# top bream rod ????



## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

im looking at buying a noice bream stick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thinking pro tactic 2-5 kg 7ft

t- curve spin 691 bream

studwick Nano - 2-4 kg 7 ft

team daiwa tiera or sol - 2- 4 kg 7 ft

pfluger trion tournament 2-5 kg 7.2 ft

all around the same price except for the tiera and pfluger which is $100 ish cheaper .

any thoughts . loomis are nice though they are to expensive for me .

maybe even a ian miller custom but again probably out of my budget .

craig


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## bigtez (Apr 14, 2009)

What sort of breaming are you doing? Plastics, Hard Bodies, bait etc


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

I have the 2 cheaper options, and in my humble opinion both are great (though I have never owned any of the higher priced options you mention, so perhaps don't take my advice)

Plfeuger is a great rod, though a bit soft in the butt section and i find is best suited to more open water and really finesse fishing&#8230; so breaming!! It goes well with a really light reel and 4lb or less line and is awesome with the ultra light <1/32oz jigs and sx40 and smaller HB's.

The Diawa has a stronger butt section and better pulling power. I still love this on bream and it is my choice around tough terrain. Recently on bass fishing missions I found the Plfeuger to be out gunned on the big fish in snags (50cm+) yet the Diawa did a better job simply due to the stronger bottom end. I would happily run heavier line on the Diawa (normal spool is 4lb, heavier is 8lb) to chase bigger species too.

If you want to go for the cheaper options, my call would be the Plfeuger if you fish flats and weed banks, and the Diawa if you fish snags and oyster leases more often. Dido that if you have a lighter or heavier reel (respectively speaking).

Then again&#8230;. Maybe I need to try these other lovelies you talk about!!!!!!


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

bigtez said:


> What sort of breaming are you doing? Plastics, Hard Bodies, bait etc


sp.s and hb.s .i want a soft tip with a stronger but section .

im liking my 1-3 kg outfit [ light ] running 2lb .so im lookinhg for a stronger outfit .

craig


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## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

I have the T Curve 691 and really like this rod but would not pay full price for it if it is the older T curve model. I got mine at Amart sale for $150 in October 2008. Despite the name of 'bream' on it, it's caught plenty of nice snapper ... although lately I've been using mine successfully on bream with the Sammy 65 lure but I always feel that the rod is in total control of the fight (ie over gunned)..

My only criticism is the cork twist-on reel seat which I suspect will eventually be the first thing to give out.


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## Booyah (Apr 26, 2009)

Im getting a couple of st croix rod in from the states, supposed to be top notch rods.

getting an 6'6 avid 4-8lb and a 7' premier 2-6lb

the avid is supposed to be a better rod $160 usd

postage is $45 for the two,

so the avid ends up costing about $200 aus...a similiar avid is priced at $450 through motackle..pretty good buy i reckon, but i haven't felt it so a bit of a gamble.


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

Booyah said:


> Im getting a couple of st croix rod in from the states, supposed to be top notch rods.
> 
> getting an 6'6 avid 4-8lb and a 7' premier 2-6lb
> 
> ...


COOL be sure to let us know what they are like

crfaig


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## bigtez (Apr 14, 2009)

craig51063 said:


> sp.s and hb.s .i want a soft tip with a stronger but section .


Given the price range of the rods in the 1st post (up to $310?)I would think it will be pretty hard to find a rod with a really fast taper to give you the soft tip and strong butt. Might be worth looking at higher grade 2nd hand rods. Could also be worth figuring out the short falls of your other outfit and try and get something that covers those areas.

Out of the ones listed I would go with the Daiwa Sol or Dropshot Pro Tactic. I have a Daiwa rod (Saltist LRF) at the moment and can't fault it. It has handled some pretty good fish so far, including a 45cm+ Bass. I wouldn't hesitate in buying another Daiwa. Also had a Dropshot a few years ago (1-3kg 6'6") and it accounted for quite a few impressive fish both while I had it and since. Unless Berkley have taken big leaps backwards in quality, I don't think you could go wrong with the PT.

Terry


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## schnappermanJNR (Oct 25, 2009)

i use a shimano raider rod and a stradic 2500 for all my estury fishing for bream and even for snapper in PPB.
Its got 6pound fins braid and i use 4pound leader

cheers
snaxx


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

bigtez said:


> craig51063 said:
> 
> 
> > sp.s and hb.s .i want a soft tip with a stronger but section .
> ...


