Post by anglingsaxon on Feb 13, 2008 10:32:24 GMT
I'm not an expert on rods, but thought I'd write a bit about my new Daiwa TD Surfbreaker 12 foot for multiplier. You don't have to read it.
My old rod is a very cheap one which I got last June just to start me off fishing again. I generally get out 50 - 70 yards depending on conditions. It claims to have a casting range of 3 1/2 to 10 ounces so I haven't a clue what it's really meant for!
So I couldn't wait to get something a bit more proper. When the Daiwa arrived I thought I'd check it out and put it together. It felt very nice, and I couldn't wait to try it. However when I tried to separate the join it was absolutely jammed and no amount of trying could separate the sections.
Most of my friends don't consider me a muppet (that's why they're my friends) but I have moments. I had no tools to hand so I could only use a pair of scissors with a nutcracker type bit in the handle. I wrapped layers of paper around the rod to protect it and tried to twist the two halves apart, but the teeth bit more than I thought they would and I put a nice scratch around the rod.
Only cosmetic, and it was still jammed. I tried the same again with a mouse mat added to the padding and eventually got it separated.
Is this normal for that type of join? Should I have done something first? I sprayed it with WD40 and added a bit of grease for good measure, but I worried about jamming it on the beach with fishy fingers.
My other rod has a socket which fits snugly with the other bit which has a rubber seal. When taking it apart the rubber slides out of the female bit and pops out with a sound like a wine cork (can I mention rubber and female bits on this site?). The Daiwa seems a bit graunchy. Is it supposed to wear in or is something missing?
Anyway, on the beach I tried it out with straight forward overhead casts. Compared to my other rod the tip is quite flexible, and I wondered how it would perform. The bend moves nicely down the top half, and I now know what 'loading the rod' means. I can actually feel it happening much more during the cast, and when it unwinds I can feel the rod 'helping' to throw the lead out.
I think it has a lovely action and with the same effort and technique as the old rod got out to 80 yards plus (F3 head/crosswind). I didn't really cane it at all because my reel is also new (orange mag) and as I'm having a bit of an accident prone phase, I took it easy.
I'm sure with practice I will easily get out into the codling zone (I know theyr'e all gone but I mean next time).
I packed up (the halves separated easily), and went home a very happy angler.
I think if you are upgrading to a rod around the £100-plus mark this rod is definitely worth considering. It put a smile on my face anyway. Just don't do anything silly.
My old rod is a very cheap one which I got last June just to start me off fishing again. I generally get out 50 - 70 yards depending on conditions. It claims to have a casting range of 3 1/2 to 10 ounces so I haven't a clue what it's really meant for!
So I couldn't wait to get something a bit more proper. When the Daiwa arrived I thought I'd check it out and put it together. It felt very nice, and I couldn't wait to try it. However when I tried to separate the join it was absolutely jammed and no amount of trying could separate the sections.
Most of my friends don't consider me a muppet (that's why they're my friends) but I have moments. I had no tools to hand so I could only use a pair of scissors with a nutcracker type bit in the handle. I wrapped layers of paper around the rod to protect it and tried to twist the two halves apart, but the teeth bit more than I thought they would and I put a nice scratch around the rod.
Only cosmetic, and it was still jammed. I tried the same again with a mouse mat added to the padding and eventually got it separated.
Is this normal for that type of join? Should I have done something first? I sprayed it with WD40 and added a bit of grease for good measure, but I worried about jamming it on the beach with fishy fingers.
My other rod has a socket which fits snugly with the other bit which has a rubber seal. When taking it apart the rubber slides out of the female bit and pops out with a sound like a wine cork (can I mention rubber and female bits on this site?). The Daiwa seems a bit graunchy. Is it supposed to wear in or is something missing?
Anyway, on the beach I tried it out with straight forward overhead casts. Compared to my other rod the tip is quite flexible, and I wondered how it would perform. The bend moves nicely down the top half, and I now know what 'loading the rod' means. I can actually feel it happening much more during the cast, and when it unwinds I can feel the rod 'helping' to throw the lead out.
I think it has a lovely action and with the same effort and technique as the old rod got out to 80 yards plus (F3 head/crosswind). I didn't really cane it at all because my reel is also new (orange mag) and as I'm having a bit of an accident prone phase, I took it easy.
I'm sure with practice I will easily get out into the codling zone (I know theyr'e all gone but I mean next time).
I packed up (the halves separated easily), and went home a very happy angler.
I think if you are upgrading to a rod around the £100-plus mark this rod is definitely worth considering. It put a smile on my face anyway. Just don't do anything silly.
