Popper rod upto $250????
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=83048
Printed Date: 05 Jun 2026 at 8:18am
Topic: Popper rod upto $250????
Posted By: jonocoogee
Subject: Popper rod upto $250????
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 9:05pm
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Hey guys, Just wanting to get a couple of opinions. Looking at getting a rod for poppers and maybe an occasional stickbait. Will be running either an Okuma Salina II 16000 or a Diawa Opus Bull 4500 on it. Probably something that can throw good sized poppers for kingies but again not a huge budget. Have been looking at the Okuma Andros popper rod for about 250. But open to other ideas. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Replies:
Posted By: bop strayliner
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2012 at 9:25pm
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Hey Jono. I'm thinking of one of these, the only downside is they are a one piece. Shimano Terez - Spinning Rod - 7'2" - 15-24kg Feature Fuji K-series Alconite guides and Shimano's famous TC4 4 ply weave graphite technology. ------------- Just one more cast!!! |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 6:56am
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The one piece doesn't bother me. Have you had a flick with one? ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: AndyK-22
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 1:17pm
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Another option Could be a T-curve Revolution. Had a play on one on Friday and had a pretty nice actual. Good value for $$
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Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 1:22pm
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Whats wrong with the backbone elite popper rod? they're around that price
------------- A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse. |
Posted By: DAVE_
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 1:45pm
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Have a mint Van Staal 802 GT 2 piece you can have for $250 ------------- |
Posted By: bop strayliner
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 5:58pm
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Not yet. Rolly at Top Catch had his own one setup with a Stella 5k. Looked very nice and he gave it big ups. ------------- Just one more cast!!! |
Posted By: FarmerBrowne
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 7:32pm
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I have been using a T-Curve revolution 3 piece travel rod for some GT fishing and it seems to perform OK - closer to $300 than $250 but if you think you might get a tropical trip in at some stage you can save on the extra $ airlines charge for a seperate rod tube (extra luggage item) by packing the rod in your luggage with suitable protection.
rod in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsZVOdz3d8o&list=UUQ5KdCgqhnUqSMxZ3sdR1Zg&index=5&feature=plcp" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsZVOdz3d8o&list=UUQ5KdCgqhnUqSMxZ3sdR1Zg&index=5&feature=plcp
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Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 8:25pm
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Zambisi - I had a look at the Backbone in the shop. Looked nice but seemed stiff, what is it like to fish with? At 200 it def fitted in the budget. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: ELEVAR
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 8:32pm
| thoes back bones look/feel like they would snap your back!!! |
Posted By: straks007
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 8:51pm
| I picked up one of those BB Popper rods on special for $120 a few months back but am yet to use it. It dos feel a bit stiff but should work ok with the bigger poppers. I have paired it up with the Salina II 16000 High Speed. |
Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2012 at 10:08pm
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Yeah I don't know much about popping, but used mine a lot on Saturday for the first time, even threw around a few stay lined baits with it. It seemed fine. It's the usual backbone broom stick, which I don't mind. But I still don't know what I'm doing, it pops poppers though. ------------- A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse. |
Posted By: PoppinTonga
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 7:19am
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I will echo what Farmer Browne says. I have had many guests show up with the 3 piece T-curve rods and have done a respectable job on GTs. One guy made a small rod tube that fit in his suitcase to protect the rod on the plane. ------------- Tis better to have hooked and lost than never to have hooked at all. |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 8:01pm
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Thanks for the advice guys, I am swaying towards a T Curve, But not the travel option. Gonna go have a tutu with one at a shop first though. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: Blue Asparagus
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 8:18pm
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http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/popper-stickbait-rods_topic83171.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/popper-stickbait-rods_topic83171.html Okuma Braid Concept Popper Rod, 15-24KG, 7'9, 2 piece $160 ono
Okuma Andros Stickbait Rod 8', Pe 4-6, 2 Piece $180 ono Shimano Tcurve Revolution Travel, 7'6, 15-24kg, 3 piece $220ono ------------- Ultimate GAME Fishing Adventures. Northland |
Posted By: 2cold
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 8:25pm
^ was just about to post that too  I'd be going with the Andros Stickbait rod if you just want to target kings. They work stickbaits much better than a stiffer popper rod, and as long as you aren't using large faced GT poppers they can work poppers fairly well too. If you do want to fish larger poppers though and if you are predominantly fishing poppers something like a non-travel T-Curve or Backbone popper rod would fit the bill, and the Okuma Braid concept popper Rods like the one above at $160 are a great value rod with some serious balls too
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Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 8:41pm
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andros X2, have a 3 piece one... and it compares favourably even against diawa monster mesh rod I also have...
To be honest they are probably all good. The braid concepts are also very nice -I was very tempted to get one of those before the Andros (purchased for travel) - especially lighter braid concept models which are well suited to harbour kings round bouys and flicking into workups while out softbaiting for prowling kings.
But expect the andros and t-curve may be better for heavy duty and stopping big fish. Nothing wrong with choice of reels either... Opus Bull 4500 reel I have and dealt to a 20kg king with PE5.
