, I challenge you to find a better fluoro.

I tried this pricey line and was amazed. This line will outlast any other fluorocarbon made period. This lays on the reel and casts way better than any fluorocarbon I ever used. You will not be changing line on your reel very often because this line does not get old and stiff like others.

You can go a year and not need to change this line. It is very strong and great knot strength. This is the best fluorocarbon made and you will be glad you tried it.

I bought a 3000 over 3 years ago and shortly after that bought a 2500. I’ve caught everything under the sun on them from dinky croakers in the surf to 25” stripers with plenty of 20+ inch trout and upper slot redfish in between.

The biggest thing I like about this reel is the durability. I’ve owned several shimanos in the same price range and none of them have lasted me as long as these bgs. The drag adjustment is up there with reels 200$ above its class.

I’ve dunked it in saltwater on a few occasions and just made sure to take the spool off when rinsing it off and had no issues. All around great reel. 2500 pairs well with my fenwick hmg medium light and 3000 does great on my fenwick hmg medium.

I’ve swapped with a friends Penn battle which fits in the same class and price range I preferred the bg and he was regretting his brand new purchase of the battle.

I live on the coast of Georgia and fish for everything from speckled seatrout to 250 lb blacktip sharks. This reel handled our East Coast Snapper season very well easily bringing up large red snapper off the bottom some 90 feet down and a couple of cobia.

I loaded the reel with 80lb braid and attached to a heavy duty Daiwa rod. I bought this reel to replace a Daiwa of similar size for casting to sharks and tarpon. I’m confident I’ll be able to use this reel for years to come.

Handle will switch from left to right.

Amazing spool for an incredible price! The body is well made, it is not overly heavy, and it reels so smooth. Handle is ambidextrous. Wonderful value at its price point. I got the BG5000 for my 10’ surf rod and I would definitely recommend this product in any of its sizes.

Note: you must flip the bail down after casting as turning the handle will not flip it down for you. This wasn’t that big of a deal to me as it’s supposed to be better to manually flip the bail anyways!.

Got some time in on this setup and I’m impressed. It has extremely high sensitivity and enough flex to pull in the giants. The reel spooled up 50 yards of 6lb fluoro with room to spare. With having a reel seat instead of the rubber O rings it makes for a much less hassle getting setup.

It handles everything from micro jigs to larger lures and spoons. The only drawback I’ve found with it is rather easy to overcome, that being the drag is silent, no clicks to signify line being pulled or stripped.

But it does have a slight feel in the reel when a fish pulls line. Overall bottom line: I would absolutely recommend this combo.

Do yourself a favor, purchase the rod separately. These reels are very finicky in cold weather, constantly freezing up and you are always having to fool with the FreeFall drag. Im sure some other inline reels may be better but In my personal opinion the 13 Fishing reels are terrible, I’ve purchased and returned 3 of them.

No issues with the rod so far, I am really liking it for the lite bite. Tight lines.

I hav the 27 inch light action rod. This is the sweet spot between the ultra light and medium. Flat tip is supersensitive. The spacing of the eyelets close together at the tip helps load the rod gradually protecting light 4 lb.

test line and as with any great rod it comes with a hook loop at the base. I handle has a great feel to it and is very comfortable. I love the free fall real no more line twist from spinning reels and is very smooth.

I love the radioactive green color. I do wish this rod with glow-in-the-dark. Also there’s no directions on what the 4 o-ring are for. After some searching I realized there to hold a reel onto the rod.

This is extremely difficult are used for chopsticks to expand them enough to roll them onto the rod handle.

I use this as a streamer rod and have only ever run it with full-sink line. For that purpose it has been a great value. That type of fishing can be hard on rods, and at this price I can afford a back-up rod and won’t be too sad if this ever gets sent in for warranty.

This rod feels a little slower than I would like, but I can certainly live with that. It casts about 90% as well as my other streamer rod worth about 6x as much. Fighting fish is where the action really shines.