I would agree with Terry, buying 2nd hand high modulus rods can be a bit fraught with danger (you don't know the rod has been treated, knocked around etc), but if you trust the buyer it is a great way of upgrading your purchase. I recently bought an as new $600+ Miller Rod for $320 from a well known breaming website and couldn't be happier with it, something to keep an eye out for. ;-)


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

Surpise surprise, I'm going to suggest a Millerod too! 8) 
You should be able to pick up a 6'9" Bream Buster Classic - I have one in my quiver, and it is a superb all round bream rod, brand new, for less than $500 - I think they are around 450 or so - but as Jason said, they do come up for sale second hand every now and then, and if I was looking for a 'top bream rod', I would certainly hold the cash in my hand for a little while and wait for one to come up second hand - or just bite the bullet and lash out on a brand newie. Once you've used a Millerod, you'll know what all the fuss is about - they really are fantastic rods which won't actually put more fish in your net (I'm yet to see a rod that guarantee's more fish ;-) ), but are an absolute pleasure to use....


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## forbs (May 20, 2008)

Yep love the bream busters. Also love my Samurai, also love my Hot Rods custom built rod. Can't really go wrong with the higher end rods as long as you know what you want i.e line class. I have a loomis DSR820 which is one of the cheaper loomis rods and it's brilliant. Just remember if you order from the Web check the length of the Butt section, if it's too long then it mnight get in the way of your legs whilst sitting in Scotty rod holders at the front. This is the only downfall of my Loomis which i had prior to my kayak. I don't want to shorten it in case it looses it's action/balance. Keep us informed Booyah about the St Croix rods i have a St Croix beach rod which is great. Seems like a good price and no one will argue there quality.


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## flicksticker (Sep 24, 2008)

For their price the 691 t-curve tournament bream is a great alround bream rod mate, mine gets used for almost all my breaming now. Even if its a little short for flats fishing, when you're around boats or snags it makes up for it with the grunt it has down near the butt however th tip is still nicely sensitive for little hardbodies.


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## Tablets (Oct 31, 2008)

Craig,

PM sent


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## timax (Oct 16, 2007)

1 more for the Bream Buster. Best rod I have ever used. Bought second hand also for $350. Looked as new .


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## 123SHARKY123 (Jan 15, 2008)

hi i know g loomis are expensive but they have a good warranty system even if you break it intentionally they will exchange it for you $140 something to think about


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## adventurenoob (Mar 26, 2009)

i just purchased a shimano raider 2 finesse bream and matched it to a daiwa td sol with 3 lb stren microfuse. . . . . vuuuury noice. awesome rod and reasonibly priced at 139


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

GregL said:


> Surpise surprise, I'm going to suggest a Millerod too! 8)
> You should be able to pick up a 6'9" Bream Buster Classic -...


NUP!



> i want a soft tip with a stronger but section .


The classic is a really ballsy rod, with a lot of power deep down in the bottom end of the blank. It's great for muscling fish out of tight structure, but I don't think it's such a great casting rod to use as an all rounder, and a couple of extra inches will really benefit you (Keep ya dirty mind on track too) especially when casting from a low position close to the water (ie: from a kayak)

If you want a good all rounder, have a look at the XF instead. A much better "finesse" style of rod, still with ample power, a more finely tapered tip, a faster action and a little longer!

The Millerods are quite heavy though by comparison to something like a Loomis, which is something to take into consideration if you are gonna be casting all day.

Also bear in mind when comparing rods, with Loomis if you break the thing at any stage (which does happen) you will get the rod replaced for a maximum of $150. If you break your Millerod, or any other brand for that matter, you have a broken rod!

I'm not recommending you run out and buy a Loomis here. I'm just suggesting you consider post purchase costs to compare apples with apples.

If I were to recommend a rod to you it would be the Black Diamond 2-5kg 7' Flats Ranger Custom Plus. But they aren't being made anymore, and there aint no way in hell I'd part with any of mine!

If budget is a factor, Daiwa are making some fantastic "off the shelf" rods these days, which are a damn site cheaper than the Loomis, The Millerods and the Black Diamonds, so don't overlook stuff like the SOL, TD Advantage, Zero, Heartland, Luvias. I wouldn't recommend the Tierra or lower specked rods though, as they are a bit ordinary.

If you intend looking at secondhand gear, be very very wary, and only purchase from people you trust, as a decent knock or a little bruise on the rod could cause a hairline or stress fracture, and the thing could explode when you load it up properly. When looking at graphite new is best!


