Great for the semi-serious long haul angler
BISON 6 SECTION TRAVEL BEACH CASTING SURF OR BASS FISHING ROD IN CORDURA TUBE 2-4oz
I searched long and hard for a good quality, light, capable of casting 4oz travel rod, that will fit in a fairly big suitcase on a long haul flight.
I had considered a telescopic rod but, looking at what is out there, they all seemed either very flimsy or had a maximum of 5 rings on a 10 foot rod. My issues were that these are prone to getting grit in the telescopic mechanism and also the lack of rings would cause undue stress on the rod.
So, I ordered 2 of these Bisons for a trip to NZ.
On initial inspection these are very good. The sliding reel seat allows personal positioning, the tip is firm and could cope with a 4oz lead plus bait with ease and the tube is of such good quality that I doubt that any baggage handler could smash the rod.
The only negative on one of them was that the lacquer was not perfect on section 3 of one of them. Yes, they are that good that such a cosmetic issue is the only fault I could find.
Regarding the tube, it does allow plenty of room to pack some small underwear in with the rod without issue and hence enables you to maximise your luggage space. Why it has a carry handle is a moot point as, in reality, once out of the suitcase it immediately became obsolete to us.
So, how does it perform. The reel seat is on a par with Fixed Fuji ones that I have on my beachcaster rods. The locking mechanism takes a bit of getting used to as you need to rotate them in opposite directions to get them to sit tight, and having done so, after taking the reel off a loosening them fully, the shaft is scuffed a bit, but I would rather scuffing than a reel slipping when in use.
The rings are positioned very well, are internally coated, and are strong. The rod tip is firm but does give a good response. If you want to see a minnow sucking on your bait, this is not for you, but for catching snapper or khawai and similar swift firm biters, you’ll enjoy the sensation, see them easily and won’t worry about the rod breaking, just so long as you adjust your clutch from “Shark Mode”.
In essence, these are very good rods for the price, do what we need them to as “above novice” anglers and fit in your luggage with ease. I’m even considering putting one in my car all of the time for a bit of summer evening fishing in the UK. Yes, that’s how good they are.
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