The t curves are under rated and have a nice soft tip that is suited to the floating stickbaits in that it loads up well  on the sweep rather than ripping the lure out of the water in a cartwheeling motion that some of the stiffer tipped rods can . The offshores are bloody nice rods but as most of the stickbaits that you use for kingies around NZ ( assuming that is where youll be using it the most) are in the 80-120 g weight it might be a bit too heavy for these. Lionel at Offshore does do a nice lighter weight rod but I think that is a bit longer which is a good thing in my opinion in terms of cast distances. The Kilwell one from memory has a nice action but quite a short butt section which digs into your ribs somewhat when you tuck it under your arm for the stickbait sweep action.

Daiwa demonblood

^^Withdrawn. :(

I've had several live fibre and kilwell special blanks made into popper rods in the past. Not sure if I have actually used the kilwell livefibre GT or not though.... I suspect I have, it is a two piece that is in the solomons at the moment, as I will be using it again come january when I head back there. And it is indeed a very very sweet rod. It is a 30lb blank though, not sure what the non-custom rods at rated at..... I guess Nagged on here would be the guy to ask, seeing as he makes them! :-)

got one of these, Offshore Illusion 7'6 150 - 200g and it's mint, had a crack with the killwell set up last year was also good. Offshore Illusion 7'6 150 - 200g should be in your price range. Put a Talisman on my one and are very happy with it. PLEASE SOMEONE STOP THE WIND!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks all, that information was gold. I rang Leon at offshore today. He explained the lighter action stickbait rods that they have been making. It's 8'6" 2 piece, with a lot more play in the tip owing to the blanks length tapering off that long. He rekons they load up quite parabolically for kingies and work the lighter stick stick baits well. Haha, problem being their first batch got cleaned out. They have another lot of blanks ordered but will be about 2-3 months before they are all ready. Sound the goods so I'll get one then.

Couldn't hold back for a trip this weekend so scored a T-Curve.

Ginga - I had a swing on one of those Monster Mesh. Is the one you talkng about that standard 8'3 200g beasts. I found them really stiff and pretty stiff in the tip as well. Suppose it is one thing having a bend in the shop with the shop person and another being attached to a 25kg king, experience would know.

Aaron32987 wrote:  I was going to sell mine as I've got Carpenter  now, but if that is the market value for this brilliant, incredibly lightweight but strong as rod I'll just keep mine!

I knew you were a tackle whore in the making