Wife has Salina softbaiting reel 400 size and deals to few kings and big snaps -so 16000 shud handle most kings with right braid and matched to above rods.
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Posted By: Tyrannosaur
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2012 at 10:10pm
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Take a look at the back bone - the new one, The old ones were pretty brutal and stiff. The new ones are really nice - A friend of mine that works in a fishing store uses one for off the rocks which I have used and its actually really nice for a $200 rod, Not stiff like the older model. |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 13 Nov 2012 at 12:58pm
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Just for the record. I ended up settling on the fin nor troppo, 8ft 15-24kilo. At 199 bucks it was the best feeling rod I tested in my price range. Although the best one I saw overall was a 24-37 kilo offshore stick bait rod. At 460 was a little out of reach though. Cheers for the offers guys, especially andyk-22 for his generous offer. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: miss daisy chain
Date Posted: 19 May 2017 at 4:10pm
| Just wondering how your Troppo spin rod worked out for you. I am looking at getting one to topwater action... any feedback appreciated. |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 19 May 2017 at 6:32pm
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Jeremy, My troppo was awesome, if you can still find one round I would def recommend it for starting out. I got some nice kingies on mine, biggest about 24 kilo which it handled fine. I think these have been discontinued but if you can find one of the old cherry red 8ft ones I would still say best sub $200 rod on the market. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: rockz
Date Posted: 20 May 2017 at 7:19am
| norcross had a couple at the boat show. |
Posted By: miss daisy chain
Date Posted: 20 May 2017 at 8:31am
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Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking at the 7' 12-18kg troppo 7002 spin rod for casting topwater from a boat targeting midsize kingies around Moks, Chicks and Flat Rock. Teaming it up with a Fin-nor OF5500. I've been offered this setup for $259. Do you think it will work OK for the application? lure weights will be between 25g-80g. My concerns are the weight of the reel (a bit heavy at 750g) and stiffness of the rod tip (too stiff?). I know the OF 5500 is not as smooth as some reels, but it is built tough which appeals as I am rough on my gear. My other issue is that it is through Marine Deals, and while they are an awesome store, I feel like I should support my local fishing shop!
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Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 21 May 2017 at 8:18pm
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I haven't seen one of those troppo rods in the flesh, so i cant comment on them, my only thoughts are that at 7ft they might be a bit short for casting and working lures. The reels are heavy, but bullitproof. so you have to weigh up what bothers you more. I guess have a talk to your local guy, there is nothing wrong with shopping around, they may even be able to price match. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: kingfish15
Date Posted: 21 May 2017 at 9:07pm
I have used a 7 foot Troppo top water rod before and because of its short length i found casting long distances hard, i reckon something over 8 foot.
Cheers |
miss daisy chain wrote:Posted By: like_to_strike
Date Posted: 22 May 2017 at 5:56am
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Keep in mind i'm not hugely experienced in top water but have really gotten into it over the last two years. I started off buying the cheapest set i could, a 7ft rod and a finnor biscayne spooled with run of the mill 50lb braid that i thought "did the job"... While i had no problems with the gear i never really got into topwater because it was hard work casting all day and i struggled to get the lures to work properly no matter what i did so i kind of gave up on it thinking my technique was rubbish. Then one night TAS got the better of me and i bought a shimano 8'6" topwater rod and finnor lethal 100 spooled with the cheapest 80lb hollowcore braid i could find and first cast with the new set made the old set feel like crap, i could cast further, sweep the lure properly and plug poppers well, and what do you know i started catching alot more fish instead of mainly just having them follow and turn away at my feet! Fell in love with the sport! Fast forward to 6 months ago, out with a mate flicking some lures. He commented on my broomstick  i thought it was a choice rod...I took a look at his rod and thought f@#% me my rod feels like a broomstick! Again TAS got the better of me i bought a penn ocean assassin 8'2"rod and penn slammer 8500 spooled with shimano ocea ex8 PE8 braid. Same as before, what a difference! night'n'day difference actually. Morale of the story.... try before you buy and absorb all that the gurus on here have to say! I should have, it would have saved me $800 had i have brought something more suited for the job in the first place plus you will hook more fish and really enjoy the sport a lot more, i was nearly put off fishing topwater because i brought a set that i thought would get the job done despite the interwebs all saying 8-9ft rods an a reel with decent retrieve. To me the ocean assassin rod is probably the best value topwater rod around at the moment, they are $300 retail but if you look around can be picked up for $250 and probably cheaper as a combo. Remember im still pretty new to the topwater game and this is only my opinion Good luck! |
Posted By: miss daisy chain
Date Posted: 22 May 2017 at 6:10am
Thanks for the good advice. I guess I'll have to save up a bit more cash! In the meantime my $50 7' (well closer to 6.9' as the tip broke off) glass rod will have to do
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Posted By: kingfish15
Date Posted: 22 May 2017 at 11:54pm
Have a look on trademe sometimes there are some good deals on top water rods. Cheers
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