Fishy11 wrote: Marknado4000 Yeah its one of those things, where you get what you pay for to an extenet / kinda. I don't think you are going to get a rod for $1000 give or take that is 2-3 times better, in all areas of performance & feel than a $400-500 shimano, yes they might be a bit better but not 3 times better. With the alloy alps reel seat, i don't see that as making much diffeence( and i own a couple of jigging rods with them ) nothing wrong with the apls but composite / plastic reel seats especially if they are fuji do the job just as good and sometimes better with certain reels. The ocea has fuji components, k guides etc so is not like its utter trash, alot of rod for the money but just my 2c.

Marknado4000, Yeah always a toss up, whether you pull the trigger and say i want the best, stuff the money.
Or whether you say i want to spend X amount and achieve X results, then you try find the best for that amount of money.

Just a thought here guys, awesome to see Marlin on topwater,one thing i find quite intersting and ill probably going to cop flack for saying this, (ive never caught a marlin on stickbait by the way, its on the list) when we're talking about how "good" a topwater stickbait / popper rod is i personally don't think a marlin is a real test or indicator for alot of these rods in terms of a how well they go fighting most fish being as how it is a much different fight to say a large GT or XL kingfish in (generally) shallower water - marathon vs powerlifter type comparison.

I totally agree fishy 11, although it was 1hr 20 fight on the marlin it was more or less just tug of war and there is no pressure of turning the head before it heads for the reef like a donkey would. In my case the rod if med range model so still a good effort for 110kg fish 

Bend all the rods above and see what you like
I had a jm ocean devil stickbait, but didn't really like it. Bent yamaga, ripple fisher, ocea plugger, Smith and a few others. The synit just felt better straight away to me so got one custom built to match my saltiga 5000h
Mostly cast 80-120g lures on it and it casts a mile even with my technique, and so easy to work the lures

Some good points PE Pete, only thing is some of the fish i go after still tear off with your expensive lures even with the best best gear
Thats why its fishing though i guess.

Fishy11 wrote: Some good points PE Pete, only thing is some of the fish i go after still tear off with your expensive lures even with the best best gear Thats why its fishing though i guess.

Very well said it is called fishing not catching for a reason