INDIANANGLER

http://fish.shimano-eu.com/catalog/fish ... 4190058079

Would the BMAXBT240H or BMAXBT270H prove to be an equally good or better alternative to the ubiquitous uptide rod for mahseer on the Cauvery or not?

I have two reasons for considering these rods:
1) I have sold the multiplier but still retain a Shimano 6500 A Baitrunner.
2) The transport length for either of these rods is within the maximum permissible by Royal Mail / Parcel Force. An uptide exceeds the maximum permissible length.

Also, would anyone know what the line ratings for these rods happen to be?

Thanks.

Rustam

Those are brutish rods mate. Rated to cast "150 - 300g" (5 - 10oz) and designed for big fish in strong tides. In a sea angling contect, they'd normally be used with 25 - 40 lb line with a heaver line used to build the end rig and deal with any abraision issues.
Do you really need that much power ?
I only ask because I've landed all my big mahseer on a spinning rod rated to cast 60g (2oz) and while I was a little undergunned at times, I didn't run into any major problems.
I can't help feeling that with the possible exception of the gorge at Bush Beta, a catfish rod with a 5lb test curve would deal with almost any situation on the cauvery and be a lot easier to hold and more fun to fish with. A little softness also reduces the risk of pulling hooks.

Just a bit out of topic Rusty.. Do you know what is the difference between Shimano Baitrunner A and Shimano baitrunner B.. Recently picked up a Shimano Baitrunner 6500 B... that's why a bit curious...

-Inder

Hi Ken and thanks for the reply.

The reason for shortlisting these rods was their casting weight, which closely resembles that of a 6-10 oz uptide rod. The reason for a higher casting weight is to enable me to cast out those ragi balls and the accompanying lead that I see others doing. As far as I know, nobody uses an uptide rated for less than a 4 to 8oz casting weight.

I did not know the line rating until you mentioned it but 40lb mono is exactly what the 6500A BTR is spooled with.

The only point in your post that I find worrying is that you feel this rod may be a lot stiffer than an uptide rod rated for 6 to 10oz. Is that right and in which case, would the BMAXBT240MH or BMAXBT270MH be a better bet?

Keeping the U.K. postal restrictions in mind, are there any particular catfish rods you could point me to? Links would be welcome. I tried looking up the Wychwood travel catfish rod yesterday but they no longer seem to have it on their website.

Thanks.

Rustam

P.S.: Found the Wychwood Catfish travel round here... http://www.fishingwarehouseshop.co.uk/p ... 72b65463b4 Just wondering if the distance from butt end to reel seat isn't a wee bit too long when fishing from a coracle. Do you have any experience with this rod?

Inder, the most obvious difference is that the 'A' is the predecessor of the 'B' and if I am not mistaken, the first baitrunner type spinning reel ever made.

I cannot find any difference in the external appearance but the 'B' has a weight of 867 grams as against 745 grams for the 'A'. The 'B' has Super Stopper II', which the 'A' probably does not have.

There is no difference in the gear ratio, number of bearings and line capacity.

Thanks Rusty.. that clears the things now.. but looks like I bought the wrong tool for the job I had in mind.. I was looking something for fishing in north and this reel is designed for bait fishing not for lure fishing.. Any heavy spinning reel would have sufficed in north...Anyway its still in US so lets see what else can i get..

Thats happen when you buy things on impulse

Thanks once again for the explanation.

-Inder

hey Rustam - you mentioned something on Ragi balls as bait? What are these? I'm just guessing if it is not that pink coloured flour which you mix in milk and drink??? And if it is, then what kind of preparation goes behind making those ragi balls and casting them at a longer distance without making them come out? I have found it very difficult to use any kind of flour to cast long distance and inside water they come out so quick.. and wonder if you can spin with it....any thoughts welcome....

Take a gander at this link, Kulsdood.

http://www.indianangler.com/viewtopic.php?t=251

Ken,

The Daiwa Powermesh X 9'2" 5LB TC ( http://www.fostersofbirmingham.co.uk/ST34172 ) is another rod I have just come across but the price is eye watering. Would it be worth it?

The Powermesh isn't a cheap rod but it is nice.

There are alternatives. I have no idea about the qualitybut there are plenty of catfish rods available from the likes of Askari (do a search - l'm not going to sneak in a comercial link) for a fraction of the price of the daiwa.

I just thought I’d mention that the rod that I finally settled on for myself is the Shimano Beastmaster AX Pilk 300.
This rod is 3m (9’) long, rated to cast up to 150g (5oz) and although the tip is fairly soft, there is heaps of power lower down the rod so I really believe that it will cast a full 150g without problems.
It is ringed for use with a fixed spool reel and breaks down into four even sections. It even comes supplied with a nylon covered tube but the tube isn’t actually that great a quality so mine will be going into a tougher tube that I already use.
Being a travel rod does of course make for easier international shipping.

I wouldn’t normally mention suppliers but I know some of you guys have used Fosters of Birmingham before. Current price is £80.
Richard is apparently in Belize fishing at the moment but his brother Mark was telling me that the beastmaster is his current travel rod of choice, so he should be able to give you a personal evaluation in a couple of weeks.

Thanks, Ken. Do you mean this rod - http://fish.shimano-eu.com/catalog/fish ... 4791522323 ?

I was fishing with a borrowed uptide rod yesterday but I find that the butt section gets in the way when used from a coracle, especially now that it has become mandatory to wear life jackets on the WASI stretch.

Yep, mine is the heavier of the two shown. The chappie in Fosters reckoned it was rated tp cast 150g and it doesn't actually say anything on the rod itself.
As said, the tip is quite soft but it's helpful to have a shock absorber in the system, especially if you're using braid.

For me, it's as close to being a perfect rod as i'm likely to get given that I need a travel rod. I'd have liked a couple of inches off the butt to make it easier to move around in tight spaces and I'd have prefered the overall length to be a little closer to 8' than 9 but I'm more than happy with the compromise.

Ken,

According to the Shimano website, this rod is rated to cast upto 190 grams / 6.7 ozs.

I am afraid you are in for a nasty surprise because a 3 metre rod is just a couple of inches short of 10 feet. Ever thought of cutting the extra bit on the butt section and then adding the necessary countre weight to balance it to your requirements?

BTW, what exactly is a Pilk rod and which reel/s do you intend using with yours?

Thanks.

Yeh, I know about the length but that fine soft tip prevents it from being to top heavy to hold for long periods. Like I said, it's a compromise, but a good one.

A "pilk" is European word for what we in the UK would call a "pirk" - same word in German, Dutch and Danish for sure.
Basically, a pirk is just a simple jig that was developed back in the 60's and 70's for catching cod from a boat.
In recent years, you have people casting jigs (pilks) both from a boat and from shore up in places like Norway with fixed spool reels and super heavy spinning rods - and that's what this is.

Thanks, Ken.

Hi Rusty, think you'll find the Wychwood catfish rod is ideal. I have a pair of them in storage in Karnataka, next time I'm out, you can have a look at them. Might even be looking to sell one of them, along with the matching baitrunner-style reel loaded with 40lb Big Game and a pile of Owner Mahseer hooks.
The handle is a perfect length for using in the coracle, I feel, but then I'm used to using full length handles back home.