There’s no problem horsing in big fellas on 15 lb leader. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this rod to chuck 11 inch streamers to pike.

As my casting progresses (after 25 years of practice) I find fisheries I wish to pursue and discover I need specialty rods and lines to better enjoy them. That is definitely the case with this rod. I would call it an offshore rod.

My first time fishing it required double hauling (fishing a lake on a day that I didnt control the boat) and the rod excelled! My soft tipped rods are no match for the distance it provided me. Hooksets at a distance were not an issue either.

I have several ECHO rods from an 8 4wt through several other series in 5s and 6s. Not a small stream rod but one I wont be without on open water. Mr. Rajeff and staff: Keep up the good work. Amazing rods that, due to your pricing, allows me to own MANY!.

I just returned from an eight day rainbow trout fly fishing trip in Alaska. I used this rod extensively for the first three days and caught a good amount of large rainbows (20+ inches, 3+ pounds). I was using small beads to heavy conehead leech patterns.

The 10 foot length and stiffness of the rod enabled me to cast great distances, but my shoulder soon gave out and I found that I was missing a lot of takes simply because of the “heaviness” of the rod.

The rod actually feels like a 9 weight rod, but to be fair it was perfectly matched to my WFF 6 weight line. In addition, I had no problem handling a 13+ foot leader. I consider myself a good fly caster, but not expert.

I will use the rod in the future for casting heavy saltwater flys where a subtle take is not an issue with the fish I’ll be pursuing. I may also use it in my travels to Saskatchewan to pursue large “Jack Fish” (Northern Pike)–which always like big heavy flys thrown at them.

Practicing with the rod before going on an extended trip will build up my shoulder strength.

I purchased this combo from Academy on 7/24/2022. I went home and spooled the reel with 40 lb power pro. I took it out fishing on 7/26/2022. While on a school of Bonito I hooked into a 12 lb Jack Crevalle.

after fighting this fish for 30 minutes the fish came up to the boat. He still had one more run in him and when he saw the boat he made a b-line back to the depths. As he made his run the rod snapped 4 eyes down form the tip.

I was still able to land the fish but i was pretty disappointed in the lack of quality in this rod. I knew I was purchasing a budget combo, but I believed it could handle such a small fish. I am very disappointed that all I have now is a reel with no rod and I am unsure if I will trust the more expensive products that Penn offers.

I had 2 out of 4 of my main reels give out on me after years of use. I was hours from home on a 5 day fishing excursion. I went to the nearest outfitter and bought a 7” medium heavy/6000 fierce live liner combo.

Caught a 32 pounder on it right off the bat and it handled like a dream. The rod could stand a heavier tip but the reel takes things to a new level. Overall I think this was the best $130 bucks I’ve ever spent on fishing gear and this has become new favorite outfit.

I own over a hundred rods and reels that I use and this stands out above them all as a new favorite. You won’t be disappointed!!.

I bought the 7’6” rod and reel combo about 10 months ago as it seemed to be economical and it seemed to work great. That was until “it” happened. I was fishing from a pier and hooked up with a big bull red (I’d guess ~30-40 lbs) – got him all the way in and when he finally wore himself out, I went to lift him to the surface and the rod snapped clean in half.

Keep in mind I wasn’t pulling him in ridiculously hard or being super aggressive with it. Just letting him run when he wanted to run. I think the tension and pressure from the entire fight was too much for this rod as it had to have been stressed for it to snap like that.

The reel has been good to me so far although it feels somewhat cheaply made, but so far no issues with it.

I bought 2 40lb bags for use in setting up a new 100-gallon tank. Definitely cloudy mess the first 24 hours but has cleared up significantly. The sand is a nice texture with a few shells. Be sure to check for ammonia after adding.

I had a slight rise in ammonia to about. 5 ppm after adding, which is fine since I’m just starting my cycle. My wife and I also searched and searched for the package of “Bio Magnet” that the package says is included.