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## pavo (Jul 14, 2009)

I brought a diawa luvias 4-8lb.701lfs to go with a stela 1000fd. awsome rod with a fast tapper and heaps of power to turn those big fish. you can cast small hard bodys a mile.It has the latest state of the art sica gides. For $350 off the rack i cant fault it. :lol: allso have a look at the range of lox rods.


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

Ranger said:


> The classic is a really ballsy rod, with a lot of power deep down in the bottom end of the blank. It's great for muscling fish out of tight structure, but I don't think it's such a great casting rod to use as an all rounder, and a couple of extra inches will really benefit you (Keep ya dirty mind on track too) especially when casting from a low position close to the water (ie: from a kayak)
> 
> If you want a good all rounder, have a look at the XF instead. A much better "finesse" style of rod, still with ample power, a more finely tapered tip, a faster action and a little longer!


Yeah I agree - I recommended the Classic as it is a fair whack cheaper - but yeah, my rod of choice will always be the XF, except when casting close range into structure - the reduced length gives greater accuracy.
If distance is the desire, then check out the Long Cast range. I've been using one for a few months now and absolutely love it.



> The Millerods are quite heavy though by comparison to something like a Loomis, which is something to take into consideration if you are gonna be casting all day.


Hmmm....I think that is a bit picky to be honest. Sure, a lighter rod is a lighter rod, but I honestly can't imagine those extra few grams making a whole load of difference to one's casting stamina unless they have an injury or pre-existing physical condition. I certainly haven't even thought about asking for a lighter rod, and have certainly put in many hundreds of hours of casting with them.



> Also bear in mind when comparing rods, with Loomis if you break the thing at any stage (which does happen) you will get the rod replaced for a maximum of $150. If you break your Millerod, or any other brand for that matter, you have a broken rod!


Its not quite all doom and gloom. If you do break your Millerod, it is more than likely that the guides and reel seat will still be intact. The broken rod can be sent back, have the fittings stripped and re-set on a new blank, which does work out very economical, and financially comparitive to the Loomis warranty.

Regards,
Greg


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

Ranger said:


> Also bear in mind when comparing rods, with Loomis if you break the thing at any stage (which does happen) you will get the rod replaced for a maximum of $150. If you break your Millerod, or any other brand for that matter, you have a broken rod!


Actually, it's not just Loomis that have this sort of guarantee - Nitro do a $60 replacement for any broken section, and LOX do it for $50. There may be other manufacturers that do it as well. I won't buy a good graphite rod that doesn't offer a warranty like this, as it is very easy to break a tip on high modulus graphite.

If you are looking for a slightly softer tip section with good butt strength, have a look at the LOX range. I was originally looking at the Nitro Vapor range ($439) and ended up buying the 7ft LOX 1-3kg. The rods are amazingly similar, and both have titanium SiC guides, but the LOX is just a little more flexible in the tip and VASTLY cheaper - list is around $240 and I got mine from Bluewater Tackle for $210, including a matching hard tube case. It's certainly a beautiful rod to fish with, ultra-light, and it casts like a dream compared with my el-cheapo graphites. Is the Nitro Vapor better? I can't say, but at half the price the LOX is hard to go past.

Cheers,


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

GregL said:


> > The Millerods are quite heavy though by comparison to something like a Loomis, which is something to take into consideration if you are gonna be casting all day.
> 
> 
> Hmmm....I think that is a bit picky to be honest. Sure, a lighter rod is a lighter rod, but I honestly can't imagine those extra few grams making a whole load of difference to one's casting stamina unless they have an injury or pre-existing physical condition. I certainly haven't even thought about asking for a lighter rod, and have certainly put in many hundreds of hours of casting with them.


Greg are you sponsored by Ian or just an avid fan?

While we're discussing the Millerods though, let's not forget the 6' Wharfie for really putting the muscle on fish in tight structure.

A few grams makes ALL the difference. It's why Ian uses a combination of both Sic and recoil guides on the rods to help keep the weight to a minimum. 
That's also why we look for the little 180-200 gram reels like the Airities and Steez instead of the heavy old 230-250 gram jobs like the SOLs and Tierras.

40-60 odd grams makes a hell of a difference over 2 days of constant casting. You honestly don't get a sore wrist, sore elbow or start throwing a few wild casts over 2 days of competing?

When you are down here at some stage for a tournament (possibly Feb) I'll show you what I mean in regards to the weight comparison and when I've got the time I'll grab the outfits and weigh the difference to give a better indication to all.

I find I tend to get a sore wrist after a few hours with the heavier rods from the constant flicking action with my wrist to drive the casts out with light weights.

