# Silstar Crystal Tips, are they any good???



## Guest (Aug 26, 2007)

After my recent trips where I have managed to break two graphite rods, I was wanting to get a fibreglass rod, maybe they can handle a bit more bad treatment from me. 

So does anyone rate Silstar rods, I think their called Power/crystal tips or something like that?

Or can anyone offer an alternative, remembering that I am on a budget?

Cheers


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Sel I've had both a light beach rod and a 6' boat rod in Silstar brand and happy with the quality and will take a hiding OK.

Was going to get a Crystal tip one time but something else was on special so I grabbed that instead, but they will tie into a pretzel without breaking, a mate has one


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

For casting and flicking plastics on light gear, IMO nothing beats carbon rods. I too have broken at least 4 tips so far and there is nothing worse than spending over $100 on a rod and breaking the tip on the first outing. I just buy cheap ones now. They seem to work just as well and you can pick them up on special and on eBay for less than $40.

I dont own any crystal tips but have similar glass rods and there just not as good, too heavy and the tips are too bouncy (for want of a better word). Any way that's my opinion. If any one knows of a light glass rod that performs as good as a carbon for flicking plastics I would love to know.


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## Dave73 (Dec 3, 2006)

Hi Sel, If its the Powertip you mean then your on to a very tough rod.. I have one rated approx 6-8kg, caught many a king and ***** on it. Just a bit solid, which is want you want really. I dont know why I dont use it anymore, it is just up there on the rack and I grab other rods these days. (which by the way prob' cost a lot more money and havent resulted in any more fish than I used to catch!!!)
Mine is one piece and from memory is black with red/orange bindings. If you want I can check on the exact model for you.

I've looked at the crystal blue tips also, my guy at the tackle shop turned me off them for what I was after. Though for bait fishing I reckon they'd be a pretty good allrounder.

Breaking rods is a bummer, you've got the right idea in finding something which can handle whatever you dish out to it... :? :? :lol:

cheers Dave


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

> as well as a bunch of shimano rods on sale, finishes at the end of August though.


Sel
The graphite on special in my earlier reply, was as Gra described above, at All sports $65 reduced from $120


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2007)

Dodge said:


> > as well as a bunch of shimano rods on sale, finishes at the end of August though.
> 
> 
> Sel
> The graphite on special in my earlier reply, was as Gra described above, at All sports $65 reduced from $120


Nah

I'm not buying graphite again, as much as I want to, they are too weak in the tip, very fragile. Where it broke on both rods the graphite was lucky to be 2mm thick.  The graphite on all these rods are out of china, I really think the graphite is not up too standard.

I'm only using cheap rods now, that way I don't have a coronary when they break. 

Cheers


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

MacFish said:


> The graphite on all these rods are out of china, I really think the graphite is not up too standard.


Sel

If you prefer graphite but have a doubt as to quality, why not buy a brand name blank and have it custom made to your specifications...not very pricey if you do without all the pretty stuff, or do it yourself


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Hi Dodge these are a great little rod not mcuh chop for tossing light sps but great allrounders the rods are very similar if not identical to the original ugly stick. I had the same hassle with a graphite rod yesterday breaking the last 2 runners worth of rod off my dropshot (bye bye $100) so I am going to use fibreglass rods as much as possible off the kayak. I recently picked up 2 silstar rods at a garage sale for around $5 each which will now be put to good use. I was pretty p-----d off that the dropshot snapped as i was only fishing 12lb on it (4lb drag) when the fish made a late run under the kayak i was trying to put the rod under the kayak to stop the line rubbing on the hull when the sound of snapping graphite rang out.


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Just noticed the bit about the shakespeare rods I used one of those for a long time and found it to be a great sp rod got it at anaconda for $29 on sale


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## Nodds (Feb 28, 2007)

G,day Sel,

Iv'e got a 6kg-8kg silstar power tip 7' one piece light action (cp70ssl)and it has handled a few good quality fish and a lot of misstreatment ( uesing it to bash lures out of trees and sticking it tip first under water to knock snaged lures off submerged rocks and timber )

It's a great rod for drifting over snapper grounds, casting metals or soft plastics on heavier jigs at bait schools, even tossing ganged pillies at kingies off the rocks but it's no spin rod not by a long shot. So if you want a rod to cast and retrive with they are not for you but if you want a tough reliable work horse that can take a beating and handle big fish on a low budget then I'd give em a go. just my thoughts.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

sitonit said:


> so I am going to use fibreglass rods as much as possible off the kayak. .


I only have the one graphite rod in boat sizes and am just as happy with glass in my hands, if fishing 4lb I use the glass outfit and 6lb is the graphite rod and never bother swapping the reels.

Can notice a weight difference over a period but not enough to bother me at any stage.