We couldn’t find it in either bag. I’m assuming it’s a flocculant of some kind. In any event, I removed my filter socks and used a dual canister (RO canisters) filter on with 2, 10-inch, 5-micron sediment filters.

I ran a pump in the sump through the dual canisters with the return back to the sump. Water is crystal clear now and I’ll be removing the ad-hoc filter today.

With lights off, add half the intended sand, rock, and your choice of tank cycle. After the cycle, add copepods and some food for them. After a couple weeks, turn on the lights. After a couple more weeks, remove all of the sand.

Now, you can either run the tank as bare-bottom, or with sand. I use a super shallow sand band with a conch that keeps it stirred very well. This smaller grade sand with bacteria is perfect for that.

Tank is 2 feet deep with powerheads midway, so sand does not blow everywhere; However, there is enough flow on the Ecotech that is sucks any detritus up from the sand to blow back towards the overflow.

Couldnt tell if the short term haze was sand or bacterial. Either way, I expected it and after a few days it went away. I also used the two packets for clarifying the water. No complaints about the initial startup haze.

It should be expected. The sand is exactly as advertised and my daughter loves finding all the little shells mixed within. May have found close to 25 shells per 40lb bag. My tank is cycling quickly and I have not added any other cycling products to the tank.

Just the sand and used dry rock. I will use this product again for future tanks.

There are sooo many rods on the market that it can make it difficult to choose the right one! Daiwa has been making excellent products for years. These new Rebellion rods are are not the same old formula.

Im using the 7 feet 3 inches – Medium-Heavy – Fast action. First off they are not laden down with a lot of Resin which means they are extremely sensitive and responsive. You may think “brittle”, easy to break, not so! They are super strong and Feather light.

I couldn’t believe how light they are. You can feel every single thump, bite, nick. The quality of the components is unheard-of in a rod under $200. The guides, the EVA Grips, and the reel seat are the best of Daiwa technology.

The Braiding-X technology is a plus. It does not allow the rod to twist torsionally and that translates into a wrist saver, as the stress of fighting a monster bass is not going to beat your arms to death.

Everybody appreciates the ability to rip some lips all day long without a doctor’s visit. These are all-around speciality rods, if that is such a thing!! I will admit I am Daiwa partial, however what works is what I go with.

This rod is paired with a Zillion TW HD 1520H 6. 3 reel, the Cadillac of the Zillion series. This combo is going to slay, so I can fillet! 😉👍👍🤗🤗.

I am extremely pleased with this rod! This is a frog rod that can winch bass out the thickest of cover. It is very light for such a beefy rod. It weighs 4. 95 ounces, which is pretty good for the price you are paying! It can launch a frog a mile even though it has a bit of a stiff tip.

I have had much better hook up ratios using this rod, and I was able to catch my PB 6. 64lb largemouth last summer using it. 6. 64lbs is pretty darn good for Ohio! I would recommend this rod for fishing heavy cover.

It’s not really an open water frog rod, but it will work for open water. I have even used it for flipping, pitching, and punching, although I think it is better suited for frogs.

I’ve had many rods over the years, and own some in the $400 price range, and the Daiwa Tatula is comparable to those. I was on the fence between a St croix Premier in MH (Already own a premier), and the Daiwa Tatula.

The St. Croix ended up being out of stock, so I picked up the Tatula instead, and I could not be happier. In comparison to my other rods, this rod has excellent sensitivity, can toss lighter lures a good distance, and has enough backbone to toss heavier lures up to 1oz.

Christened my new Daiwa Tatula with a 30 inch pike last weekend, and it performed exceptionally well. I initially thought this was a 7’0 MH rod, but it’s actually 7’2, but that’s not a big deal. I’ll most likely be using this as my main rod going forward.

I first purchased a 7’6 Avid from bass pro online and when it came the quality control was just not to the standard i would expect for a nearly $300 rod. One of the guides wasn’t even put on straight with the pole, it was diagonal to the pole noticeably.

