# CHOICES! Abu Garcia, Pfleuger, Shimano Rod.



## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

Alright guys, i'm gonna have a little bit of cash to throw around this christmas, and i've just got a new Shimano Aernos 2500 reel. 
I'm mainly a lure fisho, and i'm looking for a new rod to suit the new reel, and i've narrowed my choice down to three.
The Abu Garcia Soron Spin 6"6 model in 3-5 Kg
The Pfleuger Trion Spin 7" model in 2-4 kg (One piece) cork grips. VERY SEXY LOOKING  
and the infamous Shimano Raider Mexican fire, Most likely the estuary raider, 3-5 Kg i think it is.

probably matching the reel and rod up with some 6 Pound fireline, mainly intended for chasing bream, flathead, the odd little trev in the marina and whatever freaky Bi-Catch i come across :lol:

My mate has a Shimano Raider, and i've had a muck around with it and enjoy the feel of the rod and what not, however, i have no experience with the other two.... 
so fellow AKFF'ers, what experience do you have with these rods, any key issues or flaws in them that you know of? 
how do they fair Durability wise? 
Pros and Cons are what i'm after people 

I greatly appreciate any advice given. 
CHEERS!!

Lachy.


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## RackRaider (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd choose the RackRaider, heaps of people say that the grips split, the reel seat is flimsy but i haven't encountered these problems, most of the time its probably wear and tear. I have used the Trion but not the Abu, I prefer the raider and even though its a little bit (if using tournament series) more i reckon it'll serve you better.


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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

hay buddy rackraider pretty much has it right.

i loved my trion but i broke the tip off in a mangrove , brought another and detipped that as well (these were 2 to4 kg rods)

i had a raider for years and that thing has been stepped on smacked around and has not broken and i just got another mexican something or other (i dont pay much attantion) raider. i got that home and discovered it was for a baitcaster (had the pistol grip) so it went straight back and got swapped for the spin one i needed.  

anyway whilst i always preferred pfleuger gear i'm now sold on raiders despite the fact the grips fall apart after about 2 trips. doesnt affect em though, and you could probably hit em with some sort of cork protectant.

i think the trion comes in a 7 and 8 ft. would be an awesome whiting rod especially in the 1 to 3 kg as tyhe tip is so fine. but like i say the raider is more robust.

geez now ive almost talked myself into geting another trion 

ive got 4 lb finns on mine, thats cause i'm allergic to fireline though it probably makes good dental floss or may even be useful as an anchor rope


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## smaas (Oct 5, 2009)

G'day mate. one of my 'Go to' rods is the Pfleuger Trion in 1-3kg love it!
Can cast some really lite lures and still enough strength to stick it to some decent fish!
I find it has a nice whip for flicking lightly weighted plastics arond.

Cheers Steve.


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

I'm happy to put in a vote for the soron, I have the same one you are looking at and have been fishing it fairly hard with plastics. I am very happy with it and its getting me some good sweetlip lately. Cheers, Dave.


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## headoffatness (Jan 7, 2010)

The trions are wicked little rod for the money. Been using the 6'6 2-4kg for the past two years and havent had any dramas at all. Use it for my light bream combo... BUTTTTT has landed some decent snapper and bent it all most double this arvo on a 55cm kingy.

havent owned a rackraider, but for the same sort of money the berkley dropshot range is also an option...


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

Alright, thanks for that guys, i'm tipping towards the trion at the moment.

if targeting bream though, would a 3-6 kg rod, fitted with a aernos 2500 with 6 lb fireline be acceptable, providing i had a relatively light flurocarbon leader? 
seeing as though finesse seems to be the approach to lure fishing bream..


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## warren63 (Apr 16, 2009)

Ive got three trions so i love them, highly recommend them


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## breamfish (May 19, 2009)

My vote is for the raider but 3-6kg is a bit of overkill for bream i would be looking into the 2-4 or the 1-3kg


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## pat1992 (Nov 29, 2009)

in my opinion you'd be much better off with a 1-3kg or a 2-4 at the most, helps cast light lures, is more sensitive and is alot more fun


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

yeaa, I assumed that a lower weight rating would be more suitable for bream, but i chase flathead and the odd trev in marinas and what not, so it's kinda gotta be an 'all rounder' rod for me. 
that's why i'm leaning towards the 3-6kg outfit...

with that said, I wouldn't have much trouble with breaming providing that i have a light flurocarbon leader right?

Cheers.


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## Plasman (Aug 27, 2008)

Lachy said:


> I wouldn't have much trouble with breaming providing that i have a light flurocarbon leader right?


The biggest issue would be casting the ultra light lures and plastics that you need to use for Bream at times but for larger lures it would be fine.