Being a cynic, when the Silstars first came out I said to a mate they probably were out of the same factory as ugly sticks :wink:


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

never thought about a warranty claim i will be down theb tackle shop tomorrow morning bits and cap i hand


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

I am trying and it looks good guys at the tackle shop reckon it shouldnt be a drama. Thanks for the idea GRA i was resigned to the fact that i was swallowing the loss  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Sel,

You're spooky. I bought one of these from A-Mart Allsports a couple of months ago without knjowing anything about them. Have only used it up at Inskip Point tossing lures at dart and tailor. Not a bad medium sized rod. really haven't used it since. Probably a good boat rod or for throwing large lures.

Recently bought a PFleuger (can't remember the model) 2-piece 7foot 2kg-4kg graphite spinning softplastic rod for landbased tossing lures for lizards. Hope to give it a run this Saturday. It was on special for $79 (down from $100). A bit long for the yak though.

Cheers,

Pete


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Pete

I use a 7' pflueger spin rod from my yak, mines a one piece but it is my favorite rod now i have a 6' pfleuger too.

I have broken a couple of the cheap kmart jobs doing the same fishing but the pfluegers take a fair bit of punishment. I haven't had a good look at the silstar but was thinking of one for my overhead rig.

Cheers Dave


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Hey Dave,

Took the new Pflueger Trion out yesterday for it's first run. Was throwing SP's from the bank for lizards. Seemed to go well. Still not sold on the short butt handle tho. Nice light feel. Will give it a go on the yak - but me thinks it might be too long for casting from the ya tho. But we'll see.

I had to buy the new one, as I broke my expensive Shogun 6' 6" 2-piece spin rod last month casting poppers. Got it caught on another rod in the back swing and snapped the tip off it. Very sad indeed. It cost me $180 in 2001.

Cheers,

Pete


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

pete too long for the yak? I wont use anything under 6'6" in the yak and prefer 7' to 7'6" . I like to be able to get the rod tip around the bow if a fish darts to the side. the extra length also gives you a bit more casting distance. why do you think it would be too long for the yak???

Lee


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Lee,

My comment was more relating to casting lures with a long rod and particularly the back-swing of the cast and hitting the water etc. behind me. Can be quite disconcerting when you hit the water behind on the back-swing. It can really put your tempo out.

Don't get me wrong - I like the longer rods for a lot of the points you mentioned. And I like the idea of long rods for trolling (to give you a wider spread of lures away from the boat wash/noise). What sh#ts me is hitting the water behind the ya on the backswing with the rod tip or lure, which puts me out of rythm.

I'm going to give the 7 foot Pflueger a try and see how it goes (particularly for trolling.. I've got a 6 foot Silstar pistol grip which is a good length for casting on the yak. I've been using this with the hybrid Shogun butt + Diawa tip (personally created 2-piece spinning). After I broke the Shogun's tip I noticed the reel seat on the 2-pce baitcaster had cracked - so I made the one rod out of the 2 of them which actually turned out well (albeit a little stiffer tip now). The Diawa rod was a 4 to 8 kg rod, the Shogun was a 2 to 4 kg rod. The hybrid's turned out to be a 6 foot rod now. You'll see it in action at Borumba. She's beaut!

Pete


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

fair enough pete, your casting technique must be vastly different to mine, I have and do use 10ft sloppy rods for my whiting fishing from the yak and never hit the water. I would say 75% of my fishing is cast and retrieving lures and my go to rod is my 7'6" Raider bream finesse. and yeh I totally get where your coming from with the trolling I like 2 rods at least 7' it just gives you that spread and you can make a wide turn while still trolling

Lee


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey guys,
If looking at the Silstars check out the Crystal Blue range, they are one set up from the Crystal Tips and are lighter than the Crystals, I bought one a few months ago as my 'heavy' 20lb outfit for the yak and it is fantastic, in many ways better than my Graphic flick stick which is a Daiwa Procaster X, also a great rod.
Southerly


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Lee,

I think I just get a little tired and that contributes to me getting sloppy in the backswing ( a bit like my golf).

I created a poll in Tackle Talk and it seems most like the longer rods. Particularly for casting light lures and if the fish moves from side to side to get past the nose of the yak.

Cheers,

Pete


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

The conclusion to my broken rod incident happened today and what a great outcome, initially I didnt even consider trying to get the rod replaced under warranty but after reading gra's post I returned the rod to Jones's my local tackle store where i had purchased it and they were helpful as usual and said they would give the rod to the rep next time he came which they did unfortunately it was going to be a while until he returned so today when I went to buy some lures and check on the rod the store replaced the rod from their own stock with the series 2 model which is newer and a touch more money.   .
So not only did they help me with some new lure choices for chasing Mackerel this summer but they went out of their way to help me. I am a big fan of shopping online and will continue to be but today reminded me of why I still like to go into my local tackle shop, lots of good advice and the kind of service you only get face to face.


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

A great result, Sitonit. Yeah always get friendly assistance at Jones' Tackle.


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