5 of the guides were out of alignment by about 10-15 degrees and the tip was bent. I return that one and ordered an 8’ which came in a much weaker package than the first. The package was bent, cracked open, and taped back together in the middle with no rigidity to protect the rod.

I take the rod out and the first guide is bent flat with the pole and yet another guide is very out of line. The reason i gave it more than one star is the materials seem like good quality, just not very well assembled or transported.

I recommend not buying rods online but unfortunately Avids typically are never in stock to look at.

I already have the 7 foot MH version of this rod, wanted a heavier rod for bigger weights 2oz and above. It says the rod is suited for 2 oz lures max, but since I’ve been using it you can put on a 4-5oz lure.

I’ve caught a 21” Flounder and Black drum near structure and this rod will pull just about any inshore fish out of the water down here in NE Florida. Satisfied with my purchase with speedy and timely delivery!.

This is an extremely lightweight weight and powerful fishing rod. The handle is remarkably comfortable and it is a pleasure to cast all day with this well balanced rod. So far, I have only had the opportunity to use this rod for Albie fishing off the RI and CT coasts in Long Island sound and have been very impressed by the casting distance I can achieve with small light lures (0.

5 oz and less). Luckily, after a few hook ups I have had the ability to test the strength of this rod and can attest that it is plenty powerful enough to handle these drag burning speedsters.

This was my second time setting up a new aquarium that I needed live sand for. Brick and mortar stores local to me are very expensive. After a little research, I found Chewy, and was able to purchase almost 4 times the amount of sand as I could have gotten anywhere else.

Same for Sea salt. That commercial where the lady thinks she got such a good deal that she leaves the place saying, “start the car?” Yeah, that was me when I found Chewy.

I’ve been fishing for many years evidenced by my equipment made in America then Japan then Korea and now China. I’ve bought very good quality equipment but mostly very good value equipment like this rod.

The 13′ and 15′ surf rods I own are hard to handle and with an RV purchase in the near future would have been too much for my rod case so I bought this 9′ and hoped for the best. Except for minor issues; some coating drips on top of (no issue with performance) the largest eye and a bit of material that could be left or nipped off it’s near perfect.

I bought it knowing the eyes were not lined but I use monofilament and fish opportunity permits so it’s of little concern to me. If you like braided line this might be a concern for you. It performed very well with my Daiwa long cast 5500 on the Severn River with casts well beyond 50 yards during today’s calm.

I bought this in a 6’6″ MH to take on a 4 day inshore Snook fishing trip in South Florida. I paired it with a 4000 size reel , 20# braid, and we were fishing live finger mullet with 30# leader and circle hooks.

It may have been overkill but I did wench a couple of 30″+ fish out of deep cover with no issues. I don’t think it is a true inshore rod but it served for this purpose and ended up being the perfect tool for the job.

I would totally buy it again. It is well built, nicely finished, and tough as nails. The line guides on this thing are so beefy it just looks sick, but it is also super light. I use the ugly stik elite series rods that I pair with 2500 size reels for bass and I think the Tiger Elite is a hair lighter.

I make it down to salt 3 or 4 times a year and this rod will serve as my “big game” live bait inshore rod. It is a beast of a rod.

The rod was really cooked! I’m very familiar with rod splines as I have built many rods in my day but this rod is just plain dog leg crooked. If I had seen this rod in person I would not have purchased it.

It is a 6 1/2, 2 piece rod and it arrived in one piece in a 8 ft long tube open at one end and it fell out of the tube when I picked it up from my porch! Not sure if it could have been damaged or bent from falling out of the tube during shipping like it did for me all though I don’t see how that could happen with out breaking it.

There was no packing slip with it. I purchased it for a friend as a gift but didn’t give it to him. Instead I went to Wallmart and bought another ugly stick that was not messed up to give him. If I had a packing slip and a reasonable way to send it back I would.

It looks to me like it could be a factory reject or something. I was very dissatisfied with the purchase.

