shimano exage 3050

[Phil Dean]

I know this has been discussed before but i've just had a play with above rod at my local tackle shop (£69.99), I was a bit concerned that it would be inappropriate for trying to take larger fish from the beach.

I have an exage 350 which I've had salmon and carp on, is iit worth risking that or do I spend the money (of which there's little left having saved up for the holiday)

[Stephen Hull]

Phil

I have been using a Shimano Beastmaster 300/330 out here and it is great for taming big tarpon - you just have to make sure you've got a good clutch on your reel and it is properly set before battle commences. I think the Exage is similar to the Beastmaster but it may be a bit lighter?

My advice is to pay as much attention to the reel as to the rod. If you are interested in tarpon you need a big spool that can hold at least 200m of 30lb braid plus some backing. It also needs good gears and a smooth clutch. I have been impressed with the Penn liveliner series (CLL 500 and 600s) but there are probably many others that would suit.

Steve

[Mike Northcott]

Steve is quite right the reel is paramount.

I have fished with 6 or 7 friends in 5 trips over the past 4 years and we have had several reels give up the ghost, even with bone fish and permit let alone Tarpon and Jacks. UK fishing is fine with 'cheap' fixed spool reels through to good quality shimano baitrunners but even the shimanos don't last long with tarpon, although three of us have Shimano 10000's which we have used for 4 years without problem - heavier with metal body but handle not so good

I used a shimano 5000 baitrunner for 2 years and landed tarpon up to 45lb on 12 lb mono but it then died on me, so we all use Penn reels, now either the 5600L or 6500L or increasingly the SS series 5500, 6500, 7500 8500 etc as they have a proven track record and less to go wrong than the liveliners

lighter line is more fun but scary 18-20lb bs safe lower option, 30lb about right as there are plenty of 45-65lbers about. Snap offs rare but line cutting through on coral is unfortunately common.

Hope you have a ball

Mike




Best wishes for a

[Phil Dean]

cheers guys much appreciated.

my multiplier technique is, shall we same, less than satisfactory, it may be that I need to practice my casting at home before venturing out, however as my father in law is a serious caster, sourcing the reel may be possible.

[Mike Northcott]

Phil - all of the models quoted are fixed spool, multipliers would be fine/ give more control, but as the live baits are small, usually, casting any distance with anything other than a fixed spool would be very difficult

Mike

[Phil Dean]

cheers, fixed spools I can handle.

[Matt Jenkins]

Hi Phil,

I don't know about the rod that you were asking about but i've just bought a shimano rod. I got the 7 piece, exage stc specimen rod. It's 12' long and comes in both 2.75lb and 3lb TC variations. The 3lb is the one i went for and has excellent build quality and appears very strong. I think it would be suitable for both fixed spool and small multiplier use but have only tried mine with fixed spool. I think the rod breaches the gap between heavy spinning rod and light sea rod nicely but its only my opinion. I don't know if this helps at all and can't offer a proper review of it until mid auagust but i thought i'd chip in with my bit...it also comes with travel case and breaks down to 26", small enough for a suitcase!

Matt

[Phil Dean]

I've got some pets up here that I'd love to try it on.................they regularly pass the bottom of my house, they fight well but not of the standard of tarpon.

the 350 is a strong rod, no stated tc but certainly more backbone than my 1.5lb tc tench rods. It's handled double figure salmon and carp and i'd be confident with pike but tarpon???????