Having said this, because I expect to give my gear a bit of a hard time while I'm still getting accustomed to the yak, I'm currently using the el cheapo Rack Raiders and Bream finesse in the kayak, which would have to be amongst the heaviest broomsticks out there! I'm not fishing 7 hours straight in a tournament though and then repeating it over again the next day. When I do I'll be changing to the lighter outfits. Kayak events are half day though arent they? 5 hours?

I think the real beauty of the Millerods (and other customs) is simply that they ARE custom made. You can choose all SIC's, all recoils, a combination of the two, you can choose the reel seat, and you can tell Ian exactly what you want in the rod and have it built on a blank of your choice accordingly.

Unfortunately, wherever you go to get custom work performed you will pay for the priveledge, and that's why it doesn't suit all users.

Some users are also let down with custom gear because they are presented with a very plain and bland, boring looking dark stick, but that is actually the whole point! You don't get fancy bindings, bells and whistles! The idea is to provide something built for a purpose, while keeping it as light as possible. No hook holders, no fancy fishie designs, no sparkly binding, just a quality build with top components, but if you want all the "bling" on a rod, maybe an off the rack rod is really what you are looking for.


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

mustrumr said:


> If you are looking for a slightly softer tip section with good butt strength, have a look at the LOX range. I was originally looking at the Nitro Vapor range ($439) and ended up buying the 7ft LOX 1-3kg. The rods are amazingly similar, and both have titanium SiC guides, but the LOX is just a little more flexible in the tip and VASTLY cheaper - list is around $240 and I got mine from Bluewater Tackle for $210, including a matching hard tube case. It's certainly a beautiful rod to fish with, ultra-light, and it casts like a dream compared with my el-cheapo graphites. Is the Nitro Vapor better? I can't say, but at half the price the LOX is hard to go past.


I recently had a look at the LOX rods in my local. I haven't had the chance to use one yet, but I think they might be set to storm the market for a well priced off the shelf rod which can compete with the top shelf gear.


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

> Greg are you sponsored by Ian or just an avid fan?


Originally just an avid fan, but for the last year, totally stoked, and officially sponsored fishing all tournaments exclusively with Millerods - and still an avid fan (weird if I wasn't!)

To be honest, I finish a two day yak comp (which are 7 hours) with no degredation to my wrist or elbow, or accuracy - although the legs may well be knackered.
I personally still think that the weight of the reel is what will make more difference to your wrist/elbow than the weight of the rod, as you've got that concentrated weight right in your hand all day. I use Stella 1000fd's - so nice and light - and have no issues, but before I went top shelf, I was using 2000 TD advantages/ excellor plus etc also with no major drama's, although the rods never felt particularly well balanced - and I suppose in time, I may have developed a bit of soreness.
But really, if someone is serious about getting a top shelf rod, one assumes that they would know their shit and will probably be matching a decent and light reel anyway - or else its going to be like driving a Ferrari around with four flat tyres and a tank of diesel.

Ian does use combo's of Sic and recoils, but also runs full Sics. All of my rods have the combo Sic/ Recoils, but the one (another XF) he's doing for me at the moment will be all Sic's (going to be a 'fully sic rod' :lol: ) as I am keen to see the difference, and also avoid those occasional insane Recoil knots when fishing in 20knts. I'll be able to put this rod right next to the other and see how it performs.

At the end of the day, you and probably many others get sore after a prolonged session or two, and I and also probably many others don't. Its just the way it is. 
My point is that unless someone's asking whether to buy a glass rod or a graphite rod, and without mentioning if they fatigue or not, the weight of the stick is certainly no where near as relevant an issue to take into consideration than the weight of the reel.

Just my honest opinion.
Look forward to catching up when we hit SA.

Regards,
Greg


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

ended up with a pro tactic 7 ft 2-5 kg [ a bit heavy but i wanted some stopping power for bigger species ] nice so now im looking round at reels ,[good advice there greg l ] probably a 2500 .i remember the abt i fished at narrabeen my arms and shoulders were very sore the day after the comp but then again i fished hard for all of that week using mainly a 1-3kg berkley dropshot and a 1000 shimano .

theres better rods out there and obviously theres worse rods out there BUT i liked the feel of this rod in the shop . its light- strong and affordable .

i seem to be leanning towards berkly rods as my main rods now are 1-3 kg berkley dropshot a 2-5 kg pro tactic and a 8-10kg tournament pro .

anyway there u go

craig


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## Saltiga5 (May 15, 2009)

Top bream rod - Nitro Vapor

http://www.innovatorrods.com/nitro-index.html


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