Great fit and look good and neat despite being packed away in duffle bag for trips. Material is cool and has great stain and odor resistance and washes off nicely. Good stretch and flexibility to the material and can wear on short hikes in rugged mountainous terrain and be comfortable wearing it at a dinner cafe after the hike.

No need for pressing as it is wrinkle free. Will be getting more in different colors when new ones come out.

My husband has these shorts in every color. Fit is perfect and the fabric is nice. They are a softer version of the original Mako shorts. They are the only shorts he wears and look good for many different occasions.

He always says that Pelagic shorts are the BEST. They are easy for me to wash and they are long-lasting. You can’t go wrong with Pelagic shorts.

These shorts are an all around perfect pair to be used on and off the water. The material is very comfortable and breaths well and is quick drying. The two tone color is very cool and not cookie cutter which I like.

I would highly recommend as I also bought the same hybrid shorts in the two tone grey color. The H20 activated component really is so unique and something I have not really seen with other brands. I am 6’3 and 180 pounds with an athletic build and the 34 waist fits me very well and bottom of shorts hit above my knee (perfect length).

These shorts are true to size and have belt loops if you want to use a belt. They are nice enough for a dinner out as well.

IšverstiShow in original languageThis thing really does go deep. We were getting down to the kokanee very easily between 60 to 80 ft at 2 mph. Lots of pull on the rods though, you need a pretty stout rod.

We had to adjust the release about a turn lighter so it would release right. We are still learning as we go but these absolutely do what they claim.

IšverstiShow in original languageI was never able to use one off each outrigger. They always tangled. I think one or both don’t track straight. Also quite heavy to reel in. Probably OK if just using one, but I gave up.

IšverstiShow in original languageIt is a great apparatus to have in your tackle box, if you fish lakes. It works as advertised and dives to a prescribed depth when trolling. You can adjust the release tension with a pair of pliers.

I love it.

I’ve used Quattro 40lb test for many years for my offshore fishing. I never had a problem with breakage and knots were easy to tie because of the flexibility. After a number of years (too long) I decided to try the momoi hi-catch 40lb diamond line.

Huge mistake! After having 4 separate lines break, I stripped off all 10 reels and went back to my Quattro. I’m sorry I even thought to try a different line.

I use Quattro 80-lb and 100-lb Quattro camo mono for top shots above my super-braid on all of my trolling outfits and it does the job. Blends in nicely and also is tough enough to resist casual abrasion and still bring the big ones to boat side.

This ties easily to the braid via a Bristol knot and lock and saves me hundreds on expensive pre-made top-shots. I keep a spool on my charter boat and can redo top shots in less than a minute and be back in the water catching fish.

Seems to be a quality product. Used it on some penn 30’s. have a few trips on them now, no obvious signs of deterioration. Time will tell. So far im very pleased with the product for the price.

Ordered the 10′ with 6000 reel after my wife attempt to surprise me with a rig from Amazon fell through. I went directly to Penn and ordered. The price pint was actually better for the size rod and reel and the shipping was fast.

The product arrived in good shape and seems to be of a high quality. It winds fast, smooth and quiet. I will be heading out to Oak Island this weekend to make my first surf casts. I will only change this review if there is something wrong this weekend.

Otherwise, very happy!.

This is my fifth Penn BTLIII4000701M Battle III Spinning Combo. The previous four have been very good quality and a decent value. This one however came with a grinding, knocking reel. I can’t figure out what the issue is.

When reeled the reel is not smooth but knocks. It seems internal but I can’t tell. Hard to describe the problem but it is not at all like all the four other 4000’s I own. Disappointed with the reel. Rod is fine and the action is fine.

Bought this for lake fishing, mainly going for common carp, rainbow trout, walleye, smallmouth bass, etc. Can handle heavier line and heavier lures, which I like. I appreciate the heavier action. Recommend the one piece as it feels notably sturdy.

