The desire to have a new jigging rod risen since sometime back, as I feel the current PE3 rod I have does not have sufficient backbone for me to pump a hook-set fish effectively. I asked around and checked around, eventually thought that I shall try a Tenryu Jig-zam 6'3" PE2-5 rod and see what can I get from it.
I prefer a longer jigging rod as I need bigger rod displacement to swim the jig out. The current PE3 rod at the length of 5'6" has no problem to work out a typical 150g jig with typical length of 5", but when I need a 200g jig which is longer, I am not convince with that 5'6" rod, I can create a sufficient displacement to work out the jig.
After survey and opinion-asking, I think most likely I will pair it with a Twinpower 8000 PG, loaded with PE4 line.
(Sep 7'09 - I went to tackle shop namely Kepong last week and got a visual check and feel on one Twinpower 8000 PG. All I could say about the reel is, it is enormously huge. I have a look at old version STELLA 6000 but the line capacity is smaller than what I need. I am therefore still looking for something suitable to pair it with Tenryu 2-5.
Sep 19'09 - I search and compare, finally match the Tenryu 2-5 with a "enormously huge" Twinpower 8000 PG. Shall wait for a week or so to see how is the couple work together)
As for the new bottom rod, it is a custom rod built by the renown rod builder, Darul, on a SEEKER 30-80lb blank.
Months back, during one of the anglers chat, I told my fishing buddy Ryan that I still yet to experience the performance of a custom bottom rod. I use most factory rods from Shakepeare so far and I really don't know what is missing. Though I am generally satisfied with these bottom rods in my angchor and kuay kow fishing, it would be good if I can discover something new from a custom bottom rod. Ryan further told that he is going to bring in few SEEKER blanks and if I am interested, he will get Darul to wrap one for me.
"why not huh...?" I was so self-asked, and the custom rod deal was then set.
If I remember it correctly, it was set on May, 2009. Ryan proceed with the buying and logistics stuff obviously without telling much to me, and the next time we talked about this rod, it was 2 weeks ago and he said "your bottom rod will be ready in 1 or 2 weeks time".
So the bottom rod is now standing at the small corner in my home. 7' in length, AFTCO rod seat and the first impression I have while holding it was "it is heavy!!". There is no blink blink about the rod at all, guides were wrapped in a very simple and perhaps dull manner. Guides at tip portion were wrapped with orange color strings while black strings at the portion nearer to the butt. This is needed to give better visibility at the tip portion, when the background is dark.
Shall wait for approximately a month to see what these rods got to tell me ...
I brought the new 2 rods to my end September trip in Jarak waters. We did not do much night bottom fishing at whopper spot but rather at safe area near to Malaysia waters. Therefore there was no chance to test the limit of the seeker rod. As for the Tenryu 2-5, I got a blacktip who came for the elcheapo jig, and got some fun with it. Sweet rod, good lifting power, but I guess a 15kg-ish blacktip is yet to stress the rod to its limit.