A 2-4kg stick would be a good allrounder and I've seen Warren63 nail a couple of good GT's on his Trions comfortably. When I owned my stinker back down Newcastle, I used to catch everything from Whiting to Rat Kings on my 2-4kg starlo stick running 4lb fireline.

I personally prefer the Berkley Dropshots which I own 2 rods in 1-3kg 6ft6in running 4lb braid that you can pick up for $70 at Anaconda when on special (usually once a month). These things have some guts to them ;-)

Hope I haven't confused the situation :lol:

Goodluck


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

thanks for the advice, i'm pretty sure i'm going to purchase a 2-4kg Trion now... 
One last question.

Scenario; Flicking 3 Inch plastics for flathead. I hook a jew or mangrove jack, maybe even a large estuary cod.
Will a 2-4 kg 'Stick it' To the fish, would a 2-4 kg handle a large cod or jew? 
seeing as though, i'm generally an estuary fisherman.

This rod really has to be an all rounder for me.

CHEERS! 
p.s Sorry about all the questions, just wanna make sure i'm buying the right gear for me.


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## sarod420 (Sep 25, 2009)

If i was you i would go for a 1-3kg as opposed to getting something heavier with the hope of one day hooking the "big one", with a lighter rod you will be able to cast the lighter lures and it if you are patient in the way you fight a fish shouldnt have to much trouble landing something on the larger side with it.
I have always found with a lighter rod you fell more of the small bumps and taps and in turn end up hooking more fish, start light and if you find you start to find concentrations of bigger fish save up for a second slightly heavier outfit.
For the price the 1-3kg Berkley Dropshot are fantastic rods i use mine as my all round plastics rod and have caught everything from bream and whiting, an 80cm flatty and couple of rat kings.


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

yeaa, i see where you're coming from, but the one thing that REALLY worries me is getting smoked by the big one...
it's happened a few times before, and nothing really gets under my skin, i'm a real laid back person, and a decent angler. Excuse my modesty. 
:lol: 
but, when i get pinged by the big one, or hook that unstoppable on my favourite lure, it really p*sses me off.


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## sarod420 (Sep 25, 2009)

Lachy said:


> yeaa, i see where you're coming from, but the one thing that REALLY worries me is getting smoked by the big one...
> it's happened a few times before, and nothing really gets under my skin, i'm a real laid back person, and a decent angler. Excuse my modesty.
> :lol:
> but, when i get pinged by the big one, or hook that unstoppable on my favourite lure, it really p*sses me off.


Isn't that half the excitement of fishing?


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

i've heard so many people say this, but I find SO much excitement, in landing the 'big one' and usually' releasing it.. depending on species..


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## sarod420 (Sep 25, 2009)

Just remember fish light and you will hook more fish. You have to hook them to lose them!


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

you make a good point! 
i've decided to go with a 2-4 kg Trion. 
some 6 pound fireline and alternate my FC leader between 4 and 10 pounds depending on target species. 
matched with my new Shimano Aernos 2500 SP reel.


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## RangiRocks (Mar 19, 2009)

Gotta check out the Berkley Dropshots

Cheaper and better I reckon


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## jondogg (Sep 2, 2010)

> Cheaper and better I reckon


I don't think Lachy is too keen on the berkleys now, last one he had snapped when it was in a half horseshoe :lol:


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

wasn't even half a horse show worth of bend... 
i later found out that the rod, was made by abu garcia but is marketed as berkley... 
still... it was a complete piece of shit...
but Pfleuger and shimano make some great rods... and i'm sure berkley do as well... just not for me... :lol:


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## Plasman (Aug 27, 2008)

Lachy said:


> wasn't even half a horse show worth of bend...
> i later found out that the rod, was made by abu garcia but is marketed as berkley...
> still... it was a complete piece of shit...
> but Pfleuger and shimano make some great rods... and i'm sure berkley do as well... just not for me... :lol:


Was that the Gen III? I've heard some horror stories about the earlier ones but as they say "once bitten twice shy" so regardless you're better off going with confidence. If you got a dropshot it'd be like being with a woman that did the dirty on you :lol: good fun but never trust it :lol:

I had my gen III loaded to the nuts on a stingray at the last KFT for 20mins hoping it was a big Golden Trev (knew it wasnt :twisted: ) and it performed great.


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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

nahh it was a challenger, one of the lower end rods, however, still... it had great feel, sensitivity, it's just the structural integrity of the rod was complete shit :lol:


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## jake1996bream (Dec 8, 2010)

My vote is definatly for trion tournament 2-5 kg a beuty of a rod and cant fault i shows up a strudwick sicstick.
go to tackle world and ask them to order one in if they dont have any in stock. $130 eva grips feather light.
Jake


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## pokeatyou2 (Mar 7, 2010)

daiwa steez tornado with 2004 steez spin reel and
daiwa steez thunder storm with 2508 steez spin reel these are my weapons of choice


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