5000 reel size is maybe a bit much for me, I would’ve went with the 4000 if I had to do it over. Other than that, thing is really solid. Love it.

Terrible line. I was using on my Shimano Baitcaster, the line kept tanngling on the reel. It was like it melted or got stuck to the rest of the line on the reel. I also lost 2 light to medium lures while casting.

The line just snapped, not my knot undoing. I know this as I saw a bit of the line follow the lures into the deep. The line was recommened by the staff member after I show the type and size of lures I usually use, and would match the reel and rod I purchased at the same time.

I changed out for mono and no further issues.

Using #65lb multicolor braid for controlled drops and drifts. When the Capt calls out, “Marking fish at. “, I can quickly adjust depth to be in the strike zone. No more guessing with the old count down method.

Count out the colors and boom you’re on fish. Excellent abrasion resistance; actual break point is higher than the labeled 65lb. Colors show up well day or night; even the blue segment stands out in the boat lights.

After months of trying different lines, I settled on Sufix 832, deeming that it was the best. Then I tried Diawa J-Braid and Holy Whaaa. I found the best. Hear me out, both these lines perform very very well.

For my testing, I used the same reel, same poles and same lures, side by side. I have no complaints. There is very little resistance and they can cast a mile under right conditions. After a lot of heavy use they can both fray, and you end up sacrificing large sections.

The main difference is the sound through the eyes. There is practically no braid pull sound with the J-Braid. That translates to its easier on the fishing pole long term.

i own 3 different sizes of these rods from 6’6”, 10′ and 12′. it’s well made and probably best bang for your buck starting at $39. 99. the reason i said that it’s almost perfect is i think the guides are just too small for spinning rods.

i own penn slammer, sabres, fierce, battalion, rampage, prevail, squadron, ugly sticks, black beauty, etc spinning rods so i have plenty to compare with. comparing them to my other rods, their guides are just 2-3 sizes smaller which kinda hinders the line a bit when u cast.

also when u reel the line digs into the first guide (the biggest one closest to the reel and it causes too much friction which i think will lead to premature wear of both guides and line. if this guide was just a size smaller u can probably use this as a conventional rod and if it was 2-3 times bigger it would have been perfect.

but for such a low price i think u can overlook that. everything else about this rod i love. it’s a beautiful rod (love the blue color with the white tip), it’s lightweight and its seems durable so far.

i’ve washed and lubricated the guides after each use and no rust yet. (used them for saltwater fishing). if u use size 4 or smaller reels then i highly recommend this rod. for bigger reels i think the guides needs to be bigger for this to have a perfect pairing.

anyway, if u need a cheap but durable rod or need loaners for your friends and family who come along this rod is perfect.

I bought this rod to pair with my 4500 series daiwa bg reel. I was a little sceptical about this brand at first. But it had all the specs i was looking for in a 9ft surf rod, so i went for it. I finally got a chance to use it today and man i have to say, I’m so satisfied with the performance of this rod.

It’s sensitive enough to feel the slightest bite and strong enough to launch a 5oz weight as far as your capable to throw it. For me it was about 75 to 80 yards not to shabby for the first time using this rod.

The quality of the rod and components as well as the craftsmanship for the price are outstanding. Can’t wait to use this rod again looking forward to hitting the surf again very soon.

I’m super happy with this rod, the lengh is just abbout right for my perch fishing with a baitcaster reel. When put it right next to my other rods this one fills in the gap between the Shimano expride BFS and Zodias.

This rod is just a tad longer and even better capable of doing the work. i complete this rod with a Tatula SV TW 103 with a modified BFS spool for casting Tiny crancbaits 5 to 12 gramm with 10 pound fluoro.

This rod is very senitive, parabolic and even have enough body to occaisionally fight a big pike. or boat flip medium perch. it has 9 eyes instead of 11 for my expride but then this rod is not rated as a BFS but as a Jerk-rod so it will be the smaller jerk crankbaits wat i will be trowing with it most of the time.

