My Trickster rods have proved themselves
as fish catching tools, and the two-piece design has proved reliable.
When I saw that American Tackle's lure blanks were available in
the UK I thought I'd give them a look as I have been asked for
longer rods that will fish swimbaits. The Trickster H does the
job, but there was a demand for something a bit longer with a
faster action than the Duellists.
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The two models
I'm starting out with are both 8ft 6in in length with overfit
joints and are rated to 130g and 150g. The blank is 3k carbon
in the butt and part way up the tip. The action of the lighter
rod, which I'm calling the 86-130, is very tippy. I seem to rate
lure rods' casting ability lighter than a lot of people, and I
think this will make a great pike soft plastic jig rod. It fishes
spinnerbaits and in-lines really well, and smaller swimbaits.
It will also twitch minnowbaits and smaller crankbaits. That said
it will comfortably cast something the weight of a regular bulldawg,
which my scales say is around 4.4oz/123g. The tip, I find, a little
soft for working jerkbaits and gliders.
The heavier
86-150 model will cast a Mag Dawg (7.4oz/210g) without any trouble
at all. The tip is stiffer than on the lighter rod making it capable
of working jerkbaits well, and giving a more progressive action
to the rod.
The standard handle comprises a gunsmoke
winding check in front of the one and a half inch flared cork
foregrip, slim contoured cork and black rubber Fuji butt cap giving
fourteen and a half inches overall behind the latest style, grey
hooded, Fuji trigger reel seat. Rings are my standard BCLSVOG
whipped in dark grey, and the rods break down Rover style. A stainless
steel hook keeper is fitted as standard.
There are no garish graphics on these
rods, just a few hand lettered words in white ink. As with all
my rods I build to order only and custom options are available..
All stated casting
weights are simply a guide to a rod's capabilities.
