The first thing I did since returning from Chile was to find a new travel rod to replace my broken Savagear Roadrunner. Being extremely happy with my Spro Mobile Stick 80UL, I looked for something in the same range but with a faster action and heavier power. It didn't take me long to settle on the Mobile Stick 80MH Dropshot/mini crank (2.40m, 3-20gr). It took me a while to locate it, but after finding it on an e-shop in Germany, I duly ordered it...
the rod arrived within a few days and I was dying to try it out. On first impression it comes in a minimalist cloth bag with individual compartments and nothing more. But it is really tiny for a rod of this length. Shorter than the Savagear Roadrunner even though the latter was a foot shorter! Something that its very important for me as I can put the rod in the hand-luggage at the airplane...
I got my chance to use the rod a couple days ago in loch Fyne. I paired it with my newly serviced Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 and I must say it felt pretty good in the hand.
Straight away I could see that it has a very different action to the almost parabolic 80UL. Much faster and with a stiffer tip as well.
The tide was going out and it was sunny but cold. I started the day by casting 7g metals but after only getting a couple knocks I switched to a 2.5 pearl white Lucky John Troutino (slim whip-tail) on a #4 offset hook and a 7g cheburashka. From the off I got bumps OTD and for the first time in the season I found the fish tightly shoaled and way off the bottom. I started retrieving at the number where I was getting bites (countdown) and soon enough got catching small pollock one after the other.
After missing a few bites, I switched to a plain 5g jighead and put on the same lure , in order to increase hook ups and as there was no fear of snagging up.
This did the job well and I caught a shed-load of small pollock.
You can see the action of the rod in the video below.
After having enough of the little pollock, I switched to a variety of larger lures and got a slightly better fish on a stickbait mounted on a 3.5g Texas jighead. I then tried 4"+ curly/ripple tails on heavy cheburashka (14-16gr) hoping for some better fish. After loads of casts and only limited interest from more small fish I finally got two bites from something better but in both cases the line was cut soon after.
Throughout the day the rod performed well, working lures from 5-16g and casting them a good way. The tip is not solid (so I don't really understand why the rod has dropshot in its features) but very fast and transmits the bites very well. I would have liked it a bit softer (working with softplastics and all) but I'm thinking that it will be ideal for blades soon enough and also other hardbaits. Thus all in all a true all rounder, which is what a good travel rod should be!
I'm expecting great things from this rod and I hope it gives me as much enjoyment as its lighter counterpart that has been truly great value for money.
Tight lines!
Gear used.
Rod: Spro Mobile Stick 80MH
Reel: Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f
Mainline: Duel Hardcore X4 PE 0.8
Leader: YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 8lbs.
Lures: 2.5" Lucky John Troutino, various others.
the rod arrived within a few days and I was dying to try it out. On first impression it comes in a minimalist cloth bag with individual compartments and nothing more. But it is really tiny for a rod of this length. Shorter than the Savagear Roadrunner even though the latter was a foot shorter! Something that its very important for me as I can put the rod in the hand-luggage at the airplane...
I got my chance to use the rod a couple days ago in loch Fyne. I paired it with my newly serviced Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 and I must say it felt pretty good in the hand.
Straight away I could see that it has a very different action to the almost parabolic 80UL. Much faster and with a stiffer tip as well.
The tide was going out and it was sunny but cold. I started the day by casting 7g metals but after only getting a couple knocks I switched to a 2.5 pearl white Lucky John Troutino (slim whip-tail) on a #4 offset hook and a 7g cheburashka. From the off I got bumps OTD and for the first time in the season I found the fish tightly shoaled and way off the bottom. I started retrieving at the number where I was getting bites (countdown) and soon enough got catching small pollock one after the other.
After missing a few bites, I switched to a plain 5g jighead and put on the same lure , in order to increase hook ups and as there was no fear of snagging up.
This did the job well and I caught a shed-load of small pollock.
 |
| First of many... |
 |
| The little Troutino lure did a good job... |
 | |
| The biggest of the day on a stickbait. |
 |
| The rod... |
You can see the action of the rod in the video below.
After having enough of the little pollock, I switched to a variety of larger lures and got a slightly better fish on a stickbait mounted on a 3.5g Texas jighead. I then tried 4"+ curly/ripple tails on heavy cheburashka (14-16gr) hoping for some better fish. After loads of casts and only limited interest from more small fish I finally got two bites from something better but in both cases the line was cut soon after.
Throughout the day the rod performed well, working lures from 5-16g and casting them a good way. The tip is not solid (so I don't really understand why the rod has dropshot in its features) but very fast and transmits the bites very well. I would have liked it a bit softer (working with softplastics and all) but I'm thinking that it will be ideal for blades soon enough and also other hardbaits. Thus all in all a true all rounder, which is what a good travel rod should be!
I'm expecting great things from this rod and I hope it gives me as much enjoyment as its lighter counterpart that has been truly great value for money.
Tight lines!
Gear used.
Rod: Spro Mobile Stick 80MH
Reel: Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f
Mainline: Duel Hardcore X4 PE 0.8
Leader: YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 8lbs.
Lures: 2.5" Lucky John Troutino, various others.