The overal looks might be a little bit cheaper compared to the Shimano Expride series, but this is also jusified within the price range. nice one – keeper ! and looking forward to complete my list of Daiwa Tatula rods for every weight class of lures i use.

Can’t speak highly enough of this rod. I bought the 2. 44m 50-130g as mostly we target Mahi and medium Tuna here in the Arabian Gulf. Took it out chasing Mahi recently (first trip using this rod) and the first fish I pulled on it was an 18kg bull who put up a big fight.

The rod held up perfectly over the 20min or so fight, with more than enough backbone to turn the fish but enough give that I was never worried about snapping him off. The rod also handles casting lighter lures very well, as I was throwing 40g most of the morning and initially had to dial back the power on my cast as I was overshooting my mark.

Will definitely be buying another as a back up.

Its not a bad rod for the price. The epoxy on the guides is a bit heavy, and the guides could have been a little better for an extra few pounds on the price. However, for a cheap extendable spod rod, it does the job.

You wont cast miles, but thats not what it is designed to do. 60 yards is easy, 80 a push, 30-50 is the sweet spot I would say. I bought it to compliment the Daiwa Crosscast extendable rods and holdal I use, and it does that perfectly.

Kayak is amazing. It came mostly assembled. Only needed to attach rudder and tighten 8-ball steering handle. (Looked up installation on YouTube) It is truly well built. I tightened all screws and bolts throughout vessel.

Surprisingly nothing was too loose or ill fitting. The seat is wide and there is ample room to move about. A full size milk crate fits in the rear well. The mounting rails are perfect for my Garmin Striker 4+ and the front storage holds the battery and built in transducer mount.

Only wish the boat came with instructions. There are straps under the seat that I have no idea of their use. I guess I’ll figure it out. The boat is a bit heavy but purchased the C-Tug wheels and it is now very mobile and easy to roll down to the water.

Overall, highly pleased with delivery, packaging and the quality of the Kayak. I will most definitely will be pedaling this thing a lot this year.

Overall, I’m very happy with the Big Fish 103, however, there are a few things that are disapointing. I’ve made several modifications to get it to what I like based on my comments. Main Dislikes: 1. The design of the fish finder mount is a poor design, In my opinion.

The top storage hatch cannot close when the mounting bar is all the way up. 2. The side mounting rails are not standard to the industry and are not strong nor mounted well. 3. Seat height is non-adjustable and not sufficient for under seat tackle storage.

Nice to Haves: 1. Ruberized flooring 2. In-hull storage 3. A cover for the pedal drive port when drive is in the upright position.

After a few trips with it, you find it doesn’t track well. Then to find out that most people use a rudder and some go as far as saying “a rudder is a must. ” That’s putting out more money. If you like to visit remote spots, you need to shell for a pricy cart.

Or have to modify a cheaper one to fit the boat. If you want to attach anything to the tracks, you need adapters. More money. The quality seems good. Had some issues with water getting in the platform and was hard to drain out.

I like the look of it. The seat is good. It weighs a bit so you have to think ahead and be prepared to load it and transport.

west coast style jig setup paired with accurate boss valient 400 I enjoyed jigging flat, butterfly and slow pitch style jigs. I had 2 busy jig trips for jumbo copper and vermilion rockfish and lingcod in Big Sur California and was impressed with this rod reel setup.

the guides slant forward for what was advertised but sheding braid bunching up on the stick while jigging. the handle materials worked perfect. on my top 3 setups.

I plan on using this rod for large Tuna. I will be using a Saltwater Surface Popper for Big Bluefin Tuna here Offshore of San Diego. I had Borrowed my Friends Diawa Heavy Proteus 8 footer and landed a 35 pounder and chose to purchase the Extra heavy because there are much bigger fish that school up here in our waters.

Own10 Proteus rods, love them. 1st one with Winn wrap, wrap started coming off after 1 36hr bluefin trip. Hoping Daiwa warranties if???