Would Your Rod Handle A 49 Lb Fish?

[Pete-K]

Took a New Rod to do a review on, Berkley Lighting Rod Shock 7ft Med Action SHS701M Line weigh of 4lb to 12 lb and weights of 1/4 oz to 3/4 oz. Spinning rod.

Thoughts was after seeing so much about $300 dollar rods, To test this one out and see how well it does. So put an extra reel I had on hand Okuma STG-15 and STG 20. Started out with the 15, the foot on this reel is not big enough for this rod. So reached back and dug out he ST20. Loaded with 8 lb test line and a 3/4 oz flat head Sauger jig

Using a Long John minnow on these for a trailer. Caught a few Sauger(Limit of 10), Rod did great at feeling all that was going on down 40ft deep and in current. Allowing me to feel each fish with ease, even those bites that feel more like a leaf then a hit. After 7 Sauger I have a hit I know is not a Sauger, Its that old Head shake of a Big Flat head Catfish. Get this big boy to the surface then its back to the bottom in 40ft of water, This goes on 3 times. Each time this cheap $40.00 Rod and $18. Reel did there job with ease, drag worked well with the bend of the rod each time this brute wanted to run and head to the depths again and again. After about 7 minutes of this fight I get him coming up again, so I slip on a cotton glove to grab this fish by the jaw and drag it into the Lund. Get the fish back to the surface this time and I hate to say it but i had to take a breather knowing the fish was also getting one. Now if I had only done as well as the rod at handling this 49 lb fish I would have been a good day.

So long story short put this rod to a test way more then it was ever designed to work with. Did it pass the test? Yes with flying colors it did the job and more. A limit of Sauger that did not hit hard but this rod allowed me to feel each hit with ease.

Pro's---- Under $40 dollar price tag for a rod that feels great in the hand, whipped fish in shape with ease.

Good looks and made for Both Braid and mono lines.

Good backbone, and runs about 1/3 ways up the rod.

Tip has a well formed curve when loaded up with a good fish, but it does the job its deigned to do. Fight the fish for you and help land that fish.

Con's--- Could use a better reel seat for a wider use of smaller reels with small feet.

Why put a chrome tip on this rod? Don't know but it does make you see the tip but don't like it.

I will be useign this one also for Drop shotting along with Split shotting live minnow for small mouth.

Plans are to test as many rods as I can afford to buy this year, using them for Pickwick Small Mouth bass, White bass, Crappie and what ever I can hook up with them. Then report the Good bad and ugly of each one of them.

Pete

PS. I will say I'm not getting anything of of doing this other then finding out the info for my self. No one is paying me for this in anyway .

Paided for the rod with my own Cash. So if it works I tell you if not I will also tell you.

[LgMouthGambler]

Ah men brother. I swear by this rod too. I have 4 of my reels set on these bad boys. Great for braid, amazing sensativity for the $. Cool color, and light as hell. Best bang for the buck!

[endless]

Just curious and not doubting you but any pics of the catfish?

The rod does seemed highly recommended around here.

[Pete-K]

Just curious and not doubting you but any pics of the catfish?

The rod does seemed highly recommended around here.

Have one on my phone. Will try to get it to my Email where I can post it. Not my biggest catfish and sure not the biggest put in my boat. a year ago we got this one

Wish I had someone in the boat on this one. But without my Video camara could not take a pictuer of the Flat head with my phone.

Pete

[l3rd]

The Cherrywoods are also a great bang for the buck rod. They have a new Lightning rod called an IM6, in addition to the older Shock. I bought 4 of the IM6, referring to graphite content no doubt, rods for canoe fishing. My wife will not allow me to replace her Cherrywood, tried to get her a St Croix Premier, Carbonlite, etc, she won't let me replace it. She did break one trying to horse a snag instead of using the reel, but I told her it was going to happen, it was clearly her fault. Sometimes I wonder myself if I need all the high end gear when the Berkleys are as good as they are for as little as they cost... Awesome bang for the buck, perhaps the best deal in a rod out there.

[loodkop]

Nice review. Looking forward to the next one. Well done on the big cat as well.

[ww2farmer]

Now that my local Walmart has them, I am going to have to go down and grab a few for banging around the truck/pond hopping rods. I get a little squeemish tossing my avids and legend tournaments in the jeep and heading down a dirt trail to the pond, so much so that I have not done much fishing in our ponds the last few years, I kinda miss it.

[endless]

Nice photo and thanks to you and this post I had a dream catfishing with my carbonlite...... No lie! lol

[tholmes]

Loves me some Lightning Rods!

I have 2 now (6' MH and 7' MH) and I'm eyeing a 7' M for my next purchase.

Flat out the best bang-for-your-buck rods out there.

Edit: I wouldn't target flatheads with either of them, but it's nice to know that they'd be up to the job.

Tom

[Goose52]

I've been eyeballing that new IM6 Lightning Rod - they have a 5'6" medium-power trigger rod that I have a use for. They look good on the Berkley web site and even have a decent hook keeper...

[l3rd]

I've been eyeballing that new IM6 Lightning Rod - they have a 5'6" medium-power trigger rod that I have a use for. They look good on the Berkley web site and even have a decent hook keeper...

That's the rod I bought for baitcasting. Also got one for spinning as well. As it's cold as all get out, and I bought them for canoe fishing, I have yet to use them so I can't say much about them yet.

[Pete-K]

Been busy but here's a Picture of the 49 lb flat head caught on this rod. Now its not a good Picture and does not do justice to the fish. But its the best I could get with my Cell Phone. Also I had both hands in this ones mouth that is how wide the fish was. And both hands did not fill its mouth up, when I grabbed it to brag it into the boat.